📅 04 – 08 December 2023
Geneva, Switzerland & Virtual
Digitalization is one of the most influential mega-trends that will not only affect development outcomes in the short and medium term but also determine the future the world live in. It is now firmly engrained in the wider discourse on development, including in the context of Agenda 2030, the Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda, and preparations for the Summit of the Future.
E-commerce and the digital economy play an essential part in this context, further accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic and interrelated economic crises. If well governed, the digital economy and data can enable countries to leapfrog, spur economic growth, enhance inclusivity by reducing geographical and physical barriers, foster innovation, and enable better use of resources to address global development challenges. However, such positive outcomes are far from certain. Digital and data divides are widening, increasing the risk of greater inequalities between and within countries. The growing importance of the digital economy is also raising concerns related to privacy and other human rights, environmental sustainability, and cybercrime.
Against this background, the international community needs to find ways to close the digital divide and create frameworks that enable the digital economy to generate inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development.
This edition, themed Shaping the Future of the Digital Economy, will offer a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to weigh in and share their perspectives on this challenge.
During the UNCTAD eWeek, Ministers, senior government officials, CEOs and other business leaders, international organizations, development banks, academia, and civil society will come together to address 3 key questions:
- What does the future we want for the digital economy look like?
- What is required to make that future come true?
- How can digital partnerships and enhanced cooperation contribute to more inclusive and sustainable outcomes?
Greater efforts are needed at all levels and by all stakeholders to turn digital opportunities into development gains.
Only through enhanced cooperation and tighter partnerships will it be possible to pave the way for a safe, trusted, and inclusive digitalization that helps economies recover any lost ground in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UNCTAD eWeek will explore key policy areas that must be addressed to build an inclusive and sustainable digitalization at the national, regional, and global levels with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders: eTrade for all partners, Member States, the private sector, and civil society. Emphasis will be given to:
- Innovation: to offer a unique and fresh perspective to the discussion on the future of the digital economy
- The identification of scalable good practices and possible policy avenues
- Concrete actions and actionable steps to help shape an inclusive and sustainable future of the digital economy.
Throughout the week, the eTrade for all initiative will be leveraged to foster comprehensive, cross-cutting, and multistakeholder discussions and debates.
The event will be held in person in Geneva, Switzerland, with remote participation possible. A fully virtual conference center will also be accessible throughout the week for online sessions.
