Sri Lankan Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCAP, C.A. Chaminda I. Colonne, led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 80th Commission Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) from April 22 to 26, in Bangkok, Thailand.
She was also elected as a Vice Chair of the Bureau for the 80th Commission.
The theme of the session was ‘Leveraging digital innovation for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific’.
Delivering the opening address, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana stated that intelligently deployed and properly governed digital solutions, based on a common understanding, shared approaches and collaborative governance, form the foundations for the collective push necessary for the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Delivering his special remarks and welcome address as host Government, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin highlighted the initiatives taken in promoting Thailand’s digital transition to a digital economy and financial system, and the importance of preventing risks arising from digital transformation, such as cybercrime. He also stressed on the importance of international cooperation to ensure a safe, equitable, and beneficial digital transition to all people in the region.
When Ambassador Chaminda Colonne was chairing the 80th Commission session on “Review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific and issues pertinent to the subsidiary structure of the Commission”the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina delivered her special remarks and stated that Bangladesh has declared their next vision to become a ‘Smart’ Bangladesh by the year 2041 and suggested that a more inclusive and connected Asia-Pacific region needs to be fostered by enhancing e-commerce and digital trade and accelerating IT-enabled services. More than 800 delegates from 61 member States, associate members and Observer countries as well as various stakeholder groups and international organizations attended the 80th Commission session.
Prime Minister of Cambodia, Foreign Minister of Mongolia (Chair of the 80th Commission session), President of the Seventy-eighth General Assembly, Coordination Minister for Economic Affairs of Indonesia, Minister of Finance of Bangladesh, Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, Minister for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change, and Communication of Tonga, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan were among the other dignitaries attended.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Technology, Dharmasiri Kumarathunga and First Secretary/Deputy Permanent Representative to UNESCAP, A.W.S Samanmali, were other members of the Sri Lanka delegation. Kumarathunga delivered the Sri Lanka’s country statement through a video message under the theme “Leveraging digital innovation for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”and the Ambassador intervened in the high-level thematic roundtable on “Digital innovations for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”.
During the 80th Commission, Governments from across Asia and the Pacific adopted a resolution encouraging countries to work together closely to promote research, dialogue, technical cooperation and development of digital technologies and digital economy initiatives in an efficient, affordable, inclusive, secure and accessible manner, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and population groups.
Three other resolutions were also adopted. Covering sustainable energy connectivity, strengthened support for countries in special situations to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and meet other global commitments, as well as on improving procedures.
During a side event, jointly organized on April 24 by the Sri Lanka Mission and the UNESCAP the publication of “Cooperation with Impact – Launch of the Technical Cooperation Highlights 2022-2023” was launched by Ambassador Colonne.
