The United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund provides USD $825,649 to develop institutional capacities for digital data management and cooperation to advance progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals

Project narrative

In 2016, the Chinese Government pledged to contribute $200 million to the United Nations over a ten year period. The United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund (UNPDF) was established to channel these earmarked funds to specific projects in coordination with the UN. The UNPDF is divided into two sub-funds: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund and The Secretary-General's Peace and Security Sub-Fund. Approved in 2023 by UNPDF, USD $825,649 was allocated from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Sub-Fund to address existing challenges and gaps in digital data management and cooperation, focusing on enhancing the institutional capacities of countries to utilize, manage and govern data in a comprehensive, objective and evidence-based manner, through regional and global cooperation. The project will build on the momentum of recent initiatives, including the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development. To this end, working closely with UN RCOs and UNCTs the project will support: - African countries, LDCs and SIDS, to assess key data management and governance challenges and strengthen government officials’ and stakeholders’ knowledge of sound and secure data management; - National and regional initiatives in fostering an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for digital data cooperation through mutual benefit, win-win outcomes and common development; - Countries in developing national digital data policies and strategies for ensuring data quality, access, security, privacy and usage, and for promoting data security through consultation, collaboration and shared benefits; The advancement of digital data cooperation agreements through case studies and sharing of legislative information and toolkits. Recipients include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Morocco, Rwanda, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Vanuatu. The implementing entity is UNDESA. Collaborating partners include ITU, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNDP, UNITAR, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (RCOs) in target countries, Tsinghua University, and the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals. Project duration is scheduled for March 2022 - February 2025.