High-Level Thematic Debate on Digital Cooperation and Connectivity - Part 1

The President of the UN General Assembly (PGA) convenes a one-day High-Level Thematic Debate on Digital Cooperation and Connectivity under the theme “Whole-Of-Society Approaches to End the Digital Divide” in light of the importance of digital connectivity and cooperation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and pursuant to numerous requests from Member States.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 03:11:38
• Production Date: 27 April 2021
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Personal Subject: AMINA J. MOHAMMED; MUNIR AKRAM; QUEEN MÁXIMA OF THE NETHERLANDS; VOLKAN BOZKIR
• Subject Topical: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; CORONAVIRUS DISEASE - COVID 19; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY; HUMAN RIGHTS; INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
• MAMS Id: 2615327
• Parent Id: 2614925

Description

The General Assembly debate sought to generate political commitments to address the widening digital divide as pandemic recovery efforts align with the push to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the end of the decade.

“In a world of unparalleled innovation, where our loved ones are but a video call away, billions struggle to access even the most basic elements of connectivity or live with none at all. Truly, for billions of people the pace and scale of sustainable development is reliant upon digital connectivity,” said Volkan Bozkir, the General Assembly President.

He stressed that “now is the time to act” as the digital divide, which existed long before COVID-19, was only made worse by the crisis. However, recovery offers the chance for true transformation.

“As I have frequently stated, we must use the SDGs as a guide to our post-COVID recovery. This means ensuring that no one is left behind, no one is left offline, and that we apply a whole-of-society, multi-stakeholder, and intergenerational approach to our efforts”, he said.

“This is particularly important for the world’s 1.8 billion young people, who must be equipped with the skills and resources to thrive in an ever-changing, tech-driven future.”

Without decisive action by the international community, the digital divide will become “the new face of inequality”, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned the General Assembly on Tuesday.

Although technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are opening new frontiers of productivity and providing opportunities to people and societies, they pose numerous risks, she said, including exclusion.

“Almost half the world’s population, 3.7 billion people, the majority of them women, and most in developing countries, are still offline”, Ms Mohammed told ambassadors, tech experts and representatives from civil society groups.

“Collectively, our task is to help design digital environments that can connect everyone with a positive future. This is why we need a common effort, with collaboration among national and local governments, the private sector, civil society, academia and multilateral organizations.”

Other speakers include Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council; Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development; and Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director of "Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations".

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