Asia-Pacific Digital Ministerial Conference 2022: Shaping Our Common Future

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the interlinkages between digitalization and development. The pandemic catalysed the deployment of innovative digital solutions and digital cooperation for coping with everyday activities and new socio-economic development opportunities. At the same time, the digital divides that the pandemic exacerbated have widened and threatened development inequalities across countries.

In response to this demand, ESCAP members and associate members through resolution 78/1 in May 2022 committed to strengthen digital cooperation at all levels including ministerial level in closing digital connectivity divide, ensuring digital skills training, strengthening digital connectivity, addressing digital trust and security and promoting inclusive digital economy and society. ESCAP members and associate members also recognized that the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway could provide one of the useful regional platforms to promote digital cooperation.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) of the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with partner agencies, are organizing the “First Asia-Pacific Digital Ministerial Conference 2022: Shaping Our Common Future”, in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 10 November 2022. The Ministerial Conference will serve a prime opportunity to discuss the status, challenges and pathways to advance digital transformation and strengthen regional digital cooperation with the ICT and Digital Ministers of the Asia-Pacific region towards building an inclusive digital society and economy. The Ministerial Conference will also consider the adoption of the Seoul Declaration (tentative title) and the endorsement of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway Action Plan 2022-2026, as part of the pathways to advancing digital transformation in the region.

In order to enrich the discussions and deliberations of the Ministerial Conference, ESCAP and the MSIT are also organizing the “Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Forum” (APDTF) together with side events on 9 November 2022 at the same venue. Among the side events, the “high-level policy dialogue on digital transformation” at the highest level, which is scheduled during the afternoon of 9 November 2022, will provide a good opportunity for high-level senior officials from member States, United Nations agencies, international and regional organizations and civil society on ICT/Digital agendas, as well as donor agencies, to discuss and consider new digital business opportunities and cooperative actions towards an inclusive digital society and economy.

Zoom Meeting ID: 861 1919 9096 (pw: 1109)