COE UAE Chapter Leader Presents at UN Regional Conference in Doha

Simran Vedvyas from UAE highlights the Role of ICT in Sustainable  Development at ASSDE14 in Doha

500 delegates from 45 countries examined and exchanged views on evidence-based development solutions.

The South-South Development Expo is the United Nations' system-wide high-profile event for South-South cooperation that strategically and systematically showcases development solutions originating from Southern countries and aimed at replication and scaling up in other parts of the world. With the motto “Solutions to Action”, the first Arab States Regional South-South Development Expo was designed to raise regional awareness by showcasing the impact of successful evidence-based solutions crafted and tested by countries in the Arab States in addressing development challenges pertinent to the needs and aspirations of the region. 

It was a moment of pride for Simran Vedvyas, a high school student at The Universal American School in Dubai, Global Youth Board Plant-for-the-Planet, COE Chapter Leader UAE and Earth Charter Coordinator for Youth Network North Africa and Middle East hub to attend the conference as a youth delegate and make a presentation to the high profile participants at a special session highlighting the role of ICT in sustainable development and providing success stories from across the region where ICT facilitated development.

Simran confidently stated that ICT has empowered youth and made them more resourceful paving the way for them to address and improve some of the most critical social, economic, and environmental issues in the developing world as projected in the Millennium Development Goals. As Global Youth Advocate MY World 2015 she emphasized the role of ICT to facilitate in gathering over 1.3 million votes from 194 countries across the globe and how ICT can bring people closer. She urged the leaders to aid and develop ICT with wisdom and prudence and put it in best practice to advance sustainable development.                                         

The Expo was generously hosted by the State of Qatar and co-organized by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation and the United Nations Development Program Regional Bureau for Arab States. In the spirit of the “Delivering as one” approach, it featured solution exchange forums led by a number of United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programs that are active in advancing the South-South cooperation agenda in the Arab States region, including ESCWA, IFAD, ILO, UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO and UN-Women. The Expo also brought together high-level representatives from various multilateral and bilateral institutions and the development cooperation offices and agencies of the Arab States as well as those countries outside the Arab States region. A number of triangular cooperation champions, such as the Islamic Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, also contributed to inclusive participation in the Expo of various relevant stakeholders from around the region.

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