Video Message
Beijing, China
Excellencies,
Distinguished participants,
It is an honour to join the 6th International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals.
On behalf of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, I thank the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) for bringing together the global scientific and policy communities around this important agenda.
This year is particularly significant as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of CBAS.
Five years ago, at the Centre¡¯s inauguration, United Nations Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres encouraged CBAS to help unlock the potential of big data and science in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. Since then, CBAS has advanced new information platforms, SDG monitoring as well as assessment, and expanded international cooperation.
Over the past five years, CBAS has built an increasingly integrated chain, linking observation, data, indicators, assessment, knowledge, and action. These achievements make today¡¯s theme, Innovations in Digital Intelligence for Global Sustainable Development, especially timely.
With only four years remaining until 2030, we must move faster and smarter. Data is not an end in itself. Our central challenge is converting data, science, and technological innovation into knowledge that accelerates action.
To achieve this, allow me to highlight the following priorities.
First, we must turn digital intelligence into concrete action.
Big data, Earth observation, geospatial information, and artificial intelligence are shifting our focus from merely observing what is happening to understanding why it happens, what may happen next, and how to improve outcomes.
By merging data with scientific knowledge and modelling, we can better anticipate risks, navigate trade-offs, and equip policymakers with actionable roadmaps.
Second, digital transformation must be inclusive.
AI and big data must bridge existing divides, not widen them. We must strengthen capacities in developing countries and improve access to high-quality data and policy tools. Reliable AI depends on well-governed and accessible data. It is commendable that the United Nations Statistical Commission supported the establishment of the Kigali City Group on AI-readiness of official data and statistics.
Crucially, these new tools must complement, and not replace, official statistics, especially for countries with data and capacity constraints.
Third, we must deepen partnerships.
The collaboration between DESA and CBAS, formalized through our cooperation agreement in November 2024, is an excellent example of turning shared commitment into practical results. Our joint capacity-building work demonstrates how geospatial information and analytical tools can strengthen decision-making, including for Small Island Developing States.
Progress demands sustained synergy and partnerships among scientists, policymakers, national statistical systems, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system, and the tech community.
As we look beyond 2030, we must continue to pioneer new ways to measure and advance sustainable development without losing sight of our immediate mandate: accelerating implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Science shows us where we stand. Data reveals the gaps. Artificial intelligence models the roadmaps. Yet, technology alone cannot change the world. It is only through cooperation, capacity, and collective action that we can turn knowledge into lasting progress. As we undertake this vital work, CBAS continues to play a critical role.
I wish you a highly successful Forum.
Thank you.