Information and Communications Technologies for Development

A/RES/70/184No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 17Information and communications technologies for development, published in 2016.

What other versions does this mandate have?

7 versions · 2011–2017

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/71/212

2017A/RES/71/212Information and communications technologies for developmentLatestCompare with previous version
2016A/RES/70/184Information and communications technologies for developmentCompare with previous version
2015A/RES/69/204Information and communications technologies for developmentCompare with previous version
2014A/RES/68/198Information and communications technologies for developmentCompare with previous version
2013A/RES/67/195Information and communications technologies for developmentCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

5 topics

Communication Technology Developing Countries Development Digital Divide Information Technology

What does this mandate say?

12 operative paragraphs

Recognizes that information and communications technologies have the potential to provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalization, and can foster sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth and sustainable development, competitiveness, access to information and knowledge, poverty eradication and social inclusion that will help to expedite the integration of all countries, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, into the global economy;

Encourages strengthened and continuing cooperation between and among stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of the outcomes of the Geneva1 and Tunis3 phases of the World Summit on the Information Society through, inter alia, the promotion of national, regional and international multi-stakeholder partnerships, including public-private partnerships, and the promotion of national and regional multi-stakeholder thematic platforms in a joint effort and dialogue with developing countries, including the least developed countries, development partners and actors in the information and communications technologies sector;

Notes the progress that has been made by United Nations entities in cooperation with national Governments, regional commissions and other stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in the implementation of the action lines contained in the outcome documents of the World Summit on the Information Society, and encourages the use of those action lines for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

Stresses the important role played by the private sector, civil society and technical communities in information and communications technologies;

Recognizes the rapid growth in broadband access networks, especially in developed countries, and expresses concern about the growing digital divide in the availability, affordability, quality of access and use of broadband between high-income countries and other regions, with the least developed countries and Africa, as a continent, lagging behind the rest of the world;

Expresses concern regarding the digital divide between countries at different levels of development in access to information and communications technologies and broadband connectivity, which affects many economically and socially relevant applications in such areas as government, business, health and education, and also expresses concern with regard to the special challenges faced in the area of broadband connectivity by developing countries, including the least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries;

Notes the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at the regional level, facilitated by the regional commissions, as observed in the report of the Secretary-General on progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit at the regional and international levels;5

Encourages the United Nations funds and programmes and the specialized agencies, within their respective mandates and strategic plans, to contribute to the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, and emphasizes the importance of allocating adequate resources in this regard;

Welcomes with appreciation the offer made by Mexico to host the meeting of the Internet Governance Forum in 2016, and recommends that the extension of the mandate of the Forum be considered in the context of the overall review in 2015;

Stresses the need for the enhanced participation of all developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, in all meetings of the Internet Governance Forum, and in this regard invites Member States, as well as other stakeholders, to support the participation of Governments and all other stakeholders from developing countries in the Forum itself, as well as in the preparatory meetings;

Recognizes the need to harness the potential of information and communications technologies as critical enablers of sustainable development and to overcome the digital divide, and stresses that capacity-building for the productive use of such technologies should be given due consideration in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-first session, through the Commission on Science and Technology for Development and the Economic and Social Council, a report on the status of the implementation of and follow-up to the present resolution, taking into account the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the review process of the World Summit on the Information Society and other relevant processes, as part of his annual reporting on the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit at the regional and international levels, and decides to include the item entitled “Information and communications technologies for development” in the provisional agenda of its seventy-first session, unless otherwise agreed in the discussions on the revitalization of the Second Committee.

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