19 June 2012
In the run up to the Rio+20 UN sustainable development summit, the United Nations Group on the Information Society (UNGIS), which is currently chaired by UNCTAD, organized a side-event on "ICTs: The foundation of our sustainable future" at the RioCentro in Rio de Janeiro on 17 June to focus attention on the catalytic role of ICTs in meeting development goals.
Discussions centred on the catalytic impact ICTs have on all three pillars of sustainable development -- economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
The event in Rio de Janeiro outlined the critical role of ICTs as cross-cutting drivers of sustainable development, identifying specific ICT applications and services that can assist in the transition towards a green economy. Attention focused on policies, regulations and international standards that could facilitate the uptake of ICT applications.
Participants from governments, UN agencies and industry stressed the need to strengthen the right to information and universal access to ICTs as a means of achieving the sustainable development goals of the future and to include this in the outcome document of the Rio+20 conference.
A welcome address was delivered on behalf of Mr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General UNCTAD and Chairman of UNGIS, while the discussion was led by Mr. Fabio Leite, Deputy Director of ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau, representing ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré.
Speakers included a diverse group of experts from UN agencies, such as FAO, ITU, UNEP, UNESCO, UN WOMEN and WMO as well as industry representatives such as Telefónica.