Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Chola Milambo, as Co-facilitator of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), together with Swedish Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Mrs. Anna-Karin Eneström, attended a GDC Data Deep-Dive, organized by the UN University, at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) HQ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 8th May 2024.
The Data Deep-Dive, which was officially opened by the Ethiopian Minister of State for Innovation and Technology, H.E. Yeshurun Alemayehu, brought together the co-facilitators and leading African data experts to review opportunities that the GDC can unlock and to support the African Digital Compact — similar initiative launched by the African Union Commission.
Data is the bedrock of new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, and critical to decision-making, sustainable development, and modern economies.
Two seismic shifts are expected to shape the twenty-first century: the climate crisis and digital transformation. The UN has responded by proposing the development of a GDC to outline shared principles for an open, free, and secure digital future. The African Union is simultaneously developing a regional response, the African Digital Compact. These Compacts are an opportunity to reflect on the efficacy of existing approaches to digital governance, explore gaps in digital cooperation, and commit to principles and actions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals, while promoting greater coordination in the digital sphere.
The Deep Dive included reflections on data dimensions in the GDC draft, with a specific focus on the African context.
