Today’s digital economy is driven by the enormous potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). These are fundamental to foster the achievement of the SDGs on a global scale, reaching all groups of society in meaningful and impactful ways. Emerging technologies like 5G, Big Data, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, together with high-speed broadband connectivity, play a key role in addressing global challenges in a variety of fields, including education, employment, health, agriculture, inequalities, climate change, and governance.
Digital transformation and ICT development can be achieved through fostered multi-stakeholder cooperation and inter-agency coordination. This will occur through the engagement of multiple stakeholders in the digital sector and the exchange of best practices within the UN system. Joint actions related to information and communication technologies for achieving the SDGs should be targeted to regional needs and priorities, in the view of strengthening the implementation of cross-cutting interventions by diverse agencies operating within the UN system. The ongoing reform of the regional UN Development System offers a unique opportunity for the UN System in Europe and Central Asia to achieve the objective of improved cooperation in the digital sector.
This ambitious purpose led to the foundations for the creation of the United Nations Group on Digital Transformation for Europe and Central Asia (UN-DTG4ECA). The Group’s mandate aims at facilitating cooperation between different UN agencies in the field of digital transformation. It further promotes coordinated UN support to Member States in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda through ICTs. It strengthens information sharing on activities of the UN System in Europe and Central Asia, while providing support to the work of the Issues Based Coalitions and the Regional Knowledge Hub covering both the Europe and the Asia regions.
RELATED ACTIVITIES :
- Cross-Cutting Session on Digitalization: Digital Transformation in the Wake of Covid-19, within the framework of the 2021 Regional Forum for Sustainable Development. This session aimed to promote the coordinated approach of UN agencies to support Member States in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda through ICTs. It focused on the urgent needs of accelerating digital transformation across different sectors as an immediate response to COVID-19. Co-led by ITU and UNECE, it was organized in collaboration with the UN Digital Transformation Group for Europe and Central Asia. During the session, the role of adopting a multi-agency and multi-stakeholder approach to achieve the 2030 Agenda through ICTs was reaffirmed as an urgent cross-cutting priority to enhance the use of digital solutions as enablers for building back better after COVID-19 and ensuring economic and social development at national and regional levels. Learn more about the session here .
Driving the WSIS Action Lines to foster digital transformation in Europe and Central Asia, held on 26th April from 12:00 to 13:00 CET and organized by the UNDTG4ECA, within the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2021. Through interactive panel discussions and the participation of multiple representatives of UN agencies, the workshop drew attention to projects, initiatives and efforts aiming at advancing implementation of the WSIS Action Lines. This workshop also provided a platform for multi-stakeholder discussion on challenges and opportunities identified at the national and regional levels. Each UN agency had the opportunity to draw attention to a flagship initiative aimed at fostering digital transformation in the Regions. The recently published ICT Solutions Stocktaking Report, listing a selection of initiatives and projects by the UNDTG4ECA, constitutes a valuable reference to understand scope and objectives of UN efforts to achieve the WSIS Action Lines and the SDGs through ICTs in Europe and Central Asia by 2030. Learn more about the thematic workshop
here.
