Upcoming UN regional assembly, report to spotlight digital innovations for sustainable development

Heads of State, ministers, senior policymakers and other key stakeholders will convene in Bangkok from 22 to 26 April at the 80th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to explore how digital innovation can more inclusively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across multiple disciplines.

Asia and the Pacific is uniquely placed to leverage digital technologies to overcome sustainable development challenges. Already, the region is recognized as a dynamic hub for digitally driven innovation fueled by pioneering technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Finance, GovTech and the Internet of Things. Yet to encourage further ingenuity and tap digital innovation to bolster the huge collective effort required to achieve the SDGs, the region needs a plan.

Ahead of the 80th session, ESCAP experts will also brief media in-depth on the key findings of its theme study Seizing the Opportunity: Digital Innovation for a Sustainable Future on 5 April 2024. Through illustrative case studies, the study explores how current and emerging digital innovations can address pressing issues like climate change, poverty eradication and gender equality. It also examines how governments can create enabling environments and proposes a framework to understand the interlinkages between digital innovations and sustainable development.