C7. E-business and the SDGs: the Way Forward

UNCTAD, ITC and UPU

In line with the overall thrust of the WSIS Forum 2015, the Action Line Facilitation meeting on e-business (C7) will explore how actions related to e-business may contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as they currently stand. The session will be organized in the form of an interactive discussion around selected SDGs which have particular relevance to the topic of e-business. Participants will represent governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector as well as academia. The last part of the session will seek to identify priorities and possible recommendations for future work on e-business.

THE E-BUSINESS ACTION LINE

  1. Make it possible for businesses to use relevant ICTs and to benefit fully from the information economy, including by creating an enabling environment for selling and buying goods or services via ICT networks.
  2. Enhance the involvement of all stakeholders in promoting the benefits of e-business and stimulating the development of new e-business applications, content and services, including for mobile devices and social media.
  3. Foster a dynamic ICT sector to underpin productive use of ICTs, sustainable growth and development, job creation, trade and innovation as part of broader strategies for poverty reduction through wealth creation.
  4. Enhance the entry of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs), and youth and women entrepreneurs, into all sectors of e-business taking new technological developments into account.
  5. Improve availability of statistical e-business data needed to assess economic and social impacts.

Source: WSIS+10 Vision For WSIS Beyond 2015.

Speakers / panellists

Chair/moderator:

  • Torbjörn Fredriksson, Chief ICT Analysis Section, UNCTAD

Panellists (tentative list):

  • Michael Kende, Chief Economist, Internet Society
  • Nir Kshetri, Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • Helani Galpaya, CEO, LirneAsia
  • Paul Mitchell, General Manager, Technology Policy, Microsoft
  • El Amine Serhani, President, National Federation of e-commerce in Morocco
  • Débora María Ponce Ogáldez, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Guatemala in Geneva
  • Madhura Chatrapathy, Trustee Director, ASCENT
  • Mr Alexandre Berthaud, CEO and Co-Founder E-Savings.club SA
Session's link to WSIS Action Lines
  • C7. ICT Applications: E-business
Session's link to the Sustainable Development Process

SDGs of high relevance to e-business:

1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance.

2.3 By 2030 double the agricultural productivity and the incomes of small-scale food producers, particularly women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets, and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment

5.b Enhance the use of enabling technologies, in particular ICT, to promote women’s empowerment.

8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises including through access to financial services.

8.9 By 2030 devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism which creates jobs, promotes local culture and products.

8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all.

9.3 Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, particularly in developing countries, to financial services including affordable credit and their integration into value chains and markets.

17.11 Increase significantly the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the LDC share of global exports by 2020 


Session 253
  • Thursday 28 May,
  • Room C1, ITU Tower
  • Interactive Action Line Facilitation Meeting

WSIS Forum 2015 | Innovating Together: Enabling ICTs for Sustainable Development
25–29 May 2015, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Place des Nations, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland