Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly
26 April 2022
Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD,
Excellencies,
I am honored to address this year’s UNCTAD eCommerce Week.
Digital technology, and by extension the digital economy, has a profound impact on development, touching on everything from innovation and the creation of jobs to lifesaving vaccines and medicines, to emission-reduction technologies.
The UNCTAD E-Commerce Week thus offers an important opportunity to reflect on progress, developments, and challenges for the full spectrum of stakeholders.
Ladies and gentlemen,
While digitalization now plays a vital role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the siloed and fragmented hallmarks of digitalization has generated new risks and challenges, particularly around inequality.
Nowhere was this more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Remote education, remote work, and remote access to goods and services, were, relatively speaking, the luxuries of a few. For the 2.6 billion that remain offline – of which 96% live in developing countries – the digital divide was very stark indeed.
At the same time, the digital divide is only the tip of the iceberg.
Online abuse and misuse are rampant, as is disinformation.
And these challenges will only multiply as more and more connect online; the current context sees digital data amassed through a fractured digital system, one that can at times threaten human rights and values, and that jeopardizes the principles of economic development.
This does not have to be the case; digital inequalities, the data divide, and the infringement of human values online, are not inevitable outcomes; they can and should be changed.
This is why moving towards digital and data governance must be done with urgency.
This means developing digital governance systems that promote economic and social development, and that underscore the protection of human rights.
It also means enhanced cooperation. Indeed, no single corporation or business should ever have the means to monopolize the governance and regulation of a public good.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Cross-border data flows are vital to international trade as well as E-commerce and internet-enabled services.
It allows people increased access to a wide and global range and quality of services, and it enables businesses to cut costs and reduce prices for customers.
However, recent years have seen a steady rise in the number of data-localization measures in force around the world.
While its understandable that restrictions on data flows are usually driven by privacy and national security concerns, flexible regimes for cross-border data flows delivers social and economic benefits to individuals, businesses and governments by allowing the digital economy to flourish.
Furthermore, cross-border flows of data are currently regulated by a number of international, regional and national laws and instruments. Enhanced cooperation between countries and regions could help achieve much needed convergence in these varied approaches.
In this regard, the United Nations offers the most universal platform for member states to engage. It also offers the most viable space to bring together all relevant stakeholders. It is therefore well placed to support global dialogues, including around data governance.
The United Nations is also best placed to bring together all relevant stakeholders in ensuring that no one gets let behind – whether it is developing countries, or women and girls who continue to be left disproportionately behind when it comes to online access.
Technical assistance and capacity-building for developing economies to pursue high-standard data policies and practices and harness the benefits of digital transformation must be a priority.
This is yet another area where the United Nations can and should mobilize support.
Excellencies,
I commend UNCTAD’s work to ‘reframe and broaden the debate on the digital economy and data governance’, and I welcome today’s wide participation of stakeholders.
The collaboration between business leaders, digital experts, civil society groups and the United Nations can help ensure digital and data-driven benefits can be realized by all.
Through these efforts we can collectively chart a new path of digital and data governance.
A path that closes the digital and data-driven inequality gap through economic and social developments.
And a path that connects expertise and draws upon the viewpoints of the vulnerable and populations furthest behind.
By doing so, we can ensure everyone’s voice is heard and included. We can foster a safer and equal digital world for all.
I look forward to the outcomes of today’s dialogue and offer my best wishes for a very successful E-Commerce week.
I thank you.
