Press release
8 May 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
Regional Commission Convenes Arab High-level Forum on WSIS and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development under Auspices of Lebanese Prime Minister
The highlight of the forum is the "Conference on Digital Technologies for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" which will open at 9:00 on Wednesday 10 May 2017 and last for Friday 12 May.
Participants will include policy and decision makers at the ministerial level, and a crowd of experts who are directly involved in the process towards developing the information society, the development of a digital economy and the attainment of the SDGs in the Arab region. Experts in the field of Internet policies, applications and services, and digital technologies for SDGS, as well as representatives of the public and private sectors, non-governmental organisations, and international and regional organisations will also participate in the Conference.
The Forum also comprises an expert group meeting that started this morning, and will end on Friday 12 May as well.
The Conference on Digital Technologies for SDGs focuses on three high-level round tables that will delve into the following themes:
- Digital Technology: towards Enhancing Sovereignty and Stability in the Arab States;
- Digital Technology: Disruptive Business Models, Disruptive Ecosystems, New Economy;
- Digital Transformation and Human Development: from Poverty to Prosperity.
The high-level round tables will explore political dimensions such as Cyberwar and Cyber peace, Cyber Terrorism, National Sovereignty, Role of State, and others. They will also tackle economic dimensions focused around Digital Economy, Digital Industries, Competitiveness, and other issues. For its part, the social session will touch on issues related to Smart and Sustainable Communities, Smart Cities, Sustainable Consumption and eWaste Management, Smart Societies, and others.
The Arab High-level Forum on WSIS and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will bring together various stakeholders in the information society, digital economy and Internet governance in the Arab region, to review, present, and discuss the digital footprint in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It will focus on how digital economies and smart societies can accelerate the implementation of WSIS action lines, themes and priority areas, as well as contribute to the achievement of the SDGs in the Arab Region. The expected outcomes of the Expert Meeting would include a Declaration on the way forward in the linkage of the WSIS process and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
We will be tweeting updates of the meeting on #AHLF2017, please use it as well!
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The ESCWA Communication and Information Unit (ECIU) invites media colleagues wishing to cover the event to confirm their attendance as soon as possible at +961-70-993155 and +961-70-008879, in order to facilitate their entry to the UN House. They should be at the UN House at 9:00 AM.
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For more information:
Nabil Abu-Dargham (head of ECIU): +961-70-99 31 44; dargham@un.org
Ms. Mirane Abi-Zaki: +961-70-99 31 55; abi-zaki@un.org
Ms. Rania Harb: +961-70-00 88 79; harb1@un.org
For more ESCWA news, please visit:
Website: www.unescwa.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/unescwa Twitter: @ESCWACIU
