General Assembly President To Shine Spotlight On Digital Divide

Bold commitments needed to make sure no one is left offline

What: The President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, is convening a one-day High-level Thematic Debate on Digital Cooperation and Connectivity under the theme “Whole-Of-Society Approaches to End the Digital Divide”. This hybrid (in-person and virtual) gathering will generate political commitments to address the widening digital divide as COVID-19 recovery efforts advance in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Member State representatives, UN officials, technology and telecommunications leaders, experts in digital governance and civil society participants, will come together in three panel discussions and a High-level Plenary. A summary reflecting the discussions will be circulated by the President’s office following the event.

Why: COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of digitization. Online learning, virtual meetings, telemedicine and e-commerce, have become an integral part of life. However, for many, the benefits of technology are out of reach. Approximately 3.7 billion people across the globe are not connected to the internet. Women are disproportionally disconnected, with only 48% having access globally. Additionally, in 2019, close to 87 per cent of individuals in developed countries used the internet, compared to only 19% in the Least Developed Countries. Rapid digital growth has exacerbated inequalities and now threatens to derail progress on the SDGs. A lack of digital skills and affordability prevent those who are already the most disadvantaged from participating in a digital society. However, governments, businesses and civil society have an opportunity, as the world scales up COVID-19 recovery efforts, to ensure equitable access to technology; improve digital governance to tackle human rights abuses and the spread of misinformation online; address the environmental footprint of the digital age; and find digital solutions to our global climate and environmental problems. 

Speakers to include:

• Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, Special Advocate of the UN Secretary-General for Inclusive Finance for Development
• Ms. Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations
• Mr. John Frank, Vice President, UN Affairs, Microsoft
• Ms. Eleanor Sarpong, Deputy Director and Policy Lead, Alliance for Affordable Internet
• Mr. Rodney Taylor, Secretary General, Caribbean Telecommunications Union
• Mr. Patrick Gelsinger, CEO, Intel
• Mr. Bob Moritz, Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers Network
• Mr. Javier Villamizar, Operating Partner, SoftBank Vision Fund
• Mr. Hans Vestberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications
• Ms. Maria Grazia Panunzi, President, AIDOS (Italian Association for Women in Development) International; Coordinator, Civil Society 20 (C20) Gender Working Group
• Mr. Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA
• Ms. Alison Bryant, Senior Vice President, AARP Research

When: Tuesday 27 April 2021, 10 am - 7 pm ET

Where: Virtual event, live and on-demand on http://webtv.un.org

Programme and full list of speakers: 
https://www.un.org/pga/75/digital-cooperation-and-connectivity/

Social Media: #DigitalCooperation

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