Data provide information on how growing cities can be better planned and organised. They warn us of impending droughts or flooding. In future, we want to use data to better inform the population, business and politics, enable the more targeted advancement of sustainable development and make the effects measurable. Germany will contribute its expertise as a world leader in data protection and help its partner countries establish and implement data protection standards. Data protection is a trademark, a competitive advantage and a value that we stand for.
In order to use data for development, there is a need for improved collection, processing and evaluation of data on the ground. To this end, capacities in our partner countries must be supported and access to digital data improved. For example, the analysis of satellite data holds great potential for improving agricultural value chains. Mapping of high conservation value forest areas and forest monitoring via aerial photography creates transparency and improves monitoring capabilities.
We promote the use of open data to give citizens more control over data and to provide companies with access to anonymized public data for their business ideas and models. Locally collected data should benefit both the local population and local companies, enabling local innovation and value creation.
Lack of data security and privacy is the biggest barrier to better use of data in many partner countries. Without laws to protect personal data, people rightly fear that their data could be misused. We are therefore working on improved government data infrastructures that create digital security for people and companies with suitable legal frameworks. In our partner countries, we want to anchor data protection in the legal framework. We support national regulators such as central banks and finance ministries in developing data protection standards in the financial sector and use international forums to disseminate them (e.g., G20).
The German Development Cooperation initiative “FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All” strives for a more open, inclusive and sustainable approach to AI on an international level. To achieve this, we are working together with five partner countries: Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and India.
