* Urges leaders, tech experts for multilateral, collective digital response to global crisis

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Consequent upon the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) worldwide crisis, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam, have decided to postpone the ITU Digital World 2020, the global technology event for governments, industry experts as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Sarah Maunder, Communications Officer, ITU Telecom, and Monika Gehner, Head of Strategic Communication Division at ITU, in a recent joint statement made available to 绿帽献妻, indicated that the event would then take place as ITU Digital World 2021, September 2021 in the same venue in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.

The statement said: 鈥淲e believe this is the best and safest course of action to ensure the well-being and safety of all event participants and guarantee a successful event.

鈥淭he world is facing an unprecedented threat from COVID-19, and ICT has become a key ally in combatting this threat and helping to prevent, detect and diagnose disease.鈥�

According to the Geneva-based ITU, the current world鈥檚 condition has taken on a new importance in connecting us for health, work, education, entertainment, news, public announcements, and to our friends and families.

鈥淔or the first time, digital solutions and platforms are being used on a massive scale to help cope with and respond to a pandemic.

鈥淭he COVID-19 crisis has also, however, highlighted its own digital divide, where many families, workers, businesses and populations are not able to access or afford the benefits of digital technology,鈥� said the statement.

In view of the inability of several peoples to access the cyber world, the Union stated that action is urgently needed to ensure a fair access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), for the benefit of all.

鈥淣ow, more than ever, governments, industry, international organisations, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations), academia, and other stakeholders must work together to find mutually beneficial solutions.

鈥淲e must set ambitious, measurable goals for ensuring an equitable transition to the digital age,鈥� the statement noted.

According to ITU, the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) offer an ideal framework for this, and ICTs themselves are essential tools for the achievement of these goals.

It added that 鈥渢he Government of Vietnam and ITU call upon global leaders, governments and the tech industry to ensure they are present and fully engaged, to rise to the challenge and strengthen the multilateral, collective digital response to this crisis.鈥�

International events such as ITU Digital World 2021, it stressed, are more important than ever as a platform bringing together the global ICT community to learn, share knowledge, debate and network.

鈥淲e must work together to highlight the critical importance of ICT in the wake of COVID-19, address the stark inequalities of access, and adopt concrete, urgent measures to accelerate digital transformation across all sectors and to connect all global citizens to digital services.

鈥淥nly by international cooperation and collaborative action will we be able to combat these types of threat, close the digital divide and build strong foundations for the future wellbeing of all,鈥� noted the statement.