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.
“UNDP is already working with partners
on the ground to deploy digital technologies for development mapping
Mauritius with drones, gauging Philippine citizen feedback with
artificial intelligence, and monitoring Mali’s post-crisis recovery with
drone photography and satellite imagery.
“UNDP has also helped launch mobile
payment for rural villages in Fiji and 3D printing of prostheses for
disabled youth in Honduras. In Maldives, facing a grave threat from
rising sea levels and coastal storms, drones are helping island
communities prepare for and respond to disasters.
“In Rwanda, UNDP is working with local partners on an experimental
project using data and sensors to help farmers predict climate
conditions that affect their crops. And in India, in partnership with
the GAVI vaccine alliance, UNDP is helping the Government digitize
entire vaccine stocks and track their movement.”
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