Inclusive Digital Trade and Sustainable Development: Exploring Creative Solutions and Ways Forward is the title of a session organised by the Geneva Internet Platform and DiploFoundation as part of the 2016 World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum. The session will take place on 29 September, at the WTO premises, Room B, from 13:00 to 14:30 CEST (11:00 – 12:30 UTC).
[Update] The session explored the avenues for meaningful involvement, and concrete actions for achieving inclusive digital trade. Read the session report.
With more than 3 billion users, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the Internet are the engine and driving force of today’s world. This applies to the economy, to health, to education, and to sustainable development. But the lock-in effects and the high barriers to entry in the converged environment make inclusive trade more challenging, as the digital landscape is currently dominated by a few large data processing companies. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the contribution of SMEs and start-ups in areas such as big data, the Internet of Things and e-commerce, is enormous. Simply put, ICTs will be the difference between attaining the goals and failing to even come close. The struggles of inclusiveness are similar to those in Internet governance, and useful parallels might be drawn between the two.
This session will explore the avenues for meaningful involvement, and concrete actions for achieving inclusive digital trade, with the participation of SMEs and start-ups, as well as Internet economy and sustainable development experts.
The panelists of the session are:
- Prof. Raymond Saner, Director, TPGP, CSEND, Geneva
- Michael Kende, Senior Fellow, Internet Society
- Antonio Gambardella, Director, FongIT
- Nick Ashton-Hart, Consultant in international Internet Policy and Associate Fellow, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy
- Tomas Lamanauskas, Group Director Public Policy, Vimpelcom
- Juan Fernandez, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Informatics and Communications of Cuba
Visit the WTO Public Forum registration page to register.
