Ayman Okeil, Chairman of Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights and Deputy Presiding Officer of the African ECOSOCC, participated in a side event organized by the International Water, Environment and Health Institute on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva
In his statement, Okeil addressed the importance of digital transformation as a central tool to support the right to development and to promote social and economic justice in Global South countries
The African ECOSOCC Deputy Presiding Officer emphasized that fair and rapid access to digital innovation technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and blockchain, has become an essential condition for enabling individuals to enjoy their rights, foremost among them the right to development. He explained that these technologies contribute to achieving nearly 70% of the Sustainable Development Goals, and noted their role in reducing carbon emissions by up to 20% by 2030. He also stressed that adopting public digital infrastructure in Global South countries can support economic growth by up to 1.4%, pointing to India’s experience as a leading example that successfully expanded internet services and broadened financial and health inclusion through large-scale digital solutions.
Okeil offered several recommendations, most notably the establishment of a global fund to support technology localization in Southern countries, strengthening bilateral partnerships to exchange digital knowledge, easing debt burdens, developing guidance frameworks for the safe and ethical use of technology, and enhancing the role of civil society in assessment and promoting digital literacy.
The event was chaired by Dr. Nidal Saleem, Director General of the International Water, Environment and Health Institute, and featured a number of international development experts, including Moustapha Kamal Gueye from the International Labour Organization, Prashant Sharma, President of Dharma Alliance in Geneva, and Surya Kanegaonkar, writer and trade expert. Via video, contributions were made by Dr. Faiza Rifat, Apex University, and Darakshan Hassan Bhat, founder of the Kashmir Women’s Organization.
It is worth noting that the importance of this event lies in its role as a forum to discuss mechanisms for operationalizing the right to development amid rapid digital transformations, with a focus on South–South cooperation to exchange expertise and build sustainable partnerships that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and advance inclusive development pathways.
shortlink: https://safearabregion.org/en/?p=45909
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