Session Report

The Digital and Technology Network’s (DTN) autumn session of 2021 took place virtually between 20 and 21 October. Mr. Bernardo Mariano Junior (CITO, UN Secretariat), opened the DTN session prior to the election of Ms. Ana Paula Nishio De Sousa (Chief, Information Technology Services Division, UNIDO) as DTN Co-Chair. The session was well attended (61 participants attended day one and 68 on day two) and engagement1 was high. A key focus of the meeting was digital transformation, building on previous discussions and the importance this topic received at the High-Level Committee on Management’s (HLCM) recent 42nd session.

The DTN’s new chairmanship emphasized the need to act strategically and in unison wherever possible, and to assume a leadership role by applying its expertise to the achievement of the Secretary General’s Common Agenda and the Quintet of Change. In addition, the agenda featured digital innovation, cybersecurity and included a timely update on the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy. External presenters included Microsoft Federal Security and the UK National Cyber Security Centre. Presentations were also received from the EOSG, OICT, UNDP, IAEA, WTO and the UN Digital Solutions Centre. Topics addressed strategic opportunities in areas of mutual interest as well as the need to share knowledge in key and dynamic areas. Plenary discussions addressed the need for common baselines for cybersecurity, priorities for the Information Security Special Interest Group (UNISSIG) and agreement on digital innovation principles to clarify the relationship between ICT and digital innovation. Due to a lack of time, updates from working groups including the HLCP’s Inter-agency Working Group on AI (IAWG-AI) were deferred until the next DTN session.