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Broadband Commission calls on world leaders to harness
development potential of ICTs to drive the SDGs
Statement to UN High-Level Policy Forum in NY cites ICTs as uniquely
powerful tool to drive global development
Geneva, 11 July 2016 - The
Broadband Commission for
Sustainable Development today issued a statement urging
policymakers, the private sector and other partners to make deployment of
broadband infrastructure a top priority in strategies to accelerate global
development and progress towards the SDGs.
The statement was presented to the
2016 High-level
Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which is meeting in New
York City from 11-20 July to guide global efforts on the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals.
In the statement, the Commission outlines the myriad ways broadband can
improve global sustainable development. These include addressing basic needs
such as education and access to information, helping lift people out of poverty
through e-commerce opportunities and job growth, improving health services,
monitoring climate change and planetary processes, and bridging the digital
gender divide.
“The theme of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is
‘Ensuring that no-one is left behind,” said Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General.
“The Broadband Commission outlines the fundamental role broadband technology can
play in helping the world achieve its most pressing sustainable development
goals. Let us all grasp this vital opportunity to strive for a world where every
citizen enjoys the opportunities and benefits of universal, affordable and
inclusive access to ICTs.”
This will be the first HLPF that examines efforts at national, regional, and
global levels to put policies and measures in place that will help achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals. In the months since the global community
unanimously adopted the Goals at the
SDG
Summit in New York last September, they have become the development
‘gold standard’ for countries, the business community, civil society and local
governments around world. The HLPF also offers an opportunity for the UN to
highlight the important work all members of the UN family are doing in support
of the Goals.
Read the full
statement by the Broadband Commission.
This year’s HLPF consists of a five-day Expert-level Meeting and a three-day
Ministerial Meeting (18-20 July).
Follow the live webcast webtv.un.org.
Get more
information on the Forum
Note to editors:
2016 marks the beginning of implementation efforts by countries worldwide to
achieve the 17 Goals. Of particular interest at this HLPF is the presentation
of national voluntary reviews on the actions already being undertaken by 22
developing and developed countries: China, Colombia, Egypt, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Korea (Rep.), Madagascar, Mexico, Montenegro,
Morocco, Norway, Philippines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey,
Uganda and Venezuela. More information at:
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/inputs
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Parkes
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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