New York — The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) today released a report – Digital Small Island States: How digital can catalyze the development of SIDS, highlighting the digital transformation potential for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The report calls on UN member states, the international community, development partners and innovators to continue and accelerate digital efforts, without which some of the biggest challenges facing the global island community will not be possible. can be noted. The report reaffirms that digital transformation does not happen overnight: longer-term planning, strategic thinking and dedicated funding and investment are required.
The new report arrives a month before Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua and Barbuda, where the international community will come together to review SIDS' progress on sustainable development and propose a new decade of action and partnerships to boost their path to resilient prosperity.
“Their geographic isolation and high vulnerability to climate change mean that many small island developing states (SIDS) are heavily dependent on innovation, including in the digital domain – in everything from cutting-edge cybersecurity to to e-commerce,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “This analysis highlights how a whole-of-society approach in SIDS is essential to take full advantage of digital tools, technologies and thinking.”
The report's findings are useful to decision-makers, policy makers, industry leaders, innovators and citizens, recognizing that digital transformation is not the domain of a single actor or sector. It must be a truly collaborative effort and a whole-of-society effort, for SIDS to lead the exploration and implementation of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G and the Internet of Things.
The report highlights five key ideas for digital transformation in SIDS:
- Recognize the value and scope of digital: Digital is a tool in the development toolbox, but must be applied in the most useful, thoughtful and inclusive way.
- Prioritize people over technology. People must be at the center of any use or exploration of digital. From the co-design of solutions and innovations to the development of regulations to combat or mitigate the harms of digital technology.
- Identify the roles, responsibilities and comparative advantages of each sector. The public and private sectors, as well as civil society, each bring different perspectives and digital talents and we must harness them effectively.
- Recognize that digital transformation is often built on “analog” and not digital foundations. This includes the importance of building trust within communities to demonstrate how digital can play a valuable role in their lives.
- We need to plan for the longer term. Digital transformation can lead to significant improvements in inclusion, efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring that everyone can participate in digital societies and economies. But this return on investment will not happen overnight.
Recognizing the potential of digital, HE Fatumanava III Dr. Pa'olelei Luteru, Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, noted that: “SIDS are already explorers and leaders in digital. meets in Antigua and Barbuda later this year, SIDS are well-positioned to further explore the power and potential of digital, including by sharing their digital challenges and success stories. SIDS support a just digital transition that unlocks the value and use of data and protects it. against digital harms through the creation of a data impact center to respond more successfully to global crises. SIDS are shaping global digital thinking and efforts and leading the way to ensure that no individual or island is left behind in the journey to an inclusive digital future. It’s exciting to see them emerge as small digital island states.”
It is interesting and important to note that SIDS are not standing still or falling behind. They are becoming small island digital states – with a number of them developing national digital strategies, developing large digital programs to strengthen and leverage digital support provided by UNDP, and engaging in new digital ideas and innovations . From Tuvalu venture into the metaverse, thanks to funding from the Cook Islands local emerging technology innovators and leadership in open source digital health Mauritius. “We must recognize this progress, this promise and this potential,” the report says.
For media queries:
Sangita Khadka, communications specialist, UNDP Office for Policy and Program Support, email: sangita.khadka@undp.org