“The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in supporting the achievement of some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Egypt”

Abstract

After the essential role played by the United Nations (UN) in 2000 through gathering global attention to reach an agreement on 8 international development goals– named Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the United Nations realized that there was still much to be performed, for this, it developed a people-centered, broadly comprehensive agenda in 2015 includes 17 life-changing goals – named Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Hence, the UN aims to offer an action worldwide blueprint covering people, prosperity, peace, partnership and planet (5Ps) with an objective of reaching “more sustainable future for all” through collaborating governments, entities and civil society not only economically but also sustainably via Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Although the UN put a time horizon (2015-2030), only 9 years left and by viewing the progress achieved, it seems that there are a lot of obstacles and deficiencies impeding the achievement of these goals in the targeted date.

For this, governments are in need for a key development enabler that can overcome existing obstacles, treat weakness and create expanded opportunities that can support the achievement of these SDGs.

Therefore, the World Summit on the Information Society, the United Nations Group on the Information Society and the Commission on Science and Technology for Development recognized Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a powerful lever to support the achievement of SDGs.