Towards a Digital Decade of Action - through Digital Cooperation and Development - in the Arab Region
WSIS, United Nations-Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), and ITU Arab Office.
Session 283
WSIS Forum 2020 Session on “Implementation of WSIS in the Arab Region: Ad hoc Multi-stakeholders Partners Consultations on potential consolidation of Arab WSIS with Arab IGF, Arab Digital Cooperation and/or other related Tracks, beyond 2020”
This session is intended to:
(A) briefly present progress along the two incumbent WSIS tracks already taking place in the Arab region;
* first, is the Arab Follow-up on WSIS Action Lines globally and regionally (2005-2025), including forums and periodical profiling and reviews activities.
* second, is the Arab Followup on the IGF process globally and regionally (2005-2025)
(B) briefly describe the “Arab States Action Programme on Advancing Digital Cooperation and Development (ASAP-ADCD)”, and the intended “Unified Arab Digital Agenda and ICT Strategy); and briefly envisage ways of creating synergies between the two tracks “WSIS” & “IGF” in the region under the new notion of “Digital Cooperation and Development”.
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C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
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C2. Information and communication infrastructure
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C3. Access to information and knowledge
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C4. Capacity building
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C5. Building confidence and security in use of ICTs
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C6. Enabling environment
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C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-government
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C11. International and regional cooperation
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Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
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Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
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Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
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Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
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Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Through the Digital Development process, all WSIS action lines are interlinked to all SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. The session will present progress on activities related to Digital Development, including National Reviews of Digital Development in 2018/19, as well as the production of Arab Digital Development Report (ADDR) published in 2020. It will also present work of ITU on the RDF for Arab region as well as plans for WTDC of 2021; Last not least, the session will give highlights on the intended “Unified Arab Digital Agenda and ICT Strategy” by the League of Arab states and ESCWA; and will briefly envisage ways of creating synergies between the two tracks “WSIS” & “IGF” in the region under the new notion of “Digital Cooperation and Development”.
