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Editorial i n t e r n a t i o n a l

D i g i t i z i n g f o r e i g n a i d

Go digital… the Minister of Development, to this
important position. Mr Astrup also
Just after the World Economic Forum, sits on the United Nations High-Level
businesspersons and others went out in Segment for Digital Cooperation
the press and encouraged people to go established by United Nations
digital. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
last year. The Panel is reflecting on both
The reason is quite simple, my colleague the risks and the incredible benefits of
explained: “We are at a crossroads digital transformation. It goes without
between two types of societies – the old saying that new thinking and innovative
traditional one and the emerging new ideas are needed to harness the benefits
digital society.” and manage the risks of this digital age.
Norwegian banks will start to employ
Transition periods are never easy, though, robots to give people advice on how
he continued. There will be winners and and where to save money based upon However banal the question may
losers, and it’s now that we should start their spending history. So, apparently, sound, it is imperative that we ask it and
to determine what kind of society we 2019 will be the year! try to answer it: where are we heading
want to see in the future. In France, the after all? Nobody really knows, but let
Yellow Vests protest movement might be A recent study published in the United us orient ourselves by quoting Martin
an example of what we will see more of States by the Brookings Institution Luther King: “Human progress is
in the future. In the beginning, it was just showed that robots and artificial neither automatic nor inevitable... Every
protest against the rise in the gasoline intelligence will replace as many as one step toward the goal of justice requires
prices. Now, it has gone further and quarter of the US working population sacrifice, suffering, and struggle;
might even turn into a political party. in the years to come. Robots aren’t the tireless exertions and passionate
One of the things that they are asking replacing everyone, but a quarter of concern of dedicated individuals.”
for is a different system of participatory U.S. job situations severely disrupted
democracy. The French president has as artificial intelligence accelerates It is not enough to look ahead to, and
launched a “national dialogue”, and the automation of existing work is brace for, technological developments. In Photo : Frode overland andersen / Ud
although most people do not expect significant. The report further says thinking about how we shall participate
much outcome, it might turn out to be roughly 36 million Americans hold jobs in the making of this new emerging
better than most people expect. with “high exposure” to automation — type of society, we must demand that
meaning at least 70 percent of their tasks justice be an integral component of it.
In Norway, the Norwegian government could soon be performed by machines Technological transition is not enough
just appointed the first minister in using current technology. Those jobs – there is ample evidence of that already
charge of digital issues. Erna Solberg, that remain largely unscathed by in today’s world. We must bend our Left His Royal Highness, Crownprince Haakon, Prime Minister Solberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eriksen Søreide and
the Norwegian Prime Minister, said this evolution will be those requiring efforts to use this momentous transition Minister of Development Astrup on their way to the United Nations in New York. General Assembly 2018.
recently that Norway has to prepare not just advanced education but also to bring about the just world that Martin
for the digital revolution. She therefore interpersonal skills and emotional Luther King fought and died for. Interview with His Excellency
appointed Nicolai Astrup, who was intelligence and maturity. MARIT

Nicolai Astrup
The views expressed are the Mailing address: Editor: Marit Fosse
responsibility of the authors and do DIVA International Diplomat Deputy editor: Sanjay Acharya
not necessarily reflect the views p/a Salle de Presse 1 Minister of International Development of Norway
of DIVA Palais des Nations Graphic Design: Iris Hariz
www.divainternational.ch
® 1211 Geneva 10 Contributing to this issue: It is not every day that one has the chance to meet a person We had a chance to meet him in Geneva, where he participated
Tel: +41 22 917 43 01
like the Norwegian Minister of International Development,
in the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-level Panel
DIVA International is a publication of Sanjay Acharya, Albina Goosens, Nicolai Astrup. He belongs to one of the traditional shipping on Digital Cooperation. Despite his young age, he is one of
Ita Marguet, Pierre-Michel Virot,
Graficim Media Ltd E-mail: Robert J. Parsons, Celhia de Lavarenne, families in Norway; he is young, but retains the pioneering, 20 members appointed by Antonio Guterres, appointed in his
29 Linconl’s Inn Field, Holborn, diva.international@gmail.com Marit Fosse, Ekatarina Pincheuskaya, forward-looking and innovative outlook of his ancestors. personal capacity, representing a cross-section of expertise from
WC2A3EE, England . The Norwegian Prime Minister, Erna Solberg picked the government, industry, civil society, academia and the technical
Christian David, Alfred de Zayas
right man for this important position, because the Minister community. Ms. Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda
ISSN: 1660-1934 is a person who wishes to help as many as possible, with the Gates Foundation, and Mr. Jack Ma, Executive Chairman of
means he has on his development budget. Alibaba Group were appointed by the UN Secretary-General as

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