On 27 November 2023, Mrs. Ureerat Chareontoh, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), delivered her opening remarks for the 5th Asia-Pacific Directors General (APDG) Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation at the United Nations Conference Center, Bangkok, together with Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). TICA and the ESCAP co-hosted the meeting under the title of “Digital Innovation and South-South Cooperation: Driving Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific” during 27 - 28 November 2023. More than 100 representatives at the Director-General level and officials from development cooperation agencies of ESCAP member countries attended. The meeting aimed to foster discussions on how to address digital divide and the potentials of digital technology and innovation in promoting SDGs and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of development cooperation. The results from the forum will be used as an input for the upcoming 80th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific to be held next year.

In her opening remarks, the Director-General of TICA stressed the importance of digital innovation and technology as a catalyst for promoting the SDGs. The Thai government envisions the country to transform to “Digital Thailand". As for TICA, digital technology has been incorporated into the Agency’s development work programmes. To successfully reap the benefits of digital technology and innovation, it is important to consider the three factors. The first factor is ‘the willingness to adopt’. There might be some difficulty and hesitation to apply new technology to the traditional way of life. However, technology can improve people’s lives, businesses and production. For example, smart farming techniques had proven to be able to boost productivity with precision. The second factor is ‘the ability to adapt’. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Digital innovation and technology has to be adjusted to meet local needs, contexts and priorities. The last factor is ‘the opportunity to access’. We have to ensure that technology is affordable and accessible by all and we need to build capacity on digital literacy in order to bridge the digital divide. TICA has embarked on various projects, including the knowledge sharing initiative incorporating digital technology for the Mekong sub-region. Moreover, some of the Annual International Training Courses (AITC) offered for 2024 will focus on innovation as a tool to promote sustainable development.

During the forum, the Director-General, together with the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, also launched the South-South Cooperation Connector platform, which development cooperation agencies and other countries can use to search for best practices by the donor countries. TICA’s 2024 Annual International Training Courses (AITC) has also been appended to the platform.