UN-APCICT calls for strengthening human and institutional ICT capacity for achieving SDGs

Recognising the enabling role of ICT in achieving the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT) organised a Regional Dialogue on ICTD Capacity Building for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Development and Annual Partners Meeting from 1 to 4 December in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The meeting examined how ICT can support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Over 100 representatives from government, academia, civil society and private sector from 32 countries in the Asia and the Pacific gathered together for four days and exchanged ideas on how ICTD human capacity building programs should evolve for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development. The meeting provided a platform for regional dialogue on how emerging technologies can be leveraged for good governance and public service delivery.

The forum also examined how ICT and communication tools such as social media can help in building resilient and sustainable societies, along with innovative ways through which ICT capacity building support can enable successful women entrepreneurship in line with APCICT’s latest flagship program, Women and ICT Frontier Initiative (WIFI).

Muhammad Aimal Marjan, Deputy Minister IT, Ministry of Communications and IT in Afghanistan said: “The Government of Afghanistan recognises the importance of ICT in building good governance to provide equal opportunities for both urban and rural communities to experience equal socio-economic growth to build sustainable societies. We greatly appreciate APCICT’s efforts to strengthen ICT knowledge and applications in development through localised capacity building training programs.”

The event, supported by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning and Incheon Metropolitan City, included UN-APCICT’s Annual Partners Meeting, and coincides with the 10th Session of APCICT’s Governing Council. The meeting served as an opportunity for partners to review and provide feedback on how to strengthen and expand the centre’s flagship programmes to support the new sustainable development priorities both at national and regional levels.