LocationsDigital for Sustainable Development at UNGA79
September 19, 2024
Event Details
22 - 25 September 2024
New York
The 79th session of the UN General Assembly is taking place at a critical moment for the Arab States Region. Humanitarian crises, economic shocks, heat waves, and climate-induced disasters are putting lives and livelihoods at risk. These challenges have significantly hindered progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.
Despite all these setbacks, the region witnessed a boom in digital access as numbers of internet internet users in the region reached 327 million users in 2024, that’s over two fold growth compared to 2012.
The United Nations Development Programme considers digitalisation and digital transformation as a key enabler to reclaim the progress lost towards achieving the SDGs by 2030. Artificial Intelligence, if used ethically, has the potential to support Arab States in overcoming the scarcity of data that they face in monitoring the SDGs, especially SDGs 10 (Inequality), 13 (Climate Action), and 16 (Peace).
In that regard UNDP Regional Bureau of Arab States is collaborating with the United Arab Emirates to launch the AI for Sustainable Development Platform on Sunday September 22, and with the Arab Republic of Egypt on September 25 to follow up on the call to action that was launched last year on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on the Digital for Sustainable Development initiative.
Artificial Intelligence for sustainable development (AI4SD side event)
The Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development initiative aims at democratising AI by making it more accessible to policymakers, business and development professionals in the Arab region and beyond. The initiative is composed of an online platform (AI4SDP) that hosts open-source AI models, data sets, and training resources. These tools would enable governments, corporations, startups, development organisations, aid agencies and donors to systematically monitor and assess the progress of projects focused on environmental conservation, water preservation, climate action, food security, social cohesion, as well as those addressing inequalities and poverty.
The platform’s strength stems from the invaluable contributions that partners provide. So far the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of AI are the guiding and knowledge partners of this initiative.
The AI4SD is one concrete output of the Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) cooperation platform that UNDP’s Regional Bureau of Arab States kicked off in 2023 to foster multi-stakeholder cooperation to use digital tools to accelerate achieving the SDGs by 2030.
This event marks a key milestone in the UNDP’s Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) initiative in partnership with the UAE, introducing cutting-edge AI models and partnerships that address some of the region’s most pressing challenges.
Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD side event)
The UNDP Strategic Plan (2022-2025) identifies digitization as a key enabler of structural transformation and resilience to ensure that no one is left behind. Recognizing the 2024 UNGA as a critical milestone, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt aim to foster in-depth discussions on digital enablement to support SDG advancement.
The discussion will focus on digital transformation in the Arab States region, strategies for acceleration, and opportunities for new partnerships. The event aims to activate and endorse the regional digital collaboration call to action, initially signed in the 2023 UNGA by deepening public-private partnerships, enhancing knowledge sharing, and promoting sustainable practices.
The D4SD event seeks to accelerate digital transformation across the region and beyond. It will also explore digital financial instruments, advocate for the 2030 Agenda, bridge the digital divide, and address critical topics such as Digital Public Infrastructure, economic diversification, and emerging technologies. D4SD is committed to driving impactful digital enablement and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through high-level discussions and strategic collaborations.
