Yesterday, a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) delegation met with Prime Minister Imran Khan to strengthen ties between the government of Pakistan and UNDP through digital transformation and interventions. UNDP wants to develop a digital transformation portfolio for efficient governance which is being led by Mr. Tariq Malik, Chief Technical Advisor on Digital Governance from UNDP’s Headquarters in New York and former chairman of NADRA.
Imran Khan was informed about five priority digital interventions that came into view after having discussions with fifteen government ministries, agencies, departments, and over fifty significant stakeholders from the development sector, private sector, and the government, revealed a press release by UNDP Pakistan. The press release further revealed that NADRA’s digital registration which includes the development of digital ID and digital payment systems et cetera, Ehsaas program’s one window portal that aims to integrate and extend social security of poorer communities, developing a national emergency helpline with National Police Bureau and police investigation manual’s digitization, and establishing Pakistan Business Portal (PBP) which will make doing business across the country easier; are five interventions that will be prioritized.
@AlionaNiculita, #UNDPinPakistan's Resident Representative a.i. said that @UNDP is supporting various government ministries & departments in digitizing their organizational processes, including support for digital courts. ➡️ https://t.co/l51HU7U3rA pic.twitter.com/6Yr1kKJq6Y
— UNDP Pakistan (@UNDP_Pakistan) December 17, 2020
“UNDP is supporting various government ministries and departments in digitizing their organizational processes, data and knowledge management, complaints mechanism, and monitoring and evaluation including support for digital courts,” stated Ms. Aliona Niculita. She is a UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative.
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“Digital Pakistan must be about alleviating poverty, strengthening social contract and reforming governance. Leapfrog towards the achievement of Sustainable Development goals (SDGs) would then be a digital dividend of such transformation. The portfolio of five key digital interventions will enable digital society as well as introduce value-based digital government.” stated Mr. Tariq Malik.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed the importance digital interventions would have on the quality of governance. He also lauded UNDP’s efforts and its initiative to make digital transformations across Pakistan. The Prime Minister assured that the country is devoted to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through digitization of technology. This digitization, he reiterated, would not only be beneficial for poorer societies but also help them get the maximum levels of social security.
The meeting ended on a positive note. UNDP aims to collaborate with several other government departments and ministries on digital interventions.
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