Statement of the UN Resident Coordinator at the UN75 Dialogue and UNDP Accelerator Lab Seminar

Vice Chancellor of the University of Eswatini

Distinguished panelists

Ladies and gentlemen

It is with great pleasure that I join you on behalf of the UN Development System in Eswatini, ahead of this important engagement to discuss the role of digital technology in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 4 on Quality Education, which is the focus of the discussion today.

Coincidentally, the SDG in focus for the month of July is SDG 9 – which calls upon nations to  “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.” Every month, the United Nations spotlights one of the 17 SDGs, highlighting its purpose, targets, and criticality in advancing Agenda 2030. This month’s focus is SDG 9.

This year, the UN is marking its 75th anniversary at a time of great disruption in the world, compounded by an unprecedented global health crisis with severe economic and social impacts. In light of the challenges facing the world today, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, has launched global dialogues to get your views, concerns, ideas and recommendations on how to shape a better future for the world. 

As such, the UN has been encouraging countries to gather voices on the future we want, the UN we need, particularly from marginalized groups, for inclusion in a report to be presented at a world leaders high-level event to be held during the 75th session of the General Assembly in September 2020.

I take this opportunity to congratulate and commend the University of Eswatini for taking the lead in hosting this dialogue and seminar in collaboration with the UNDP Accelerator Lab which aims at enabling access to appropriate e-learning platforms. This is yet another demonstration that partnerships – SDG 17 - are key to the achievement of all the SDGs.

Despite the challenges we face, we remain in the Decade of Action. With only ten years remaining to achieve Agenda 2030 of the SDGs, countries are accelerating steps towards ending poverty, fighting inequalities, tackling climate change, and ensuring that no one is left behind. 

Knowledge and information have become transformative dimensions of our existence and are key drivers behind the implementation of all the SDGs.

Agenda 2030 recognizes the need to develop knowledge societies where everyone has opportunities to learn and engage with others, which starkly highlights the need for access to ICTs.

The reality is that in many places, people and communities still cannot access neither computers nor the internet. While more people can get online today, access to the internet still largely depends on where they live. The digital divide between developed and developing countries shows significant differences in terms of access to the internet. The percentage of people connected in Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, is estimated to be about 35 percent compared to about 90 percent in most developed countries.

For many, particularly those in developing regions, the spread of "smart" mobile devices has brought access to the internet to many. While the  internet has already changed the world, major changes still lie ahead and internet history has just begun, as clearly illustrated by the current coronavirus pandemic.

Digital technology has become a critical tool and enabler during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the engine behind vaccine research; it  drives e-commerce and  enables  hundreds of millions of people to work and study from home. It is also the instrumental agent through which most people receive life-saving information about the pandemic.

Education is another online area of growing importance. However, the ability to have children take classes online is only a viable option for those with access to the internet.

Central to innovation and access to digital platforms in Eswatini is the need for all Emaswati to have access to affordable Internet services. The Government of Eswatini has taken several steps to ensure that the country is covered with 4G signal coverage and affordable data packages. However, Internet costs remain high in many areas of the country as structural reform takes place.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has altered educational systems, the UNDP Accelerator Lab is commended for supporting e-learning capacity at the University of Eswatini through the provision of internet data for 7839 students, as well as the development and the experimentation of digital learning platforms aimed at delivering content and supporting students in the e-learning process.

As schools have gradually started to reopen from this month, solidarity and collaboration amongst all stakeholders are required to ensure that students in Eswatini have access to safe and affordable Internet, as e-learning may increase throughout and beyond the pandemic.

I would like to conclude my remarks by highlighting that SDG 9 and possibly 2030 Agenda cannot be attained without massive ICT investments that reach out to and benefit local populations, especially in remote and vulnerable communities.

Once the acute phase of the COVID-19 crisis is over, countries will need investments in infrastructure more than ever before to accelerate economic recovery, create jobs, reduce poverty, and stimulate productive investment.

Let us  build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation to achieve SDG 9.

Let us continue to invest in the use innovative technologies to build and design a more resilient educational system to achieve all other SDGs. 

I fruitful deliberations and a lively engagement as you dissect these critical matters.

I thank you.