Support to the FCDO  

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Technology and Innovation Unit has a longstanding strategic partnership with the GSMA, the global association of the mobile industry, through its Mobile for Development (M4D) programme.

As part of this collaboration, GSMA M4D supports FCDO country posts and central teams to build capacity and knowledge on how mobile, digital and emerging technologies can help unlock positive social, economic or environmental impact at scale and in a commercially sustainable manner. 

M4D’s Central Insights Unit (CIU) was set up specifically to facilitate and deliver collaborative projects with the FCDO, leveraging M4D’s expertise, research, and extensive networks. 

Expertise available

Thanks to its unique positioning at the intersection of the mobile ecosystem and the development sector, GSMA M4D has expertise in a wide range of topics, including but not limited to: 

• Increasing digital inclusion through greater access and adoption of the mobile internet including reducing the gender gap for women and the disability gap.   

• Leveraging AI and emerging technologies for sustainable and inclusive development and for climate action.​ 

• Advancing the use of mobile and digital technologies to support climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience strategies. ​ 

• Accelerating financial inclusion through digital technologies. ​ 

• Unlocking access to affordable and improved energy, water and sanitation services.​ 

• Ensuring effective humanitarian assistance through digital channels.​ 

• Exploring digital health interventions to plug gaps in health services for the underserved.​ 

• Reaching underserved populations effectively with edtech.​ 

• Supporting local innovators (startups and MSMEs) to reach sustainability and maximise impact.

Offer to the FCDO

The CIU provides support to the FCDO country posts and the central teams in the following areas: 

Research and insights 

• Research reports – country-level, regional, and thematic reports 

• Tailored briefings – including policy reviews and technology landscape analyses 

Technical assistance (Ad-hoc, agile support) 

• Strategic advice – delivered through virtual and in-person workshops or via expert calls. 

All scopes of work and methodologies are jointly developed and customised to align with FCDO priorities. Additionally, the CIU collaborates with the FCDO to support effective dissemination of findings through webinars, events, and blogs. 

Examples of recent engagements

Examples of recent engagements with the FCDO through the CIU include the following publications: 

• Blockchain in Agriculture: Global lessons and the Kenyan experience (June 2025) 

• Climate Tech in Timor Leste: Strenghtening climate adaptation and resilience (Aug 2025)
• The Future of Learning: The impact of edtech on learning outcomes in the Philippines (Dec 2024) 
• Advancing Sustainable Fisheries with Digital Technologies: The Gulf of Thailand (Sept 2024) 
• AI for Africa; Use cases delivering impact (Jul 2024), including country deep dives for Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria. 
• Combatting forest fires with AI in Pakistan (Apr 2024) 
• Tanzania’s Digitalisation Journey: Opportunities for value creation (Jan 2023) 
• E-Commerce in Africa: Unleashing the opportunity for MSMEs (Oct 23) 
• Inclusive E-Government Services in Ghana: Enhancing Women’s Access and Usage (Jul 23) 
• Mobile Money in Ethiopia: Advancing financial inclusion and driving growth (Jun 23) 

Click here to view more publications

Types of engagement

Based on an assessment of requirements, we can propose specific engagements or activities, including:

Commitment required

Throughout the engagement, we require commitment from FCDO to support: 

• Project scoping – Identifying key challenges and research questions 

• Methodology development – Collaboratively shaping the approach 

• Stakeholder engagement – Facilitating introductions to relevant partners in their network 

• Feedback and input – Providing insights at key stages of the project 

Assessment criteria

Requests for support will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• The GSMA’s capacity – Availability of resources and expertise 

• Feasibility – Practicality and viability of the engagement 

• Relevance and expertise – Does the GSMA have existing experience/expertise in the topic to ensure high-quality, credible engagement? 

• Project impact – How the work will be used by FCDO teams, programs or partners (e.g., programme design, policy development, or stakeholder influence) 

• Collaboration opportunity – Are there relevant actors/voices in the international development community or within GSMA who could contribute to the project? 
• We particularly welcome proposals that explore the role of emerging technologies—such as big data analytics, AI and machine learning,  and IoT—in key areas, including digital inclusion, humanitarian crises, climate resilience and adaptation, agriculture and food security, digital public infrastructure, digital health, sustainable urban development, and local entrepreneurship and innovation. 

Timeframes for submission

If you are interested in commissioning a research project to the CIU, please complete the “Expression of Interest” below. Project kick-offs are on a first come, first served basis and applications are open from 
2ⁿᵈ February to 2ⁿᵈ March 2026.

Contacts

About the GSMA

The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. GSMA’s vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. It represents mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries. 

The GSMA Mobile for Development (M4D) team drives innovation in digital technology to reduce inequalities in our world. Singularly positioned at the intersection of the mobile ecosystem and the development sector, we stimulate digital innovation to deliver both sustainable business and large-scale socio-economic impact for the underserved. Our unique research and insights platform advances digital innovations and implementations that empower underserved populations to build a better future. Our in-market expertise informs partnerships between the mobile industry, tech innovators, governments and the development sector. And our unparalleled convening power motivates conversations and inspires action. To date, we have impacted the lives of over 220 million people. 

Expression of interest