DataX Blue Pacific

The event aimed to advance digital transformation and resilience initiatives across Pacific Island Countries (PICs)
23th to 25th October 2024

A COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENT ON DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Digital Technology for Development Division with the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility and supported by the NZ Pacific Partnership Fund, has organized DataX Blue Pacific on 23-25 October 2024 in Sydney. 29 in-room participants from 10 Pacific countries participated, together with ADB staff from the Pacific Department, representatives from the private sector and representatives from development partners including the Australian DFAT, New Zealand MFAT, US Department of State, and the World Bank.

Discussions on initiatives for digital transformation and resilience from both countries and partners occurred during the 3-day in-person and online workshop. Presentations were made on digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, AI, and digital public services. Collaboration among and synchronization of support from various donors in the region and the role of the private sector were among the recurring topics that resonated with the group as the Pacific Island Forum Leaders look to the implementation of the Pacific ICT and Digital Transformation Action Plan 2024 – 2030.

Check out the full program, speakers list, all presentations, or individual presentations and recordings below.

Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Time	Session Title	Speakers and Topics	Presentations
9:00am–10:00am	Opening Remarks	Shane Rosenthal, Regional Director, PLCO, ADB Antonio Zaballos, Director, CCDT, ADB (online) Dr. Robert Guild, Team Leader, PRIF Coordination Office Tanya Morjanoff, Director, Infrastructure Policy and Engagement Section, DFAT Katherine Halliburton, Lead Advisor - Digital; Pacific and Development Group, MFAT Kim Tuminaro, Deputy Director, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy’s Office of International Information and Communications Policy, US Department of State	DataXBlue Pacific-All presentations80.86 MB DataXBlue Pacific Program505.05 KB DataX Blue Pacific Speakers Profiles1.08 MB
10:00am – 10:30am	Introduction of Participants	ADB CO Staff introduce themselves and their respective Country delegates. PRIF Partners introduce their delegates.
11:00am – 12:30pm	Setting the Scene for Digital Transformation in the Pacific	Dr. Amanda Watson, Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, ANU Steve Matainaho, Secretary, Department of ICT, Papua New Guinea Dr. Stefan Hajkowicz, Principal Scientist in Strategy and Foresight, CSIRO	Overview of the digital economy and AI relevant to the Pacific nations3.67 MB Digital Strategies in the Pacific1.35 MB Setting the scene for digital transformation in the Pacific253.64 KB
13:30pm – 14:30pm	Hard Digital Infrastructure: Submarine Cables	Dr. Amanda Watson, Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, ANU (Moderator) Susanne Bent, Director, Telecommunications Unit, AIFFP, DFAT AIFFP submarine cable projects Kim Tuminaro, Deputy Director, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy’s Office of International Information and Communications Policy, US Department of State Sonia Jorge, Founder and Executive Director, Global Digital Inclusion Partnership	Supporting Connectivity in the Pacific_AIFFP1023.47 KB Investing in Digital Inclusion 1.78 MB
2:30pm – 3:30pm	Hard Digital Infrastructure: Data Centers, Telecommunications, & Private Sector Investment	David Lloyd, Senior Investment Executive, Pacific Private Sector – Suva, Fiji; Consultant, PSOD, ADB (Moderator) Tahani Iqbal, Digital Development Specialist, ADB lvan Fong, CEO, ATH Group (Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd) Jacques-Samuel Prolon, Executive Vice President - Corporate Development, Kacific	Evolution of Telecommunications in the Pacific1.9 MB Telecom Infrastructure in the Pacific1.4 MB Empowering the Pacific Islands: Integrating Satellite Internet for Enhanced Connectivity8.3 MB
4:00pm – 5:30pm	Data Governance and Management	Dr. Ian Oppermann, Co-Founder ServiceGen; Former NSW Government Chief Data Scientist Mohammad Chowdhury, Long Street Advisors (DFAT Consultant) Kim Tuminaro, Deputy Director, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy’s Office of International Information and Communications Policy, US Department of State Mr. Jonathan Palmer, Consultant, Data Governance for Digital Transformation, APCICT	Importance of Data Governance1.96 MB Data Governance and Management2.75 MB Data Governance and Management - Digital Infrastructure1.26 MB

