Digital Technologies Revolutionising Global Devt, Says UNDP Chief

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Achim Steiner, has stated that new digital technologies are emerging and offering quicker, smarter solutions to tackle the world’s toughest challenges.

Steiner, explained that from artificial intelligence to drones, mobile money, and blockchain, digital innovations were already helping us address poverty, hunger, climate change, conflict, and disease.

He added that the world needs nothing less than to reinvent and reimagine what development looks like in the context of this technological revolution.

He said: “But 49 percent of the world still lacks Internet access, mostly in developing countries, mostly women, and often in countries emerging from conflict. One of our biggest challenges is getting these game-changing technologies into the hands of those who have been left farthest behind.”

The statement further noted that UNDP’s new digital strategy which was the first of its kind in the UN system charts a course to leverage digital innovation both inside the organisation and in service lines to countries around the world.

According to the statement: “UNDP with a presence in 170 countries globally, also launched a public online consultation to help identify development challenges and breakthrough digital solutions, some 360 people from 59 countries have responded so far.

“Top challenges they have identified include the pervasive digital divide, carbon emissions, electronic waste, privacy, and security. Top solutions include awareness-raising, access to quality content, citizen engagement, digital literacy, tree-planting drones, and artificial intelligence for agriculture. The online consultation will continue through 2 October 2019.