ICTworks

Please RSVP Now for the Global Digital Development Forum on April 26-27, 2023.

Already over 1,170 of your peers have registered for this virtual ICT4D conference co-organized by USAID, TechChange, Deloitte, and Chemonics, with DAI, Google, RTI International, and Save the Children around major themes important to emerging technology and international development.

The Global Digital Development Forum will feature captivating content on TechChange’s signature online platform, along with in-person watch parties in Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, and Brazil (with more coming) and an exclusive in-person Washington, DC event.

We are focusing on three key areas of digital development – exploring transformative questions,  industry-defining discussion, new voices, creative ideas for each area:

• Emerging Technologies: Do the risks of generative AI outweigh its benefits? Where are we with quantum computing? Are blockchains still relevant to developing countries? Will sensors and Internet-of-Things improve geospatial data accuracy? Can 5G bridge last mile digital divides? How can emerging tech be useful in the most challenging settings? Who is iterating on the leading edge?
• Locally-led Development: Where are the innovative locally-created digital solutions? What role do global tech companies play? How can digital development harness local digital ecosystems? What does locally-led ICT4D mean for international development? Who is successful with local digital solutions? How can digital development foster greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility?
• Climate Change: What are innovative climate tech solutions? How do we respond to this mega-threat today? Where are digital development practitioners contributing to climate adaptation? How can we measure impact? Who is helping people mitigate change? What is working? What are they learning & doing?

Confirmed GDDF 2023 Sessions

GDDF 2023 agenda builds on three years of successful global virtual forums that engage over 3,000 participants each time and feature keynote speakers from USAID, tech companies, and across the digital development ecosystem. Here’s a few sessions from GDDF 2023 to get you excited:

• Unlocking the Potential of the Metaverse in Africa – Lightning Talk – Speaker: Sade Dada, Public Policy Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta Platforms, Inc.
• Building Digital Rails for Climate-Smart Innovations – Lightning Talk – Speaker: Krishnan Narasimhan, Programme Manager, Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme,  UNCDF
• Safeguarding Refugees from Trafficking and Exploitation with Digital Tech – Lightning Talk – Speaker: Alisa Vysovka, Lead co-creator champion for trafficking and exploitation to protect displaced persons, Techfugees
• Defending Democracy Champions in Authoritarian and Conflict Environments – Lightning Talk – Speaker: Samantha Tortladze, Democracy Officer, USAID Burma
• What Does Quantum Have to Do with International Development? – Lightning Talk – Speaker: Andrew Merluzzi, Emerging Technology Advisor, USAID
• Don’t Get Lost: How to Create and Use Your Digital Development Roadmap – Lightning Talk – Speaker: Eric Anthony Couper, Director of Digital Development, International Youth Foundation (IYF)
• Voices of the Youth as Partners of Digital Development – Breakout Session – Speakers: Ananya Singh, Youth Advisor, USAID Digital Youth Council; Cavin Dennis Tito Siregar, Member, USAID Digital Youth Council; Mwansa Kanyanta, Member, USAID Digital Youth Council; Anastasia Aharkova, Member, USAID Digital Youth Council
• IoT for Development: Emerging Ecosystems and Use Cases Across LMICs – Breakout Session – Speakers: Zach White, Senior Insights Manager, GSMA; Brian Njoroge, Insights and Advocacy Analyst, GSMA
• Advances in AI: Boon or Bane for Cybersecurity and Info Resilience? – Breakout Session – Speakers: Stan Byers, Cybersecurity Team Lead, USAID; Aubra Anthony, Senior Fellow, Technology and International Affairs Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Alice Blackhurst, Head Researcher, Gender Disinformation Program, Zinc Network; Sven Cattell, President, AI Village
• Empowering Frontline Staff: A Workshop on Developing Digital Skills – Workshop – Speakers: Stuardo Herrera, Senior Technical Advisor, Digital Technology and Innovation, Palladium; Scott Isbrandt, Senior Technical Advisor, Digital Solutions and Transformation Team, Palladium; Lilian Mageto, Data for Impact Activity Lead for Rwanda and Armenia, Palladium

And these are just the start! See the preliminary GDDF agenda and our growing draft list of presenters for more details on the sessions you don’t want to miss by forgetting to RSVP now.