Daily Times

LAHORE: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Information Technology University (ITU) Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly promote Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to a statement, the MoU will formalise the mutual interaction and strengthen the existing relationship between the UNDP and ITU at the strategic and working level, focusing on the implementation of SDGs and leveraging technology to develop innovative ideas and tools. “This mutual cooperation may entail setting up an SDG-Tech Lab as well as establishing an “SDG Research Unit at ITU.”

“The UNDP and The ITU may also jointly explore the opportunity to mobilise external funding with regards to the objective of the MOU and further develop information sharing, the statement added.

The two sides also agreed to develop and implement scalable tools that could increase citizen engagement and participation in public decision making and overall governance.

“The objective is to increase citizen and state interaction, implement scalable tools to improve access to basic services, including health, education, water, transportation. As well as, to work towards enhancing access to public services through un-conventional, efficient and economical tools and explore the use of big and open data for monitoring and reporting of selected SDG indicators. Finally, to provide alternative means for assessing progress on SDGs and informing government policies; and undertake any research in the context of exploring and employing the nexus between technology and SDG.”

UNDP Country Director Ignacio Artaza stressed the need to focus on data generation using ITU and PITB’s expertise. “Punjab has conducted several policy innovations that could be replicated effectively across other provinces in Pakistan to boost interesting ideas and synergies,” he said. He also lauded the efforts and commitment of ITU School of Social Sciences (SHSS) Dean Dr Akmal Hussain towards achieving SDGs.

Speaking on the occasion, ITU Vice Chancellor Dr Umar Saif said, “Our team of academics and policymakers would do wonders for Pakistan through this collaboration. Our projects, to name a few, that involve e-Vaccs and satellite imagery to better predict crop yield are some examples of how we inform policy with evidence.”

He continued: “Our work has made us pioneers in the field of ICTD. Punjab’s success at phenomenally increasing vaccine coverage rate has garnered appreciation globally, including the Gates Foundation. Hosting this collaboration at SHSS testifies to the importance we attach to well thought-out and effective policy that has a huge human impact,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, June 14^th 2018.