Global cooperation on digital technology essential to defeat COVID-19: UN chief

• Guterres says new technologies, from 5G and big data to cloud computing and artificial intelligence, are powerful tools to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
• International Telecommunication Union continues to work with the information and communication technology community and UN agencies to help manage and end coronavirus crisis: UN chief.

(Karachi) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that international cooperation on Information Technology can be a beacon of hope to help defeat COVID-19 and achieve global goals.

In a video message on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day which falls on May 17, Guterres said: "World Telecommunication and Information Society Day reminds us that international cooperation on digital technology is essential to help defeat COVID-19 and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

He said that leaving no one behind means leaving no one offline.

https://twitter.com/antonioguterres/status/1261876598216593409

"During the coronavirus pandemic, these connections – with loved ones, with schools and colleges, with workplaces, with healthcare professionals and essential supplies– are more important than ever," added the UN Secretary-General.

Guterres went on to say that the International Telecommunication Union continues to work with the information and communication technology community and UN agencies to help manage and end this crisis, and recover better.

"New technologies, from 5G and big data to cloud computing and artificial intelligence, are powerful tools to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges, including the pandemic," he said.

The UN chief maintained, "Information technology can play an important role, allowing billions of people around the world to connect."