Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,

Mr. Dennis Francis,

Citizen Stack: First Conference at the United Nations on Digital Public Infrastructure

Thursday 25 April 2024, 10 am, Conference Room 8, UNHQ

[As Delivered]

 

Your Excellency, Ashwini Vaishnav, Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology of the Republic of India,

Your Excellency, Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of the Republic of India to the United Nations,

Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme,

Mr. Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa of the Republic of India,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is very much my pleasure to be here today – as we address a matter that is of vital importance to the United Nations, equally so in India and in many other parts of the world.

Just as physical infrastructure is essential for economic growth, digital public infrastructure has emerged as a fundamental driver of social transformation and progress.

If accessed in an inclusive way, it facilitates equal opportunities in every aspect of our lives.

The trajectory of India exemplifies this.

During my visit in January, I had the privilege to observe how the rapid expansion of digital public infrastructure in India has broadened access – thereby enabling millions, who previously operated either on the fringes of the economic system, or outside of it, to achieve financial independence and prosperity.

In just seven years, India’s digital public infrastructure model has achieved over 80 percent financial inclusion for its citizens, and now accounts for more than 60 percent of all digital transactions worldwide.

This model has effectively dismantled numerous barriers – enhancing accessibility and affordability in the financial sector.

Models like the Citizen Stack should be embraced and replicated across countries in the Global South – supporting and empowering people, particularly the most vulnerable in our communities; in the true spirit of leaving no one behind.


Excellencies,

While we should certainly celebrate the advancements in digital connectivity, we must also acknowledge that approximately 3 billion people – or 37 percent of the world’s population – have never used the internet.

Discussing digital infrastructure – let alone a digital revolution – is particularly challenging in environments where disparities are so immense and profoundly pronounced.

This issue was a key element during the recently concluded Sustainability Week     I convened here at the United Nations – which aimed to advance sector-specific conversations crucial for achieving the SDGs, such as infrastructure connectivity.

During this first-ever Sustainability Week, Member States, the private sector, and other stakeholders reiterated the importance of meaningful investment in quality infrastructure, including digital infrastructure, to ensure equitable distribution of benefits.

While acknowledging legitimate concerns about data privacy, cybersecurity – and the potential for technology misuse – we must work diligently to close digital divides, enhance digital literacy as the basis for expanding inclusion and thus achieving digital democracy that will level the playing field.

The effort is crucial to uphold the central tenet of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

As I conclude, I must underscore that – with the ambitious intergovernmental process of developing a Global Digital Compact underway as part of Summit of the Future in September – we have an opportunity to close the digital divide and expand digital infrastructure for a third of the global population.

The coming months are thus critical for shaping a common vision of the global digital cooperation – offering an opportunity, especially for countries in the Global South, to take a proactive role in this process to achieve the SDGs by 2030, through developing an effective command of digital technology.

I take this opportunity to commend the Digital Public Goods Alliance – endorsed by the UN Secretary-General – as well as the G20’s new Framework for Systems of Digital Public Infrastructure.

Both initiatives are remarkable examples of what is possible, when we commit to digital cooperation – involving all stakeholders as a part of our transformative agenda.

 

I look forward to today’s presentations and their invaluable contributions to the ongoing efforts at the UN to achieve peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all.

I thank you.

 

 

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