ICT (Information & Communication Technology) plays a pivotal role to deliver sustainable development objectives of governments across the globe. Role of ICT has been acknowledged towards bringing about the required level of efficacy within the delivery systems to achieve developmental objectives so far.

Obviously potential is immense in ICT to serve for larger domain of sustainable development. The ability of IT tools, information networks (Internet & Intranet based Content) and communication infrastructure (Mobile communication, Broadband etc.) enables global collaboration possibilities to accelerate human ability to bridge the digital divide and develop knowledge societies.

ICTs facilitate access to key development services like m-Health leading to a healthy society, Literacy and learning augmentation services are more likely to change skill and economic abilities, gender equality, increasing women’s access to health, nutrition, education and other development opportunities. ICTs also provide real means to innovative services to deal with access to financial systems and financial inclusion enabling millions to have access to financial opportunities.

Other ways energy efficiency can be accelerated by using ICT as an enabler by making energy generation, distribution and consumption more environmentally sustainable. Infrastructure can be increasingly managed through technology, building resilient and sustainable power networks, intelligent transportation systems and smart water systems.

In turn data management and sharing also become important keys to monitoring the progress of various sustainable development objectives. Climate change can be better monitored through ICT services such as meteorological services and radars, providing precise forecasting and timely information to ensure beneficiaries such as farmers etc. they can plan for better yields and at the same time help in governments initiative of economic resilience by implementing mitigation systems. The growing perception within the governments towards use of open data would increase transparency, empowers citizens and helps to drive economic growth in a collaborative manner.

Today, we are at the inflection point of an opportunity to accelerate sustainable development initiative which would lead to improving the lives of billions of people around the world. ICT has an important and distinct role to play in realizing this future. ICT delivers important, cross-cutting collaborative opportunities across different sectors such as mobile banking, e-education, e-government and m-Health; making them transparently and universally available to users and creating new opportunities which will ultimately help in achieving the sustainable development towards transforming the world around us with enhanced quality of life.