31 August 2018: A regional body will develop plans for Asia-Pacific countries to use information and communications technologies (ICT) to reduce inequality and overcome the digital divide. A UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) committee reached the agreement on national plans at the close of its senior officials’ meeting.

ESCAP convened the Committee on ICT, Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) from 29-31 August 2018, in Bangkok, Thailand. Hongjoo Hahm, acting Executive Secretary of ESCAP, said STI and the use of ICT have helped promote economic growth and social development, but so far not in a balanced manner. Pichet Durongkaveroj, Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society, highlighted the need for youth and people in rural areas to be equipped to sell their goods in the digital marketplace, referring to the country’s recently adopted economic model, ‘Thailand 4.0,’ which prioritizes the role of technology in development.

The Committee proposed that the use of digital and satellite data can help achieve the transformative change needed to achieve the 2030 Agenda. It stressed the importance of capacity building, technology transfer, and designing of appropriate STI policies as a springboard for achieving sustainable development.

SDG target 9.5 refers to upgrading the technological capabilities of industrial sectors particularly in developing countries, and encouraging innovation. SDG target 9.b refers to for supporting domestic technology development, research and innovation, and SDG target 9.c calls for significantly increasing access to ICT and striving to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries (LDCs).

Besides planning to develop national STI roadmaps toward achieving the 2030 Agenda, the Committee also agreed to host the inaugural Asia-Pacific Innovation Forum as a platform for collaboration. The Committee proposed scaling up the relevant regional cooperation mechanisms, including the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway that is promoting broadband affordability, the Space Applications Programme that is building capacity in the use of space technologies and GIS, and its Regional Drought Mechanism for monitoring climate conditions from space and providing early warning. [ESCAP Press Release]