Technology brings significant benefits to humanity and digital technology can be an essential tool to help the United Nations achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This was the opinion of Huawei's senior vice president and board member Catherine Chen in her opening speech at the recent Connected Forum for Shared Prosperity in Shanghai, China.
Chen said that technology can be an engine for human progress and urged individuals and companies to “think big and act small”, while reiterating their support for the SDGs and building a green, innovative and inclusive world.
The vice president of Huawei mentioned that it is essential that people reach an agreement on the technology, which has significant potential to achieve development goals. “Major social changes tend to happen in sync with advances in science and technology. But today, technological advances are promoted and politicized - as has sometimes been the case with 5G. ”
The official stressed that 5G was actually a standardized technology, defined by its high bandwidth, low latency and wide connectivity, which could transform traditional industries and benefit everyone. “Every day, consumers benefit from experiences with 5G, while industrial use in ports, mines and in the transport sector increases operational efficiency. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so ”.
Chen confessed that while there was always a danger that new technology could be abused, rules could be established to manage technological risks. "Many people are already working hard to create governance rules for cybersecurity, privacy protection and Reliable AI that will keep us safe. For the rest of us, it is time to be confident and open to technological development ”.
For her, technology is most effective when it creates value for all, and that consensus can be built gradually so that technological advances can continue. "By focusing on the limited common understanding we have now, and on the resources that are really available, we can drive progress step by step," he said.
The vice president adds that “Huawei has always supported technological advancement. We believe that digital technology benefits humanity and can help the UN achieve its SDGs. ”
Chen described how Huawei was already deploying digital solutions to empower people and meet the UN's development goals - especially the goals of innovation, reducing inequality and quality education.
In South Africa, for example, Huawei, the non-profit organization Click Foundation and the network provider Rain have teamed up to connect more than 100 urban and rural primary schools to the Internet. The aim is to increase reading comprehension skills and close the digital gap through technology.
In Kenya, Huawei has partnered to build Digitrucks, mobile, solar-powered classrooms that bring digital skills to remote and underserved communities. Equipped with 20 laptops, 20 VR headsets and integrated Wi-Fi, each DigiTruck is a temporary digital school that offers free classes, resources and materials.
Chen also described how the Huawei Smart PV solution used in more than 60 countries was already helping to achieve the SDGs and reduced carbon emissions by 148 million tonnes. “This is equivalent to planting more than 200 million trees. In Ethiopia alone, we support our customers to deploy more than 400 solar power stations, reducing carbon emissions by 2.850 tonnes. In China, we also help to build the largest solar stations in the world, dedicated to agriculture and fishing in the provinces of Ningxia and Shandong ”, he maintained.
Huawei and UNESCO also partnered to launch the Open Schools program to help schools in Egypt, Ethiopia and Ghana improve their digital skills through online education.
“In all these examples, every connection, every gram of reduced emissions, every watt of electricity saved, could not have been achieved without the small advances in technology. This is the value that technology brings to the world ”, assured Chen.
