ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition will be present at the LDC5 Conference in Doha with a side event during the Private Sector Forum (PSF), which will run from March 5-7.
Panellists
Alex Wong
Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Moderator
Jose Barahona
United Nations Resident Coordinator, Djibouti
Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Pamela Coke-Hamilton
Executive Director, International Trade Centre (ITC)
Henri Dommel
Director, Inclusive Digital Economies, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
Amir Dossal
Founder and Chairman, Global Partnerships Forum
Ounfanatt Edui Moka
Programme Officer, United Nations Technology Bank
Rabab Fatima
Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, UN-OHRLLS
Shea Gopaul
Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the International Organisation of Employers (IOE)
H.E. Moses Kunkuyu
Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Malawi
Jacqueline Mukarukundo
Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Wastezon
Dunola Oladapo
Coordinator, Generation Connect, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Robert Opp
Chief Digital Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Nic Rudnick
Executive Chairman and Group Deputy, Liquid Intelligent Technologies
Jo Scheuer
United Nations Resident Coordinator, Cambodia
Brad Smith
Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
Video Address
Justin Spelhaug
Vice President and Global Head, Tech for Social Impact, Microsoft
Maikel Wilms
Partner and Director, Boston Consulting Group
Cosmas Zavazava
Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Session Description
Digital connectivity plays a central role in our daily lives. However, for one-third of the planet – or some 2.7 billion people – the reality is very different. While digital connectivity can be an enabler for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and an opportunity for countries to leapfrog forward in areas such as education, health, government services and trade, meaningful connectivity remains a major challenge in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), LandLocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The platform offered by the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition allows for resources, partnerships and commitments to be mobilized to connect the unconnected. To date, over 580 pledges valued at almost USD 30 Billion for projects around the world have been submitted by over 260 entities. About 30% of those pledges are to be specifically implemented in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.
This side event at the Private Sector Forum of the fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) will convene high-profile members of the P2C pledgers’ community including heads of governments, global business leaders and high-level representatives from civil society, academia and international organizations to explore those commitments that support the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action. In addition to exploring the progress made in the implementation of commitments targeting LDCs, the meeting will also feature the announcement of new pledges and partnerships as well as networking opportunities to foster cross-sector collaboration in LDCs.
About P2C
Digital connectivity and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have an enormous potential to accelerate human progress. However, 2.7 billion people remain offline and excluded from the transformative power of the Internet. ITU‘s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition (P2C) seeks to accelerate connectivity through an action-oriented approach that is critical to the development agendas for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS. To date, over 580 pledges valued at almost USD 30 Billion have been submitted through the P2C platform by over 260 entities. About 30% of those pledges are to be specifically implemented in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.
Contact us at: partner2connect@itu.int