United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the launch today of a global initiative to harness digital technologies to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals. (For details of the initiative, see Press Release DEV/2816.)
A set of online tools aimed at providing users around the world with resources and tools to accelerate progress on the Millennium Development Goals at the national level by the target year 2015, the “MDGs eNabler” project was spearheaded by the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID), with overwhelming support from Governments and private corporations, academia and civil society.
“I welcome the GAID membership, under the leadership of its Chairman, Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, to launch web-based knowledge tools and information resources providing tangible and practical benefits to developing countries in their efforts to advance MDGs,” Mr. Ban said in his message to the GAID high-level meeting.
More than 80 Government leaders, Chief Executive Officers from technology companies from all around the globe, and senior United Nations officials took part in the launching ceremony at the Millennium Hotel early today.
“ICT can empower farmers to have better access to market, increasing their opportunity to be part of the global supply change. ICT can enable students to get better education materials. Doctors use ICT to provide health care to those in need, including in remote areas,” the Secretary-General said in his message to the meeting. Technologies can provide access to unlimited knowledge and opportunity for those who do not have it, Mr. Ban added.
“I invite all stakeholders to join the GAID membership in this endeavour,” concluded the Secretary-General.
The “MDGs eNabler” brings together many innovative components — an ICT solutions matrix, a strategic planner, a portal of ICT-for-development portals, simulation and game tools, and a compendium of excellence. It serves as a “one-stop-shop” for policymakers, planners, project managers and development practitioners to implement national development strategies and programmes.
Important statements of support and offers of collaboration were pledged by the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology of India, Sachin Pilot; the Chief Executive Officer of Ericsson, Hans Erik Vestberg; the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; the World Bank; the Islamic Development Bank; and many others.
According to GAID Chairman Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, the MDGs eNabler will allow Governments of developing countries to take charge in their struggle for access to health and educational needs. Mr. Ghazaleh, echoing the view of the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning of Liberia, Sebastian T. Muah, asserted that the innovative initiative was long overdue. He stressed that its timing and execution is very crucial to become mainstream and successful.
The Global Alliance for ICT and Development was established in 2006 as a multi-stakeholder platform to put in practice the spirit and vision of the World Summit on the Information Society and promote the use of information and communications technology to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. It provides all stakeholders with a broad forum and a global platform for dialogue and partnership on cross-cutting issues.
For more information, please visit http://www.un-gaid.org, or contact Enrica Murmura, tel: +1 212 963 5913; e-mail: murmura@un.org; Franck Kuwonu, tel: +1 212 963 8264; e-mail: kuwonu@un.org; or Tim Wall, tel: +1 212 963 5851; e-mail: wallt@un.org, of the United Nations Department of Public Information.
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Fonte: UN