[Post-Covid19 Economic Development Series I]

Accelerating Digital Transformation,

Shaping Policies, and Boosting Shared Prosperity

26 & 28 May 2021

16:00 (Korean Standard Time, GMT+9)

■  Background

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaped the way we work, study, and interact through digital technologies, amplifying all aspects of the digital transformation from education to health and businesses. In the time of global crisis, Internet use among individuals and businesses rapidly grows, creating new opportunities for businesses. Reliable digital connectivity becomes more essential than ever for using data, consuming content and engaging in digital platforms by individuals, governments and businesses for continuity of economic and social activities.[1] However, emerging challenges such as digital inequality, privacy, and data protection remain in a digital landscape. Therefore, it is crucial to reinforce countries to strengthen an integrated approach to policies to leverage digital transformation to reach the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With the rising of internet uptake, new business models with digital technologies have proliferated, creating enormous economic opportunities for consumers and businesses. According to Asian Development Bank (ADB), in 2019, digital platform business to consumer revenues reached $3.8trillion, equivalent to 4.4% of global GDP. Asia made up about 48% ($1.8 trillion), the US 22% ($836.7 billion), and the euro area 12%($445.3billion).[2] Asia will steadily grow as a key actor in the global digital business market as connectivity and access continue to improve to drive more users and revenue growth.[3]

However, countries are experiencing new challenges in the complexity of the digital landscape. For example, countries that are not ready for the surge of demand are having network congestion.[4] Moreover, the digital divides of gender, skills, and geographic differences, notably for women, the elderly, and low-income in individuals, and urban and rural areas, need to be addressed.[5] Besides, there are other rising demands such as ensuring fair competition for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and fighting against disinformation that directly affect individual lives in the health crisis.

Addressing the challenges of digitalization needs co-ordination and harmonization across all policy domains, according to the latest report of OECD, including connectivity and access, digital technologies, jobs, and market openness.[6] Governments at multiple levels need to design and implement policies to tackle cross-cutting issues such as gender and skills through inclusive policy frameworks and strengthen their enforcement while enhancing accountability for digital government and data governance without the trade-off of economic and social benefits.

In this regard, we recognize an urgent need to help reduce digital inequalities and facilitate national strategies and policies through training while reinforcing regional cooperation to accelerate digital transformation. This capacity workshop aims at discussing the potential of digital economy and innovation by analyzing trends and emerging opportunities and challenges, and at strengthening an integrated approach to policymaking for the digital transformation. Participants also share and exchange their good regulatory practices and enforcement to ensure timely, secure, and effective governance in order to move economies and societies online.

■  Event Objectives

For the capacity building, this event will:

·         Offer a venue for knowledge sharing and motivate participants to discuss their status and issues of leveraging digital transformation 

to reach the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

·         Provide an opportunity for policy makers and experts to share and exchange their good practices.