If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are conditions for development.

Annan links two ideals often discussed separately: democratic governance and socioeconomic development. The first clause assumes that democracy depends on an informed public—citizens need access to reliable information and the education to interpret it in order to deliberate, vote, and hold leaders accountable. The second clause extends that logic beyond politics: the same informational infrastructure (schools, research, free media, transparent institutions, open data) is also a prerequisite for development, because growth and poverty reduction rely on knowledge—about health, agriculture, technology, markets, and rights. The quote thus argues that investing in information and knowledge is not a luxury of wealthy states but a foundational condition for both legitimate government and sustainable progress.