UNGA President cites India's efforts to lift millions out of poverty through digitalisation

At a lecture at the FAO in Rome, Dennis Francis, President of the 78th UN General Assembly, praised India's digitalisation efforts for lifting 800 million people out of poverty. Highlighting India's success, Francis noted that smartphones have empowered rural farmers with banking and transaction capabilities. He emphasized the need to address digital inequalities in the Global South and revise outdated international financial systems. Francis also discussed the Global Digital Compact, proposed in the UN's "Our Common Agenda" report, set for discussion at the Summit of the Future in September 2024.