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WSIS Forum 2016

Statement by Mr. Joakim Reiter, Deputy Secretary General

WSIS Forum 2016

Geneva
03 May 2016

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[AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY] 
 
Fostering an Inclusive Information Society
 

 

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
It is an honor to address the opening of the WSIS Forum 2016. UNCTAD is proud to co-sponsor this event because we share a common vision of a society in which everyone can create, access, and share information.  
 
It's been said that the best way to predict the future is to build it yourself.
 
That's why we are here today: To build the future we want.
 
In the last few years, we did the hard work of forging a consensus about the role of the Information Society and its connections with the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
The General Assembly's high-level meeting on the WSIS and the SDG summit both give us the basis for action. And both expect us to deliver.
 
For now, our aspirations are mere words. There is still a wide gap between the reality we face today and our hopes for tomorrow. This Forum marks our pivot from agreements on paper to actions on the ground. 
 
It's no small challenge.
 
We need to think big, but we need to be practical.
 
And this is what we are trying to do in UNCTAD with our Aid for eTrade initiative.
 
Although deeper connectivity and new online payment platforms have made it easier to developing countries to participate in e-commerce, the divide remains huge.
 
In the UK more than 70% of consumers already buy things online. The equivalent share in countries like Mexico and South Africa is below 5%. And in most developing countries, the shares are even lower.
 
To bridge the digital divide, developing countries have to address barriers in the areas of transport, logistics, legal frameworks, skills, and awareness.
 
This will involve both expanding affordable ICT connectivity and bolstering what the World Bank calls the "analog complements" that underpin ICT use - human capital, physical infrastructure, and regulatory and policy frameworks.
 
This is where Aid for eTrade comes into the picture.
 
Other international organizations - the World Bank, ITC, UPU, ITU, regional development banks, and the WTO, to name but a few - have all contributed to increasing e-commerce uptake.
 
The problem, as we see it, is that current efforts are fragmented and opaque.
 
Meeting the e-commerce challenge in developing countries requires a more concerted approach - and on a much larger scale. It will require getting all stakeholders on board.
 
In this sense, this project sums up what WSIS is all about: ambitious ideas, more coordinated delivery, and projects that are based on the needs of developing countries. 
 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
The best way to predict the future is to build it yourself -- and we only until 2030 to do so. We need to start now.
 
The Forum this week offers each of us the opportunity to begin the work that lies ahead. I encourage all of you to take advantage of this venue to share insights, test ideas, and experiment with new approaches.
 
With your support, I am confident that we can foster an inclusive Information Society that drives development in the years to come.
 
Thank you for your attention.