8th Regional Symposium on Effective Governance and AI Transformation for the 2030 Agenda: Fostering Transformative Actions for Innovating Public Services

The Regional Symposium on Effective Governance is a UN DESA flagship annual event in the Asia and the Pacific region and beyond. It seeks to raise awareness of critical public governance issues, examine current and future trends, and provide innovative approaches and new methodologies to support United Nations Member States in developing their capacities to accelerate the implementation of their commitments toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The focus of this year’s Regional Symposium is on “Effective Governance and AI Transformation for the 2030 Agenda: Fostering Transformative Actions for Innovating Public Services.” The Symposium will be organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG) through its Project Office on Governance (UNPOG) and in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) of the Government of the Republic of Korea and Incheon Metropolitan City. The Symposium will be held from 30 October to 1 November 2024, in Incheon, Republic of Korea.

Building upon the outcomes from the SDG Summit 2023, the 23rd Session of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA), the 4th International Conference on SIDS, the United Nations Public Service Forum 2024, the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2024, and the Summit of the Future, the 8th Regional Symposium will highlight the growing importance of effective governance and the integration of AI technologies to drive innovation, improve efficiency, build resilience and enhance service delivery in the public sector and ultimately contribute to the acceleration of the SDGs.

The UN recognizes the transformative potential of AI in achieving the SDGs and promoting global well-being. AI transformation for the public sector in the context of the 8th Regional Symposium refers to the integration of AI technologies to enhance government operations, improve public service delivery, and foster innovation in public services1. The 8th Regional Symposium will underscore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create forward-thinking solutions that address current and future challenges in public administration and explore how AI, effective governance, and innovation can be harnessed to accelerate SDG implementation and tackle sustainable development challenges.

The thematic areas of the Symposium will align with the objectives of the Global Digital Compact to be adopted at the Summit of the Future in 2024 which is intended to outline shared principles for an open free and secure digital future for all. The Symposium also grounds itself in the “Quintet of Change” – especially innovation, data, digital and foresight.

The Symposium will feature a high-level opening session and a setting-the-scene session titled “Artificial Intelligence and the SDGs – Paving the Way for Accelerating Action”. The Symposium will then be structured around four thematic sessions in line with the Quintet of Change for the UN 2.09, highlighted by the United Nations Secretary-General, the Symposium will examine: