Development:
- 2021 World Development Report (WDR) to tackle ‘data for development’ from the perspective of low and middle income countries.
- Indian company Sterling and Wilson Private won contracts for a project on digital ID and the construction of a data center in the Republic of Congo.
- Afghanistan reaches out to India to introduce a biometric and demographic system similar to Aadhaar.
Food Security:
- FAO calls for better data gathering in Asia-Pacific in order to ensure the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and to measure progress of states on the goals.
- Microsoft to provide Kenya with digital technology solutions that could help address agricultural challenges and contribute to Kenya’s goal of 100% food security.
Gender Equality:
Founder of World Wide Web warns that the Internet is ‘not working for women and girls’ and that it is responsible for ‘a new era of widespread abuse against females’.
Climate action
- Rwanda to set up e-waste collection points that will help educate its population about the danger and management of e-waste.
- World’s largest air quality data platform launched by UNEP, UN-Habitat, and Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.
- ‘Guidance for ICT Companies Setting Science Based Targets’ published to ensure that ICT companies are compatible with the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement.
- Egypt’s Ministry of Surrounding to launch ‘E-Tadweer’ software to eliminate e-waste
Digital Health
- The European mHealth Hub launched in Geneva to promote the larger-scale implementation of mHealth in 53 European countries by collecting and sharing good practices and experiences of mHealth.
Humanitarian
- Digital identity company Yoti adds partners to digital identity support programme to help humanitarian organisations address identification challenges and assist beneficiaries
Migration
- Ethereum Classic (ETC) donates USD$ 1 million to UNICEF blockchain projects on refugee camps and healthcare.
Water management
- International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Digital Earth Africa (DEA) to cooperate on sensor and data technologies for better management of water in Africa.
- UN World Water Development Report 2020 tackles the role of satellite imagery and big data analytics in water monitoring.