The 79th UN General Assembly session is unfolding at a pivotal time for the Arab States, grappling with humanitarian crises, economic upheavals, severe climate impacts, and challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite these obstacles, the region has seen a surge in digital connectivity, with internet users doubling to 327 million in 2024 from 2012.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) views digitalization and digital transformation as essential tools to regain lost ground on the SDGs by 2030. Ethical applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can notably help Arab States tackle the data scarcity affecting their SDG monitoring, particularly in areas like inequality, climate action, and peace.
In response, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States is initiating the AI for Sustainable Development Platform. This will commence in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates on September 22 and with the Arab Republic of Egypt on September 25, following up on last year’s Digital for Sustainable Development initiative at the UNGA.
The Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development (AI4SD) initiative aims to democratize AI, making it accessible to policymakers and professionals across the region. The AI4SD online platform will offer open-source AI models, datasets, and educational resources to support projects focused on environmental and social challenges.
Significant contributions from partners like the Government of the UAE and the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of AI underscore the platform’s strength. This initiative is part of the broader Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) cooperation platform launched by the UNDP in 2023, promoting the use of digital tools to fast-track SDG achievement by 2030.
This year’s session also marks an important phase in the UNDP’s D4SD initiative in partnership with the UAE, introducing advanced AI solutions to tackle the region’s critical issues.
Moreover, the upcoming D4SD side event will delve into digital strategies for the Arab States, spotlighting acceleration methods and partnership opportunities. It aims to deepen public-private collaborations, enhance knowledge exchange, and champion sustainable practices to bridge the digital divide and spur economic diversification through emerging technologies, thereby supporting the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.