The United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP) and Motorola Solutions will convene a roundtable in May to explore the need to expand the use of mobile technologies in the promotion of sustainable human development in developing nations.
Policymakers, social innovators, civil society and the private sector are all set to be involved.
Scheduled to be held in Paris, France, at the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS)+10 Review, the expert roundtable will create a platform to share experiences and exchange information on a global scale.
The goal of the roundtable, according to UNDP, is to broaden participants’ understanding of the current state of mobile technology adaptation in the various areas of development.
According to a statement issued by the UNDP, the agency said it has become necessary to promote mobile technologies that will maximize the opportunities made available by the world’s six billion mobile subscriptions.
“These consultations aim to identify and support flagship initiatives in the area of mobile technologies as well as cutting-edge innovations,” UNDP stated.
It added since a larger proportion of mobile phone users reside in the developing countries of the world that are central to most global efforts, mobile technologies can serve as a link and the innovations can bridge the gap that has decimated the rate of development in the developing nations.
The agency said good results could be achieved by encouraging social innovators to develop new, or adapt existing mobile applications to serve the local needs of the developing world.
