Technology and innovation are a critical factor to improve access to affordable and relevant services and have the potential to encourage an inclusive economy. Important policy actions are needed to overcome impediments preventing people with disabilities in Asia and Pacific from being empowered through technology and innovation.

This Committee is designed to act as the Asia-Pacific region’s pre-eminent intergovernmental platform on information and communications technology (ICT) and science, technology and innovation (STI) policy. This Committee session will address key challenges and opportunities for Asia-Pacific economies in the areas of: frontier technology; inclusive technology and innovation development, technology and trade; the integration of ICT-related issues in development policies; space applications; technology transfer; and capacity-building on ICT.

Technology and innovation are a driving force behind economic growth, expanding access to basic services (such as education, health and energy) and offering means to address environmental concerns.

E-commerce can lower entry barriers to markets and reduce transaction costs in doing businesses, and therefore, facilitate business and trade and lead to further economic growth and additional job creation. To realize the potential growth of e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce, governments need to implement more proactive policy measures. Additionally, multilateral organizations and the private sector should cooperate in fostering conducive environments. ADB and ESCAP support various activities and initiatives to promote e-commerce in Asia and the Pacific.

South Korea is the first nation to evolve from an ODA recipient to a major donor country. After joining a member of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of OECD in 2010, South Korea serves a bridging role in the international community and contributes to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) based on its increased ODA support.

Against this backdrop, the Asia-Pacific region and the world are moving steadily into the fourth industrial revolution. The scale, scope and speed of this transformation could be unlike anything the region has experienced before. A key concern is that this revolution, especially the uptake, adaptation and distribution of benefits generated by frontier technologies, such as artificial intelligence, could magnify inequalities through anticipated losses of certain lower-skilled job categories.

The Youth Co:Lab Summit will bring together the young winners from the 2017-2018 National Dialogues, as well as representatives from government, private sector and the social entrepreneurship community.  We hope that the Summit will lay the groundwork for longer-term regional engagement by UNDP and other partners to empower youth on social innovation and entrepreneurship, and help create an enabling environment for young people to have meaningful and sustained engagement with the SDGs. The Summit will aim:

The United Nations ESCAP together with the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) and the British Council will host the Asia Pacific Impact Investment workshop from 22-23 February 2018 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The purpose of the workshop is to support policy makers in the Asia-Pacific region to formulate and implement effective policies and strategies to foster social enterprise and social impact investment.

Leveraging the creative economy can provide developing countries with a unique pathway towards attaining sustainable development. The creative economy can be defined broadly “as a dynamic blend of creative industries that cover all cycles of creation, production, and distribution of goods and services that use intellectual capital as primary inputs”. The creative economy has the potential to be a key sector driving job creation and innovation in developing countries. Furthermore, there is increasing recognition of the contribution of the creative economy towards trade and economic growth.

The thirteenth session of Governing Council will be held in Philippines. Secretariat will brief the delegates on activities undertaken by the Centre since the twelth session of the Governing Council and present the proposed work for APCTT for 2018. A discussion will take place on potential areas for collaboration between APCTT and member countries.