Shaping our digital future

The COVID-19 pandemic detonated a ''digital big bang'' that spurred people, governments, and businesses to become ''digital by default''; a sea change that generated vast digital dividends. These benefits that have not been distributed equally, however. New development gaps have emerged as digital transformation reinforces a vicious cycle of socioeconomic inequalities, within and across countries. The Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2022: Shaping our digital future report highlights that bridging digital divide and ensuring that advances in technology can benefit everyone will be a key challenge as the Asia-Pacific region seeks to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable post-pandemic recovery. The report highlighted that digital connectivity infrastructure is a critical ''meta-infrastructure'' for sustainable development. Three recommended pathways for action, which are not mutually exclusive and are aligned with the ESCAP Action Plan of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative for 2022-2026