UNDP, e& to promote digital transformation for sustainable development

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and e&, signed a cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly to leverage digital technologies for sustainable development in the Arab States region.

Cooperation will focus on enhancing digital inclusion to bridge digital divides; promoting transition to a digital economy, focusing on enabling solutions for medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs); expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for climate resilience, and fostering robust public-private partnerships for digital cooperation—under the rubric of the Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) initiative, which UNDP is leading alongside key partners in the region.

“The pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Arab States region requires urgent action at scale, which requires expanded and effective partnerships, especially with the business sector,” said Abdallah Al-Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States in UNDP. “We value this new partnership with the e& as an eminent provider of digital services across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa—leveraging its market leadership to harness digital solutions to promote sustainable development, particularly in the realms of AI, financial inclusion and digital capacity building.”

The new partnership will support the AI for Sustainable Development (AI4SD) platform –one of the lead initiatives of the D4SD partnership— by providing transformative digital solutions, data, and technical support to promote the ethical use of AI for the public good in key areas related to the pursuit of the SDGs. It will also support the development of the Climate & Natural Disaster Crises (CNDC) Platform, aimed at improving resilience to climate-related challenges like floods, earthquakes, and droughts through AI-powered insights and data visualisation tools.

e& will also work with UNDP on pilots in Egypt through its subsidiary, Erada Microfinance focusing on increasing financial inclusion and women entrepreneurship in Egypt’s Upper Region, accelerating SDGs implementation through developing accessible health insurance products, green transformation and financing of risk facilities. The cooperation will also extend the reach of the Arab Knowledge Project, part of UNDP’s FutureSkills4All initiative. e& Egypt and UNDP are working to provide free access to FutureSkills4All’s online courses.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e& said: “We are incredibly proud to partner with UNDP on such vital initiatives. This collaboration represents an integral step towards harnessing advanced technologies to foster economic growth, enhance public services and empower communities, both developed and underserved. By working across these initiatives to promote a digital economy, sustainable development and build digital capacity, we aim to drive meaningful change and unlock new opportunities across the Arab states. Together, we are committed to creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future for all."

The partnership will also boost digital capacity building efforts through initiatives like the Arab Knowledge Project and promote sustainable development goals through active stakeholder engagement and the dissemination of best practices, driving innovation and fostering knowledge exchange through expanding strategic digital public-private collaborative efforts.