The Fourth LAS-Japan-UNDP Policy Roundtable

March 4, 2021

Digital Transformation in the Arab Region

Date: 17 March 2021
Location: Virtual

Following the success of the first Arab-Japan Political Dialogue in September 2017, a series of policy roundtables was launched in September 2019 by the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Government of Japan (GOJ), in partnership with UNDP, aiming to establish a policy dialogue platform to discuss common development priorities and concerns and explore policies and solutions to support the Arab region. The tripartite partnership has hosted three roundtables to date, the first in September 2019 themed around education-human development nexus, the second and the third in July and December 2020 focused on the socioeconomic impact of and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. This series of roundtables is working as a very effective tool to further enhance constructive cooperation between Japan and the Arab states, by engaging UNDP as a co-host, in multi-layered aspects.

The fourth Policy Roundtable will focus on digital transformation and bring together policy makers. The Policy Roundtable will bring together as well development experts, entrepreneurs, private sector and civil society organizations from LAS members states, UN agencies, Japan and other stakeholders to share expertise, discuss challenges, identify opportunities and formulate policy directions for the region to achieve digital transformation that is inclusive and human-centered.    

The Policy Roundtable will be co-hosted by the League of Arab States, the Government of Japan, and UNDP with approximately 60~80 participants, including representatives from the member states of the Arab League, the Government of Japan, UNDP and other UN agencies including ITU, UNCDF, UNCTAD, UNCDF, ESCWA, UNICEF, the Arab specialized organizations, as well as other development partners such as IFIs, OFID, academia, think tank networks including Economic Research Forum, and civil society organizations that are active in the region.

LAS-Japan-UNDP Policy Roundtable: Digital Transformation Pivotal for Building Forward Better in Post-COVID-19 Arab Region