eTrade for all Newsletter

Dear all,

Welcome to the November edition of our newsletter.

First, we are pleased to welcome the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) as the 36th partner of our eTrade for all community. With more than 30 years of global leadership on sustainable development, IISD brings a blend of rigorous research, policy expertise and practical support to countries navigating their digital transformation. You will therefore receive relevant updates on their work, directly from this newsletter as well!

We will then head to COP30 in Belém, where the UN system and partners underscored the importance of digital tools in climate action, highlighted by the launch of the Green Digital Action Hub to track emissions and e-waste, map national digital climate goals, and scale green technologies.

Also, innovation and digital development trends continued to accelerate. WIPO’s World Intellectual Property Indicators 2025 reported a record 3.7 million patent applications in 2024, driven largely by Asia, with strong growth in computer technology, digital communication and measurement technologies. Low- and middle-income countries showed mixed performance, but several reported double-digit increases in filings in the past decade.

At the same time, ITU’s Measuring Digital Development: Facts and Figures 2025 showed major connectivity gains: three-quarters of the world is now online and 5G subscriptions reached 3 billion, covering 55% of the global population. Yet major divides persist—by income, gender, age and geography—highlighting that digital inclusion remains an unfinished agenda.

Finally, the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) convened its 2025–2026 intersessional panel on Science, Technology and Innovation in the Age of AI. UN ODET and ITU presented the Secretary-General’s Implementation Map of the Global Digital Compact, and Chair of the multistakeholder Working Group on Data Governance reported progress ahead of its submission to the 81st UNGA.

Last but not least, since our next edition will reach your inbox in early January, we would like to take this opportunity to send you our best wishes for the festive season and for a great start to 2026. 

Enjoy the read!