As of September 2017, there were 1.25 billion websites in cyberspace and Asia and the Pacific now accounts for 50.1 percent of all Internet users in the world. Thanks to the concerted efforts by governments and other stakeholders in extending broadband connectivity, an increasing number of people have joined the cyberspace across the Asia-Pacific region.

In support of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) initiative, Internet Society (ISOC) has been mapping out the Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in Member States of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The interactive map shows a heat map of IXPs along with the percentage of coverage. It also tallies the number of major cities in each Member State, and shows the number of covered versus uncovered cities.

The side event will showcase the work of UN agencies (ESCAP, APT, ITU, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNV) and its partners (member States, research organizations, academia, private sector) in fostering partnerships with government and stakeholders at country level in using ICT tools for e-resilience and societal transformation in sectors which cover the work programmes of the UN agencies (e.g. early warning and disaster risk reduction, information superhighway, telecommunication, capacity building, education, volunteers, water and sanitation, etc.).

ERINA or Economic Research Institute for North East Asia is a think tank based in Japan that provides insights into economic trends and activities within the region. They are focussed on conducting research related to the interdependent relationships and trade and coordination between Japan and neighbouring nations and regions on the sectors of infrastructure, energy and environmental cooperation.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was initially introduced in 2013 in order to enhance connectivity and collaboration among 60 countries and beyond in Asia, Africa and Europe. According to BRI, the Belt refers to Silk Road Economic Belt which is the land routes among these countries, whereas the Road refers to the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road which is the sea routes, rather than roads, aimed at marine transportation and communications from China’s east coast to other countries across the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.