ESCAP Secretariat is organizing this virtual Experts Group Meeting (EGM) in preparation for the SPECA Economic Forum and SPECA Governing Council, scheduled on 19-20 November 2020.

The Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation, Third Session was held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok from 19 to 20 August 2020. The Committee session was held virtually via videoconference on 19 and 20 August 2020. Bangkok-based representatives from member States and international organizations were welcome to participate in person at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

As more of the world becomes digital, broadband access becomes more important than ever, including in rural and remote areas. National programmes to develop the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and reduce the digital divide are recognized as essential to the achievement of national socioeconomic development plans.

Digital technologies including information and communication technologies (ICT) for development are cutting across many sectors. Progress on certain SDGs can be traced and correlated with ICT progress, especially in monitoring SDG 9: Infrastructure, Industrialization and Innovation, SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, which suggests that these may be the areas with the greatest potential for leveraging ICT for sustainable development.

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) drive socioeconomic progress, and with the advent of advanced and emerging technologies, there is a growing demand for fibre-optic networks that can deliver broadband services. As the cost of building the fibre-optic infrastructure is high, co-deployment could minimize costs during construction. Moreover, co-deployment creates opportunities for new business models for various infrastructure facilities, and initiates long-term strategic planning for the development of infrastructure networks.