A/RES/79/334 GA

United Nations A/RES/79/334 General Assembly Distr.: General 8 September 2025 25-14353 (E) *2514353* Seventy-ninth session Agenda item 133 Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 5 September 2025 [without reference to a Main Committee (A/79/L.117)] 79/334. Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets The General Assembly, Considering that technological change includes new and powerful tools that can help to realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals,1 mindful that the impact, opportunities and challenges of rapid technological change on sustainable development are being assessed in order to deepen their understanding, and recalling its resolution 77/320 of 25 July 2023, in which it decided to continue discussing the topic “Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets”, Noting that rapid technological change can contribute to the faster achievement of the 2030 Agenda by improving real incomes, enabling faster and wider deployment of novel solutions to economic, social and environmental obstacles, supporting more inclusive forms of participation in social and economic life, replacing environmentally costly modes of production with more sustainable ones and giving policymakers powerful tools to design and plan development interventions, Welcoming the convening of the Summit of the Future on 22 and 23 September 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, at which resolution 79/1 entitled “The Pact for the Future” and its annexes, including the Global Digital Compact,2 were adopted, Recalling its resolutions 69/313 of 27 July 2015 and 70/1 of 25 September 2015, in which it established and launched a Technology Facilitation Mechanism to support the Sustainable Development Goals, whose updated findings on this topic, as well as _______________ 1 Resolution 70/1. 2 Resolution 79/1, annex I. A/RES/79/334 Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets 25-14353 2/8 those of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, were presented and discussed at its tenth multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, Recalling also its resolutions 78/311 of 1 July 2024 on enhancing international cooperation on capacity-building of artificial intelligence, 78/265 of 21 March 2024 on seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development, 79/194 of 19 December 2024 on information and communications technologies for sustainable development, 78/160 of 19 December 2023 on science, technology and innovation for sustainable development, 78/213 of 19 December 2023 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of digital technologies, 79/175 of 17 December 2024 on the right to privacy in the digital age, 70/125 of 16 December 2015 on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, all the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society3 and the draft resolutions recommended by the Commission on Science and Technology for Development and adopted by the Economic and Social Council on 29 July 2025,4 Recalling further the commitment on harnessing science, technology and innovation with a greater focus on digital transformation for sustainable development, to promote research, capacity-building initiatives, innovation and technologies, towards the achievement of the Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda, and in this regard recognizing that rapid technological change can contribute, inter alia, to advancements in health, energy, agriculture, poverty eradication, food security and nutrition, water, disaster risk reduction, governance, education, economy, finance, employment, social welfare and inclusion, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as well as of youth, and sustainable consumption and production patterns, Noting the establishment of the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, to facilitate system-wide coordination, working closely with existing mechanisms, Noting with appreciation the convening of the annual multi-stakeholder forums on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the ongoing work of the United Nations inter-agency task team on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, including the Global Pilot Programme on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals Road Maps (STI for SDGs road maps) to support strategic tools for ensuring policy coherence, linking public and private actions, and optimizing investments, and looking forward to the expanded operationalization of the 2030 Connect online platform as a gateway for information on existing science, technology and innovation initiatives, mechanisms and programmes, and the three components of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism, Noting with grave concern that 2.6 billion people, in particular people in developing countries and those in vulnerable situations, do not have access to the Internet, and that many users are not meaningfully connected, considering numerous barriers such as the cost of mobile data and devices and of installation of broadband connections, difficulties in financing the fibre-optic or other suitable technologies required, unsuitable business models of mainstream operators, lower purchasing power in the least developed countries, and lack of support for community networks and other sustainable solutions, as limiting factors for last-mile connectivity, as well _______________ 3 See A/C.2/59/3 and A/60/687. 4 Economic and Social Council resolutions 2025/18 and 2025/19. Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets A/RES/79/334 3/8 25-14353 as the lack of digital skills and digital literacy which exacerbate digital divides and can limit the adoption of digital tools, Stressing the need to close all digital divides, both between and within countries and including rural-urban, youth-older persons, income, education and gender digital divides, and to promote digital inclusion, by taking into account national and regional contexts and addressing the challenges associated with access, affordability, digital literacy and digital skills and awareness and by ensuring that the benefits of new technologies are available to all, taking into account the needs of those in vulnerable situations, and noting the efforts to help to bridge digital divides and expand access, including the Connect 2030 Agenda for Global Telecommunication/Information and Communication Technology, including Broadband, for Sustainable Development, Stressing also the need to enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including low-emission and renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology, Recalling that a rural-urban digital divide is present across all regions, with approximately 64 per cent of the world’s population without access to the Internet living in rural areas, Recognizing that rapid technological change has enormous potential