Information and communications technologies
for sustainable development
A/RES/74/197
requests United Nations system entities facilitating the World Summit on the
Information Society action lines to review their reporting and workplans to support
the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
4.
Reaffirms its commitment to bridging digital and knowledge divides,
recognizes that its approach must be multidimensional and include an evolving
understanding of what constitutes access, emphasizing the quality of that access, and
acknowledges that speed, stability, affordability, language, local content and
accessibility for persons with disabilities are now core elements of quality and that
high-speed broadband is already an essential enabler of sustainable development;
5.
Stresses the important role played by the private sector, civil society and
technical communities in information and communications technologies;
6.
Encourages strengthened and continuing cooperation between and among
stakeholders from both developed and developing countries, within their respective
roles and responsibilities, to ensure the effective implementation of the outcomes of
the Geneva 4 and Tunis 6 phases of the World Summit on the Information Society,
through, inter alia, the promotion of national, regional and international
multi-stakeholder partnerships, including public-private partnerships, and the
promotion of national and regional multi-stakeholder thematic platforms in a joint
effort and dialogue with developing countries, including the least developed
countries, development partners and actors in the information and communications
technologies sector;
7.
Welcomes the operationalization of the Technology Bank for the Least
Developed Countries, and invites Member States, as well as international
organizations, foundations and the private sector, to provide voluntary financial
contributions and technical assistance to ensure its full and effective implementation;
8.
Notes the progress that has been made by United Nations system entities
in cooperation with national Governments, regional commissions and other
stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in the
implementation of the action lines contained in the outcome documents of the World
Summit on the Information Society, and encourages the use of those action lines for
the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
9.
Also notes that the digital economy is an important and growing part of
the global economy and that connectivity is correlated with increases in gross
domestic product, and recognizes the critical importance of expanding the
participation of all countries, in particular developing countries, in the digital
economy;
10. Encourages countries to take advantage of capacity-building mechanisms
and opportunities from the entire United Nations system in this regard;
11. Urges a continued focus on maximizing development gains from
e-commerce, through initiatives such as eTrade for All, launched by the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development, which provides a new approach to
trade development through electronic exchanges by allowing developing countries to
more easily navigate the supply of technical assistance for building capacity in
e-commerce readiness and by enabling donors to have a clear picture of the
programmes that they could fund;
12. Recognizes in this regard that the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development has initiated and implemented rapid e-trade readiness assessments of
the least developed countries in cooperation with other donors and organizations in
order to raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges related to leveraging
e-commerce in the least developed countries;
19-22407
7/12