BY SAPT STAFF
IN an era where digital technology propels innovation and enhances productivity across various sectors, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders took a momentous stride by launching the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent in July 2022.
Addressing the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association Strategy Forum in Fiji, Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Esala Nayasi, emphasized that the strategy embodies a shared vision and ambitious goals for the next three decades. Technology and connectivity stand out as central pillars for its realization.
Nayasi underscored the crucial role of an expanding digital ecosystem in advancing development goals at all levels. However, he cautioned that, despite the potential benefits, careful navigation and utilization are imperative due to the challenges in the development, use, and security of information and communication technology (ICT). Nevertheless, the ICT sector remains a vital component of the region’s development.
The pandemic highlighted the invaluable role of the ICT sector, demonstrating its ability to keep communities connected and facilitate business transactions, thereby sustaining livelihoods in unprecedented circumstances. Acknowledging the transformative potential of technology, collaboration becomes imperative for the region to collectively work towards the development of ICT infrastructure.
Nayasi also pointed out that the recent meeting of Ministers of ICT in Papua New Guinea in August resulted in the Lagatoi Declaration. This declaration outlines objectives on digital transformation, innovation, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, security, trust, and regional cooperation.
Given the unique geography and size of economies in the region, there is a call to explore opportunities for economies of scale in regional solutions, necessitating strengthened and coordinated regional structures.
Governments in the region express their commitment to ICT development, recognizing that no single sector can achieve the desired transformational change independently. The groundswell of momentum in the Blue Pacific Continent reflects the collective determination to see improvements.
