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

LONDON: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that international cooperation on Information Technology essential to defeat the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a video message on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day which falls on May 17, Guterres said: “World Telecommunication and Information Society Day remind us that international collaboration on digital technology is necessary to help beat the epidemic and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Guterres further said that leaving no one behind means leaving no one offline. The UN  Secretary-General added, “During the COVID-19 epidemic, these connections – with loved ones, with schools and colleges, with workplaces, with healthcare professionals and essential supplies– are more important than ever.”

He went on to say that the International Telecommunication Union continues to work with the information and communication technology community and UN agencies to assist manage and end this crisis.

“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 plague,” he said.

Leaving no one behind means leaving no one offline.

International cooperation on digital technology is essential to help defeat #COVID19 and achieve the #GlobalGoals.https://t.co/Xtw0KrkdDn pic.twitter.com/DL28xUERa0

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 17, 2020

Antonio Guterres maintained, “Information technology can play a vital role, allowing billions of people across the world to connect.”

Guterres also urged world governments to urgently scale up their response to the novel coronavirus if they are to stand a chance of stemming its spread.