The objectives of the third session of the WG on ITSD, hosted by MDDIAI of Kazakhstan in Almaty in cooperation with ESCAP and UNECE, are to review the progress for the year 2021-2022 and the plan for 2022-2023, and to adopt the plan. The WG will also advance the arrangements for the implementation of the SPECA Innovation Strategy for Sustainable Development and share good practices of emerging technology applications in coherence with ESCAP’s Asia and the Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) Action Plan 2022-2026.

The WG will review and provide the feedback on the draft documentation on setting up the Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development (DSC SD) as an implementing tool to advance the digital transformation in the SPECA region. The meeting will review the UNECE tools for support to innovative enterprises in the sub-region, hold consultations on the pilot SPECA Business Incubators and Accelerators Network. The meeting will also get updated information and hold preparations for the major events, such as SPECA Governing Council and the SPECA Economic Forum 2022 (November, Kazakhstan), ESCAP Committee on ICT and Science Technology and Innovation (August, Bangkok, Thailand), and the Asia Pacific Digital Ministerial Conference 2022 on 9-10 November in Seoul, Republic of Korea (9-10 November Seoul, RoK).