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developing countries depend on the inflow of remiances to the extent of 5%-10% of GDP 2 . With worldwide recession and loss of jobs, these remiances will reduce dramat- ically. e United Nations has called for a large scale coordinated, comprehensive and multilateral response amounting to at least 10% of the national GDP, which is around 10% of the global economy, to prevent a prolonged economic crisis. While most developed countries can manage economic crises from their own resources, the developing nations urgently need massive support. We should also remember that the global health system is as strong as the weakest national health system. at is why, global solidarity is not only a moral imperative, it is in everyone's interest — as this virus is aracted to all humanity regardless of geography or nationality. ere is a proverb that says, "In the midst of every crisis lies a great opportunity." So, there is an opportunity to recover and build a beer world, which is safer, healthier, more equal and sustainable. 2 UNDP (2020). Global preparedness and vulnerabil- ity dashboards. Human Development Report Office. hp://hdr.undp.org/en/content/global-prepared- ness-and-vulnerability-dashboards) Do you see location and geospatial data playing an important role in converting this crisis into an opportunity, and how can we leverage it at global, regional, national and sub-national levels to rebuild our economies and societies? Data will play a crucial role in this process. Going forward, every decision should be based on accurate and reliable information. We are already seeing individuals and house- holds around the world using information and communication technologies to mini- mize disruption and circumvent the obstacles they face in going about their daily lives. e UNDP has pointed out the vast inequality in terms of access to information and commu- nication technologies which concerns some important ICT indicators. Around 80% of the population in developed countries has access to the Internet, but when it comes to the least developed nations, less than 20% of people have proper access. is digital divide, which is not just about having the Internet but about having data to make decisions, has to be bridged. I think that educational institutions will have to focus on digital literacy during and aer this crisis. Currently, billions of young people depend heavily on the Internet, and the number of such people is only going to grow. So, it's important to recognize the essential role of data and the need for it to be made available at all levels of governance across geographies. Collaborations between the private sector and governments and investment in innovation and data develop- ment will be critical. e UN and its agencies will support all stakeholders in this process. e expansion of data will bring beer insights and decision-making and lead to bet- ter access to healthcare, finance and banking, and digital solutions. Can you share the example of a country which is working towards building a data and technology- based system? e UNDP has a well-designed plan on this. Today, many countries are using data, including traditional statistics and new data sources — Big Data, in a variety of sectors. UNDP designed the plan to track progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, in the wake of this unprec- edented crisis, Big Data is being heavily used to anticipate trends and support govern- ments in advance to deal with the future impact of COVID-19. We have built two dashboards 3 using traditional internationally standardized indi- cators to assess the preparedness of countries to handle a crisis of this magnitude. ese dashboards feature a set of indicators and are easy to understand with color-coded ink. One can immediately recognize which countries and regions in the world are less prepared and are more vulnerable in the current situation. In general, reliable data is key to social and economic recovery, and the UN and UNDP are working with many countries to improve their use of data and digital technology. How severely will this crisis impact the Sustainable Development Goals, and what should be our priority moving forward? It is well known that countries agreed upon SDGs, or the 2030 Agenda, and also on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Many countries are on a good track to achieving these goals; they are progressing well on some fronts. However, we can already recog- nize that the pandemic will slow down and in some cases, reverse the progress if the aid is diverted exclusively to COVID-19 response. ere are countries that are in a fragile situation and are not doing well on SDGs, especially in these testing times. So, yes, the SDGs will surely be affected, but differently in different countries — depending on their current state. e UN and UNDP are doing everything to support such nations in their path of sustainability. 3 UNDP (2020). Global preparedness and vulner- ability dashboards. Human Development Report Office. hp://hdr.undp.org/en/content/global-pre- paredness-and-vulnerability-dashboards) INTERVIEW www.geospatialworld.net | May-June 2020 32 Around 80% of the popula on in developed countries has access to the Internet, but when it comes to the least developed na ons, less than 20% of people have proper access. This digital divide, which is not just about having the Internet but about having data to make decisions, has to be bridged

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