to support the advancement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, by reducing the gender digital divide, providing them with opportunities to obtain and share information, gain access to health and education services and to engage in networking and have their voices heard and providing women with opportunities to gain access to employment and to generate income, while also recognizing that it might create challenges for progress and that technology by itself is insufficient to address underlying inequities, and welcoming the initiatives that focus on access, skills and leadership to promote the full, equal and meaningful participation, and leadership of women and girls in the digital age, and recognizing also that digital technologies can play an important role for women and girls to exercise all human rights, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and in women’s full, equal and effective participation in political, economic, cultural and social life, Expressing concern that globally, women in the technology sector occupy less than one third of positions, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, where women constitute 12 per cent of researchers and less than 22 per cent of artificial intelligence professionals, and hold only 16 per cent of faculty positions, Recognizing the contributions of the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries in facilitating access to and implementation of digital technologies, as well as in assisting the digital transformation of least developed countries in their sustainable development, and the important role to be played by the Bank in narrowing the digital gap between least developed countries and developed countries, Expressing deep concern about the slow progress towards ending hunger and achieving food security and improved nutrition, while recognizing that technological development can be a powerful engine to transform agrifood systems and help to reach these objectives, Reaffirming that the creation, development and diffusion of innovations and new technologies and associated know-how, including the transfer of technology on mutually agreed terms, are powerful drivers of economic growth and sustainable development, A/RES/79/334 Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets 25-14353 4/8 Reaffirming also that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, and emphasizing that adaptation to rapid technological change should be considered not only as a function of sustainable development and the spreading of information and communications technologies, but also with respect to the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms, Recognizing the need for a balanced, inclusive and risk-based approach to the governance of artificial intelligence, with the full and equal representation of all countries, especially developing countries, and the meaningful participation of all stakeholders, Acknowledging that international governance of artificial intelligence requires an agile, multidisciplinary and adaptable multi-stakeholder approach, and recognizing that the United Nations has an important role to play in shaping, enabling and supporting such governance, Stressing the urgency of strengthening capacity-building and technical and financial assistance to developing countries to close digital divides between and within countries and support developing countries’ effective, equitable and meaningful participation and representation in international processes and forums on the governance of artificial intelligence systems, Recognizing that the governance of artificial intelligence systems is a dynamic and evolving field that demands ongoing dialogue to keep pace with technological advancements, and underlines the necessity to address disparities between and within countries, and to ensure that governance frameworks are inclusive, responsive and comply with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and international human rights law, Acknowledging that an effective Internet Governance Forum and multi- stakeholder approaches are needed to drive the digital transition for the benefit of all, and to facilitate global digital cooperation, Recognizing that the Internet is a critical global facility for inclusive and equitable digital transformation and that it must be open, global, interoperable, stable and secure, while also recognizing that Internet governance must continue to be global and multi-stakeholder in nature, with the full involvement of Governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, technical and academic communities and all other relevant stakeholders in accordance with their respective roles and responsibilities, Recognizing also that the World Summit on the Information Society Forum has been a platform for discussion and sharing of best practices in the implementation of the World Summit outcomes by all stakeholders, and it should continue to be held annually, Taking note of the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council that, as an outcome of the World Summit 20-year review, the United Nations Group on the Information Society be tasked with developing a joint implementation road map, to be presented to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development at its twenty-ninth session, to integrate the Global Digital Compact commitments into the World Summit architecture, ensuring a unified approach to digital cooperation that avoids duplication and maximizes resource efficiency, Recalling the ongoing efforts to implement the commitments of the Global Digital Compact, within countries and at the regional and global levels, taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development, and respecting national policies and priorities and applicable legal frameworks, Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets A/RES/79/334 5/8 25-14353 Encouraging the entities of the United Nations development system, within their respective mandates, to support programme countries, upon request and in line with national priorities, needs and plans, to harness digital technologies to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to close all digital divides by, inter alia, promoting universal, affordable and meaningful connectivity, scaling up digital capacity development, supporting resilient, safe, inclusive and interoperable digital public infrastructure, promoting digital public goods and information integrity and harnessing artificial intelligence, for sustainable development, while considering relevant commitments in the Global Digital Compact and recognizing the need to scale up international cooperation and financing for digital capacity development and promoting digital readiness, particularly in developing countries, Reaffirming the value and principles of multi-stakeholder cooperation and engagement that have characterized the World Summit on the