2016 ICT4D Conference

The UN projects that 5.0 billion of the 8.3 billion people expected to be alive in 2030 will be living in “megacities” (10-35 million), medium (5-10 million) and smaller cities and peri-urban communities, with the largest changes in store for Asia, Africa and Latin America. Cities are crucibles of political power, commerce, education, and innovation. But in much of the developing world, a billion people inhabit slums today, with 2.0 billion likely by 2030, and lack basic infrastructure for adequate shelter, food, clean water, waste management, transport, and electricity. In the context of SDG 9 (resilient infrastructure) and SDG 11(cities and human settlements), this panel will focus on a new generation of sensors and portable devices, data analytics and an emerging “Internet of Things” to manage these challenges more intelligently and efficiently. Mindful of HABITAT III in October, panelists will address “smart” cities, infrastructure and Internet connectivity to facilitate a continuum between urban, peri-urban and rural communities for improved regional planning, investment and the identification of heuristic scientific and engineering solutions for these common problems.