Thursday, 24 October 2024
Time	Session Title	Speakers and Topics	Presentations
9:00am – 10:00am	Financing Opportunities to Support Digital Transformation in the Blue Pacific	Said Zaidansyah, Country Director, Papua New Guinea Resident Mission, ADB Jung Ho Kim, Principal Operations Coordination Specialist, Pacific Department, ADB Katherine Halliburton, Lead Advisor, Digital, Pacific and Development Group, MFAT, New Zealand Mitchell Dunn, Director, Pacific Cyber Cooperation, Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology Branch, DFAT, Australia	Pacific Country Partnership Strategies1.28 MB
10:30am – 11:00am	Capacity Building and Adapting to Change - Practical Multi- Stakeholder Collaboration in the Pacific	Paul Twomey, PRIF (Consultant) (Moderator) Bruce Tonkin, COO, auDA Jane Smith, Chief People and Culture Officer, auDA	Multistakeholder collaboration601.42 KB Capacity Building and Adapting to Change245.74 KB
11:00am – 11:45am	Regional Lessons from implementation of the PALM scheme	Jordan Duffy, CIO of Pacific Labour Facility (Consultant)	S05 PALM PLF Jordan Duffy ADB Datax IRD Presentation v4 Short PALM Branding FINALv2_1.pdf2.06 MB
11:45am – 12:30pm	Stocktake of Regional initiatives in Digital Transformation	Paul Twomey, PRIF (Consultant)	Regional Interventions to Strengthen Digital Readiness and Resilience in PICs1.32 MB
1:30pm–2:30pm	Soft Infrastructure progress in PICs (Digital ID, eGovernment, etc.)	James Neumann, World Bank (Moderator & Presenter) Jeff Montgomery, Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Adviser for the Pacific Community (SPC) Krisstina Rao & David Eaves, DPI Map Project Steven Matainaho, Secretary, Department of ICT, Government of Papua New Guinea Ashish Narayan, Program Coordinator, ITU	Civil Registration - Critical National and Regional Structure1.4 MB Developing Capabilities Across the Pacific120.87 KB Empowering Societies to Chart their Digital Futures 2.84 MB
2:30pm – 3:30pm	Brainstorming – Identifying country needs and aligning with 2050 Strategy and Lagatoi Declaration	The Pacific ICT Ministerial Dialogue 2023 brought together ICT Ministers and Heads of Delegation from across the Pacific Island Countries and Territories to foster collaboration, discuss challenges, and chart a course for the digital future of the region. The highlight of the event was the signing of the Lagatoi Declaration on Digital Transformation of the Pacific. Pedro Tavares, Public Management Specialist (Digital Transformation), CCDT, ADB	Identifying country needs and aligning with 2050 Strategy245.01 KB
4:00pm – 5:30pm	IoT, Digital Infrastructure & Cybersecurity Initiatives in the Pacific	Mohan Baruwal Chhetri, Data 61 CSIRO Luke Slattery, Director, Telecommunications Policy, Connectivity and Infrastructure Policy Branch, DFAT Mitchell Dunn, Director, Pacific Cyber Cooperation, Internation Security Division, DFAT Hayley Kim, Policy Officer – Digital and Cyber Security, Development Economy and Prosperity (DEVECO) Division, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade Kim Tuminaro, Deputy Director, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy’s Office of International Information and Communications Policy, US Department of State Anju Mangal, Chief of Party, USAID Pacific Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity	IoT, Digital Infrastructure and Cybersecurity1.75 MB Australian Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Digital Development Initiatives651.82 KB

Friday, 25 October 2024
Time	Session Title	Speakers and Topics	Presentations
9:00am – 10:30am	Climate services and ICT linkages	Paolo Manunta, Senior Digital Technology Specialist (Earth Observation), CCDT, ADB (Moderator & Presenter “Geospatial ADB initiatives and opportunities”) Mahesh Prakash Data 61, CSIRO Patricia Mallam, Knowledge Broker, Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications Programme, Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Bruce M. Howe, Research Professor, Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering (ORE), School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) Dulip Tillekeratne, Strategic Partnerships Director, Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation GSMA & EW4All	Climate Services and ICT Linkages1.26 MB AI/ML Applications in Regional GeoDigitalTwin2.48 MB ICT & Climate Services5.73 MB Overview of GSMA and EW4A6 MB The SMART Cable Initiative3.77 MB
11:00am - 12:30pm	Digital Capacity Building and Skills Development	Sajib Azad, Digital Governance Specialist, Digital Democracy Manager, UNDP Ali Akram, Regional Programme Manager (IDE), UNCDF John Jack, Deputy, CIO, OGCIO, Vanuatu Dalsie Green Baniala, National Project Manager, Smart Islands Sarah Sloan, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy, ANZ and Indonesia Palo Alto Networks “Pacific Island Cyber Preparedness Series: Lessons from the Cook Islands". Dulip Tillekeratne, Strategic Partnerships Director, Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation GSMA Capacity Building Initiatives	Cyber Risk Management1.53 MB Gendered Experiences of Meaningiful Connectivity through a Global Pandemic786.32 KB The Pacific Digital Economy Programme2.45 MB Digital Services to Digital Societies859.88 KB Community Capacity Building1.74 MB
1:30pm–2:30pm	Sharing of Highlights & Actions for Next Steps
2:30pm – 3:00pm	Plenary: Concluding Remarks
3:30pm - 5:30pm	Opportunity for Bilateral meetings at ADB Pacific Liaison Coordination Office	Directions to ADB PLCO