UNDP Regional Bureau of Arab States is organizing a Digital side event titled Digital for Sustainable Development (D4sD) for the digital ecosystem during UNGA78 2023 in partnership with GSMA, IsDB,  DCO, ESCWA, and ITU as co-conveners and the Government of Bahrain as the co-host. 

The event aims to bring together CEOs and leaders from the digital ecosystem, along with high-level country representatives to create a regional compact for SDGs advancement through digital transformation. The primary objectives of the roundtable are twofold: firstly, to issue a compelling call to action to mobilize digital ecosystem to effectively contribute to the SDGs; and secondly, to develop a comprehensive 3-6 year roadmap.

This roadmap will serve as a supportive framework for telecom, digital operators and countries in advancing their sustainable development agendas through digitization.

The anticipated outcome of the UNGA side event will be the adoption of a jointly drafted declaration, representing a collective call to action for regional digital cooperation. The declaration will be endorsed by various digital stakeholders and partners participating in the event. As a result, this declaration will act as a dynamic roadmap for fostering collaboration and integrated efforts to drive sustainable development through digital transformation in the Arab States region. Moreover, the call to action will inform the direction of UNDP’s Digital Transformation Programme.

The regional roundtable will be hosted by UNDP RBAS, with GSMA, IsDB, DCO, ESCWA, and ITU as co-conveners. 

This partnership signifies their proactive stance in embracing technology for positive change and progress towards the SDGs.

To download call to action