[digital.global] im Dialog

In collaboration with the partners of the [digital.global] networks D4D Hub and Expertise France GIZ supported MCTEN in the implementation of the first awareness workshop on “Artificial Intelligence for actors in the digital ecosystem in Senegal”. The goal of this initiative is to agree on an AI roadmap to boost the Senegalese economy.

The AGYLE Digital Event, which was implemented on behalf of BMZ by AWE and Germany Land of Ideas brought together experts and young leaders from Africa and Germany on July 11, 2023. Under this year’s motto “Digital transformation – how young leaders are shaping a green and inclusive future”, Martin Wimmer, CDO, provided insights into the BMZ’s perspective.

On July 03, 2023, Fairwork launched the first global report on gender and platform work. The research of the report “Gender and Platform Work” covers a period of four years in 38 countries. More than 180 platforms were considered and interviews were conducted with more than 5,000 platform workers. The report concludes that common practices in the platform economy, such as non-payment of a living wage, unsafe working conditions, and inadequate responses to gender discrimination, are associated with the risks of widening the gender wage gap, lowering labor force participation, and perpetuating gender inequalities.

Keynote 1:

• Noémi Bürkl, Head of the Unit Digitalisation, BMZ

Keynote 2:

• Dr Uma Rani, Senior Economist, ILO

Panel:

• Dr Kavita Dattani, Oxford Internet Institute
• Tanja Jakobi, Fairwork Serbia
• Dr Anjali Krishan, Oxford Internet Institute
• Dr Cheryll Soriano, Fairwork Philippines
• Prof Janaki Srinivasan, Fairwork India

MORE INFORMATION

The closing event of the DPG-Charter celebrated the collaboration of over 100 professionals from 67 organizations and more than 30 countries. Charter signatories included partners of the [digital.global] network such as USAID, UNDP, DIAL and DPGA.

Over 40 million people use digital work platforms as their main or secondary source of income. The platform economy offers promising advantages such as flexibility, low barriers to entry, and access to key digital infrastructure, making it an attractive labor market for skilled professionals. Many of these individuals rely on formal or informal training to acquire basic skills and competencies that they can then use as valuable assets in the digital economy.

The rapid pace of technological advancement and growing competition require constant updating and upgrading of skills for both learners and gigworkers. For platform-based gigworkers, microcredentials offer a convenient way to further their education and showcase their expertise on digital platforms and to potential clients. Microcredentials, much like the gig economy, represent a notable shift in the labor and education market by providing shorter, digital, and easily accessible opportunities.

GIZ commissioned a research sprint on behalf of BMZ to explore the value of microcredentials in the context of the digital work economy, as well as their benefits for skilled gigworkers and the value they create for current and future learners in vocational education.

In this webinar, key findings from the research sprint were shared and the web-based tool for TVET learners/gig workers on microcredentials was introduced. In addition, experts in Kenya, India, and Asia-Pacific shared their experiences with Microcredentials and for the Gig Economy. More info on the Gig Economy can be found here.

At this cooperation event of AWE with IHK Karlsruhe and LAV on the topic “Latin America – new markets – new needs: AI and Digital Innovation as a Common Approach in Cooperation”, Corinna Peters, Consultant for Digitalization at AWE, presented the offers of the [digital.global] network.

On the initiative of the BDI and with the support of LiveEO, the NewSpace Breakfast discussed the rapid developments in the African space market. Dirk Meyer, Head of Division, Global Health, Economy, Trade and Rural Development, BMZ, gave a keynote speech on the growing importance of satellite technologies in development cooperation.

On June 20th 2023 from 11:00am – 12:30pm CEST, the Members of Parliament Armand Zorn (Social Democrats) and Tobias Bacherle (Greens) together with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) are hosting an online webinar on “The necessity of value-driven regulations for a fair digital transformation”.

This webinar was the last session of the webinar series on digitalization in development cooperation and participants were invited to share their expertise and perspective in the discussion with the Members of Parliament, the Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMZ, Dr. Bärbel Kofler, as well as anticipated international expert panelists such as Alison Gillwald (CEO, Research ICT Africa), a representative from Smart Africa and local governmental partners.

Together, the opportunities of regulations for a fair digital transformation and the need for harmonized, value-based international regulations were discussed. It also explored the extent to which the EU’s regulatory approaches are relevant and adaptable for countries in the Global South, while conversely we seek to learn from the regulatory approaches of our partner countries in the Global South.

At this BDI event Martin Wimmer, CDO BMZ, participated in the panel “The digital and technology sector: Opportunity for young people in developing and emerging countries? “and exchanged views with Bernhard Longin, Chairman of the Board of Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft e.V. and CEO of dot-gruppe, Torsten Töllner, Managing Director CyCo Cyber Competence Center, Svenja L. Schauten, Deputy Managing Director, DSAA e. V. Dominic Orr, Component Manager, GIZ and and Jost Neumann, Program Director of TUI Care Foundation.

The BMZ exchanged views with the board “Digital Transformation” on 16.06.2023. Participating institutions and organizations at the meeting included: Engagement Global, German Evaluation Institute for Development Cooperation (DEval), German Institute of Development and Sustainability gGmbH (IDOS), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), KfW, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). BMZ’ participants were: Martin Wimmer, CDO; Dirk Meyer, Head of Division Global Health, Economy, Trade and Rural Development; Dr. Iliya Nickelt, Head of BMZ Data Laboratory; Andreas Kottwitz, Sub-Department Head Central Services and IT; and Dr. Ariane Hildebrandt, Head of Division Principles, Data and Effectiveness.

The GreenTech Festival, with its keynotes, panels and bootcamps, is designed for anyone seeking sustainable change. Ideas driven by the need for sustainable business solutions are shared with bold pioneers and outstanding global leaders.

The panel “For Meta or worse: Sustainability in AI, VR and the token economy” took place on June 15.

Panelists:

• Majorie Hernandez, CEO and Founder, LUKSO & The Dematerialised
• Max Orgeldinger, Managing Lead, TLGG
• Martin Wimmer, CDO, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• Bernhard Kronfellner, Partner and Associate Director, BCG
• Host: Christian Wölbert, Editor, c’t Magazin for Computer technology, Heise Medien

To event

The global digital transformation of the public sector presents a challenge for international development cooperation to promote inclusive digitization with partners from the Global South. This discussion aimed to explore how mission-oriented policymaking and digital services can enable this transformation by examining two approaches that drive innovation and digitization: Mission Oriented Innovation Policies (MOIPs) and the digital building blocks methodology known as the GovStack approach. The discussion explored the synergies, potentials, and lessons learned of both approaches and how they can be leveraged for successful digitization.

This event of the [digital.global] network of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development took place on the Bowl stage as a fishbowl session, in which the audience could participate in the discussion depending on the topic.

Speakers were Noémie Bürkl (BMZ), Benjamin Kumpf (OECD), Yolanda Martinez (ITU), Maksym Shkilov (Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine) and Stella Deppe (GIZ).

As a cross-sector network that brings together players from politics, business, science and civil society, Initiative D21 aims to promote the potential of digitization and digital participation in Germany. At the last meeting of the working group Martin Wimmer, CDO BMZ, gave a keynote speach.