By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, NOV 13, 2019: TO meet the demands of the fourth Industrial Revolution and leverage frontier technologies towards sustainable development, the United Nations in India and the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network signed today a Memorandum of Understanding, outlining areas of cooperation and deepen coordinated approach towards delivering impact. This partnership is based on the Strategic Partnership Framework for the 2030 Agenda recently concluded between the World Economic Forum and the United Nations, where among other focus areas, mentions Digital Cooperation, and emphasizes the mutual importance of fostering opportunities for innovation to accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The partnership was signed in a meeting held between UN Resident Coordinator in India, Renata Dessallien and Murat Sönmez, Member of Managing Board and Head of Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution Network, World Economic Forum at UN House, New Delhi.

“Our mission is to shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution so that it benefits the society and leads to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. We look forward to a strong collaboration and sharing findings through our Network and specifically between our Centre in India and UN India” says Murat Sönmez, Head of the World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network

The strategic partnership aims to advance global analysis, dialogue, and standards for digital governance and digital inclusion, and to promote public-private partnerships and leverage frontier technologies towards key development outcomes, including the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

“At the UN, we are increasingly focused on the fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on our individual and collective challenges. This important partnership with the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution has great potential to advance our work on digital inclusion, and enhance digital capacities as an accelerator for SDG implementation,” said Renata Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator in India.

The collaboration will focus on the following areas:

Identify and undertake collaborative research and analysis, including scoping and experimentation, on frontier technologies for the SDGs, including but not limited to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Blockchain, Internet of Things, and Drone technology.

Creating platforms, networks, and ecosystems for increased collaboration between stakeholders, including innovators and start-ups for leveraging frontier technologies for accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.

Co-design and convene policy dialogues that maximize the benefit and/or mitigate risks associated with fourth industrial revolution.

Collaborate to scale innovation and technology initiatives for the achievement of the SDGs.

Mutually identify, source, and exchange expertise and/or fellow to accelerate innovation and the deployment of frontier technologies.

Mutual participation in key events and dialogues in areas of shared interest in the fourth industrial revolution.

Jointly organize events and workshops.