Information Society process since its inception, and recognizing that the effective participation, partnership and cooperation of all stakeholders, within their respective roles and responsibilities, especially with balanced representation from developing countries, have been and continue to be vital in developing the information society, Recognizing the need for Governments, the private sector, international organizations, civil society, the technical and academic communities, along with other stakeholders, to be aware of the impacts of the latest developments in rapid technological change on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which continue to require international and multi-stakeholder cooperation, including in diverse formats, such as the World Summit on the Information Society and the Internet Governance Forum, in order to benefit from opportunities brought up by the global and open Internet and address multidimensional challenges, taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development, and respecting national policies and priorities, 1. Encourages Member States to continue to consider the impact of key rapid technological changes on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets5 in order to benefit from opportunities and address challenges, promote the development of national strategies and public policies on science, technology and innovation for sustainable development, including STI for SDGs road maps, capacity- building and scientific engagement, and share best practices; 2. Urges Member States and other stakeholders to take actions to bridge the digital and knowledge divides, recognizing that approaches must be multidimensional and include an evolving understanding of what constitutes access, emphasizing the quality of that access, and acknowledges that speed, stability, affordability, language, local content and accessibility for persons with disabilities are now core elements and that high-speed broadband is already an essential enabler of sustainable development; 3. Stresses the need to provide universal, meaningful and affordable access to the Internet by 2030, including meaningful use of digitally enabled services, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, and welcomes efforts by the United Nations to assist Member States, upon their request, in achieving this; 4. Reaffirms that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, including the right to privacy, with special regard given to the protection of children; 5. Calls upon Member States to consider adopting or maintaining data protection legislation, regulation and policies, including on digital communication data, that comply with their international human rights obligations, which could _______________ 5 See resolution 70/1. A/RES/79/334 Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets 25-14353 6/8 include the establishment of national independent authorities with powers and resources to monitor data privacy practices, investigate violations and abuses and receive communications from individuals and organizations, and to provide appropriate remedies; 6. Urges Member States and other stakeholders to close digital divides and promote digital inclusion, by taking into account national and regional contexts and addressing the challenges associated with access, affordability, digital literacy and digital skills, including media and information literacy, and by ensuring that the benefits of new technologies are available to all, taking into account the needs of those in vulnerable situations as well as addressing intersectionality, negative social norms, language barriers, structural barriers and risks, and encourages cooperation between the United Nations development system and programme countries, in line with their national policies and priorities, in order to promote and improve digital inclusion; 7. Encourages Member States and all stakeholders to close the gender digital divide, including by eliminating barriers to women’s full, equal and effective participation both offline and in digital contexts, increasing women’s and girls’ access to digital technologies, promoting equal, safe and affordable access to information and communications technologies and to the Internet, enhancing women’s and girls’ digital literacy and entrepreneurship, improving digital cooperation and harnessing the potential of rapid technological change to improve the lives of women and girls, and promoting connectivity and socioeconomic prosperity, and to address the development divide and digital divides, including the gender digital divide, addressing any potential negative impacts of digital technologies on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; 8. Recognizes that digital technologies unlock new capabilities and opportunities for advancing environmental sustainability, and encourages Member States and other stakeholders to leverage digital technologies for sustainability while minimizing their negative environmental impacts; 9. Urges Member States and other stakeholders to strengthen the role that rapid technological change can play in mitigating the negative impacts of future pandemics on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to strengthen digital cooperation in the areas of e-commerce, financial technology, digital capacity-building, affordable, reliable and meaningful Internet connectivity and digital infrastructure to achieve an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery and build back better after the pandemics and to take concerted action to further strengthen scientific research, adoption of emerging technologies and new data sources and to build resilient, inclusive and integrated data and statistical systems, under the leadership of national statistical offices, that can respond to the increased and urgent data demands in times of disaster and ensure a path towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals; 10. Encourages the promotion of digital solutions through access to and use of digital public goods, which may include open-source software, open data, open artificial intelligence models, open standards and open content that adhere to international and domestic laws, in unlocking the full potential of rapid technological change to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; 11. Recognizes the need for more coordinated and scaled-up global digital capacity-building efforts and stronger capacity-building support at the country level, including in areas such as an appropriate enabling environment, sufficient resources, infrastructure, education, investment, connectivity, growing digital economies, and sustainable and inclusive digital development, and thus encourages the Secretary- General to continue working with all United Nations entities and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen efforts in this