Geneva (VNA) – The Vietnamese permanent mission to the UN, WTO and otherinternational organisations in Geneva on February 27 held a seminar on the roleof information and communication technology (ICT) in promoting economic,cultural and social rights, and reducing inequality, on the sidelines of the37th session of the UN Human Rights Council which opened on February 26.

The seminarbrought together 60 representatives from countries, international andnon-governmental organisations.

Theparticipants discussed the positive impacts of ICT on socio-economicdevelopment, human rights promotion and the fulfillment of sustainable developmentgoals in the UN’s 2030 Agenda.

Manyemphasised the importance of cooperation between developing and developednations in maximising and handling ICT challenges, including those relating tohuman rights.

They alsoshared ICT initiatives and achievements, along with ICT’s impacts on promotingeconomic, cultural and social rights in their countries.

In hisopening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of the Vietnamesepermanent mission, talked about ICT policies, development and application inpublic services and agricultural production and trading in Vietnam.

He alsopointed out ICT challenges facing the country like limited investment, backwardtechnologies and the disappearance of several traditional crafts in thecountry.

ZenyshaShaheed Zaki, Maldives Minister of Gender and Family, shared her country’sexperience in applying ICT in protecting the rights of disadvantaged groups,fighting violence against children and empowering female business leaders.

Meanwhile, AmbassadorRajiv Kumar Chander, head of the Indian mission in Geneva, said the Indian governmenthas considered ICT a tool to escape from poverty, adding that India hasseriously invested in ICT.

He alsointroduced ICT applications in health care, education and agriculture in India,and challenges facing the ICT sector in the country.

Head of theJapanese mission in Geneva, Ambassador Junichi Ihara underlined the need topour huge resources into ICT infrastructure to make the best use of the sector.

Japan hascommitted 300 million USD in support of the ICT sector in developing countriesin the next three years, the ambassador said, calling on internationalorganisations in Geneva to increase exchanges and coordination to utilise ICTpotential.

CatalinMarinescu, a representative from the International Telecommunications Union(ITU), said each 10 percent rise in broadband penetration could increaseeconomic growth by 1.4 percent.

Besides,ICT applications in production, agriculture, housing, transport and energycould help cut 20 percent of CO2 emissions in 2030, he added.

Concludingthe event, Ambassador Dung stressed the importance of internationalcooperation, especially collaboration between developed and developing nations,in narrowing digital gaps, enhancing sustainable development and reducinginequality.-VNA