Towards meaningful and universal connectivity and accelerated sustainable digital transformation to achieve SDGs | Faculty of Management and Economics at the Gdańsk University of Technology

TITLE: Towards meaningful and universal connectivity and accelerated sustainable digital transformation to achieve SDGs

SPEAKER: Jarosław K. Ponder, the Head of the Office for Europe at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

PLACE: room 103/104, Faculty of Management and Economics

TIME: 09.05.2024, 11:30-12:30

LANGUAGE: English

ABSTRACT

The world is becoming increasingly digital, further exposing us to both the vast promise and peril of digital technologies. Achieving universal and meaningful digital connectivity —the possibility for everyone to enjoy a safe, satisfying, enriching, productive and affordable online experience— is key for enabling digital transformation and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, the International Telecommunication Union, the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and their partners, have established a set of aspirational targets for 2030 to help prioritize interventions, monitor progress, evaluate policy effectiveness, and galvanize efforts around achieving universal and meaningful connectivity by the end of the decade. This meeting will provide an opportunity to take a closer look at the current trends, while point to several opportunities and challenges that stakeholders are facing at the national, regional and global level while unleashing potential of digital for development.

BIOGRAPHY

Jaroslaw K. Ponder, is the Head of the Office for Europe at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), representing ITU in Europe and directing actions, projects, initiatives and experts’ groups targeting 46 countries of the Europe Region. His portfolio includes Regional Initiatives for Europe, designed by the European Member States and focusing on the ICT Infrastructure, Digitization, Digital Inclusion, Accessibility, Innovation and Cybersecurity. Mr. Ponder has managed numerous projects, activities and initiatives at national, regional and international levels. He has taken lead roles in many international conferences and summits concerning ICT innovation and development of ICT ecosystem, information society, and advancements of digital economy worldwide, while setting strategies and ensuring their timely implementation. During his professional career, Mr. Ponder has held official positions in the public sector and has been a leading contributor to legislative projects, which influenced public policy. Mr. Ponder has working for ITU since 2004 holding diverse positions in the General Secretariat, Telecommunication Development Bureau, and Regional Presence, addressing the complexity of information society development and digital transformation at national, regional, international level, including United Nations level. Mr. Ponder was appointed Head of ITU Office for Europe in 2017. For several years, Mr. Ponder has managed ITU’s work in the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process, establishing the annual WSIS Forum, WSIS Prizes, WSIS Stocktaking, and others. In his current role, Mr. Ponder has established several formal coordination mechanisms facilitating the work of UN agencies in advancing digital transformation at the national and regional level.