One third of the world could be left behind if more is not done to provide developing countries with the skills, knowledge, and access to markets necessary to compete. In globalizing developing countries, per capita income increased 5 percent a year in the 1990s. In other developing countries, per capita income decreased by 1 percent over the past decade. Appropriately designed information and communication technology (ICT) in developing countries can provide inexpensive and critical access to domestic and global markets, allowing the invisible hand of the market to be a helping hand to the poor.

The Digital Freedom Initiative (DFI) helps meet the challenge by promoting free market based regulatory and legal structures and placing volunteers in businesses and community centers to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with the information and communications technology skills and knowledge to operate more efficiently while competing in the global economy. These objectives are achieved in partnership with U.S. business entities whose voluntary, innovative and entrepreneurial participation in the DFI provides access to new markets and competitive opportunities for developing products and services in emerging economies. Over 90 U.S. business, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions now comprise the DFI Business Roundtable.

The DFI was initiated in Senegal on March 4, 2003. In October 2003 President Bush announced that Peru and Indonesia had agreed to join the DFI program. On June 9, 2004 Jordan became the fourth DFI partner country. More countries are anticipated to join the program in the next four years to increase business activity, develop more efficient markets, create more jobs in the U.S. and DFI beneficiary countries, and help establish a business friendly regulatory framework conducive to U.S. investment and partnerships.