regard; Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets A/RES/79/334 7/8 25-14353 12. Resolves to bridge the artificial intelligence and other digital divides between and within countries, and to enhance international cooperation on capacity- building in developing countries, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, with full consideration of the needs, policies and priorities of developing countries, with the aim of harnessing the benefits of artificial intelligence, minimizing its risks, and accelerating innovation and progress towards the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals; 13. Stresses the importance of technological development to transform agrifood systems and help to end hunger and malnutrition, and calls for enhanced international cooperation to bridge the gaps that are preventing rapid technological change to this end globally, such as data deficiencies, knowledge gaps and limited investment in long-term research and development; 14. Encourages Member States to strengthen preparedness for future shocks and channel rapid technological change towards sustainable development, including through national science, technology and innovation strategies, in order to avoid a fragmented approach and the risk of exacerbating digital divides that, among other negative effects, reinforce the concentration of power among a limited number of companies and countries; 15. Also encourages Member States to design national digital and artificial intelligence strategies that recognize the specificities of each region within their national territory and support their sustainable development, in line with their national development objectives; 16. Further encourages Member States to continue and further strengthen engagement with all relevant stakeholders, such as the private sector, in particular technology companies and financial institutions, civil society, the technical and research communities, including scientists and academia, recognizing that open and inclusive multi-stakeholder cooperation is critical to best harness the potential of rapidly accelerating technologies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, while addressing their possible challenges; 17. Recognizes the need for different parts of the United Nations system to better harness digital technologies, in accordance with their respective mandates, and in this regard encourages the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies to support collaboration within and across the United Nations system, avoiding any duplication of efforts and enhancing transparency; 18. Encourages stronger coordination among relevant United Nations system entities, in the context of digital processes, to strengthen coherence and maximize their collective impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; 19. Requests the Technology Facilitation Mechanism and the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, through the Economic and Social Council, to continue to consider, in a coordinated manner within their respective mandates and existing resources, the impact of rapid technological changes and frontier technologies on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, and to align this endeavour with the follow-up cycle of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in order to support the efforts of all countries towards the attainment of the Goals, including through forging partnerships with other relevant actors, organizations, initiatives and forums, and the dissemination of advances and best practices to facilitate cooperation towards this end; A/RES/79/334 Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets 25-14353 8/8 20. Reiterates the mandate of the multi-stakeholder forum on science, technology and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, 6 and encourages Member States and all stakeholders to consider its outcomes in relevant forums; 21. Invites the Commission on Science and Technology for Development and the Technology Facilitation Mechanism to strengthen synergies and mutually reinforce their work on science, technology and innovation, and requests the Secretariat to coordinate the dates of their meetings in order to avoid overlap and to ensure coherence and coordination between both entities; 22. Reiterates its call for voluntary contributions for resources from both the private and the public sectors to support the full operationalization of all components of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism, in particular strengthening national capacities in promoting the access of marginalized communities to science, technology and innovation, including through STI for SDGs road maps and the online platform, and invites Member States to provide voluntary financial and technical assistance to the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries to enable it to reach its full potential; 23. Calls for better coordination and coherence among existing mechanisms, including the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, the Technology Facilitation Mechanism, the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, the United Nations Group on the Information Society, the Internet Governance Forum and other United Nations agencies, international organizations and relevant forums, within their respective mandates, in providing support to Member States in the field of rapid technological change directed towards development priorities and needs; 24. Brings to the attention of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination the importance for the diverse United Nations entities, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, to take into consideration the issue of rapid technological change, within their respective mandates, bearing in mind the three dimensions and the integrated and indivisible nature of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets; 25. Looks forward to the outputs of the new United Nations multidisciplinary Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and of the United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance; 26. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its eighty-third session the item entitled “Impact of rapid technological change on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets”, in order to discuss the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution, including the assessment of the review of the Global Digital Compact; 27. Requests the Secretary-General to take into consideration in existing reports to the General Assembly an assessment of the impact of rapid technological change, disaggregated by region and level of development to reflect the needs and progress of developing countries, while reporting on the implementation of the present resolution. 95th plenary meeting 5 September 2025 _______________ 6 Ibid., para. 70.

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