Davos agenda how to#
Davos agenda series#

This type of digital cooperation enabled Rwanda’s government to create regulations agile enough to adapt to changing needs.

Davos agenda how to#

“Instead of remaining in wait-and-see mode, waiting until regulation is globally embraced, we focused on how to address imminent challenges like healthcare,” she explained.ĭrones seemed like a good solution to deliver timely medical products to remote hospitals, she explained. Together with the World Economic Forum, the government of Rwanda developed performance-based regulations for unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

To illustrate how digital cooperation can help deploy new and emerging technologies on the ground, Ingabire shared an instructive use case. The Fourth Industrial Revolution offers huge opportunities for developing countries “where you don’t have legacy infrastructure,” said Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation. “This is not philanthropy, it’s a key part of our business strategy,” said Vestberg. In the US market, where Verizon does most of its business, the company plans to invest USD 3 billion in education over the next 3 years. While governments and regulators have a role to play, OTT (over-the-top) players and digital platforms need to take responsibility and contribute to rolling out new network infrastructure too, he said. “A large-scale international effort is required – on the scale of nuclear disarmament,” suggested Mittal. “USD 425 billion is required in the next nine years to provide ubiquitous coverage,” he estimated.Īffordability represents another key hurdle calling for large-scale financing to overcome. Nevertheless, connecting the 2.9 billion people, whether via LEO satellites or by other means, will come at a cost. “Months from now we will be able to cover every square inch of the world,” Mittal added. In technical terms, global connectivity is now within reach. Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity will be key to connect people in the poorest and most remote communities, what Mittal calls the “last billion”, impossible to reach by fibre broadband or traditional radio networks. Being connected is a human right.”Īccording to fellow panellist Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Enterprises, the network infrastructure underpinning 4IR is the only way to alleviate poverty and support all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. “This is a moment where infrastructure is so crucial. That means bridging the tech gap,” said Vestberg. “It shouldn’t matter where you’re born, where you live, or where you come from – everyone should have the same opportunities. Grappling with the nuts and bolts of connectivity will therefore be crucial to meet the whole world’s growth aspirations and leave no one behind. “The benefits of innovation are lost without it.”ĭespite over 80 per cent of the world’s population now enjoying access to broadband coverage, around 3 billion people are still unconnected to the Internet, noted Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. “Trust in technology is vital,” he added. Saran cited the global vaccination campaign as an example of the need for partnerships to reach the whole world and ensure no one is left behind. “ cooperation becomes crucial to offer access at appropriate price points to many who are underserved.”Įmerging economies across the Global South are experiencing the most comprehensive transformations amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or 4IR. “Making technology available to all has to be a global imperative,” said Samir Saran of the Observer Research Federation, who moderated a panel during this week’s event.

Davos agenda series#

With the main event on hold until June, the Forum is hosting a series of virtual sessions aiming to outline global imperatives of the year ahead, from post-COVID recovery to addressing the climate emergency. The pandemic has once more delayed the gathering of global leaders in Davos, Switzerland, for the annual meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF). The United Nations Secretary General’s roadmap on digital cooperation defines it as “ the ways we work together to address the social, ethical, legal and economic impact of digital technologies in order to maximise their benefits and minimise their harm.” For experts taking part in Davos Agenda online sessions this week, the world’s push for inclusive and sustainable social and economic development in the wake of COVID-19 hinges on intensifying cooperation to boost connectivity.