G20 Digital Economy Ministers Agree to Realize Digital Technologies to Seize 21st Century Opportunities

The Group of Twenty (G20) Ministers responsible for the digital economy held a ministerial meeting under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's presidency of the Group to discuss harnessing digital technologies to realize opportunities of the 21st century for all.
They issued the following Ministerial Declaration Wednesday, July 22, 2020:
1. Building on the achievements and commitments of past Presidencies, we, the G20 Ministers responsible for the digital economy, met on 22 July 2020 to discuss
harnessing digital technologies to realize opportunities of the 21st century for all. In 2020, the G20 Digital Economy Task Force (DETF) brought together all G20
members as well as guest countries. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also invited the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as knowledge partners.
2. As our societies and the global economy digitalize, there are ever greater opportunities to advance standards of living through human-centric, data-driven,
and evidence-based policy, increased economic competitiveness, higher-quality jobs, enhanced provision of public services in cities of all sizes and communities in remote and rural areas, and more inclusive societal participation of people from all backgrounds. Digitalization also poses challenges including how to bridge digital divides, and develop effective policies and strategies, that are innovative as well as agile, flexible, and adapted to the digital era, while addressing anti-competitive practices, safeguarding privacy, advancing security, building trust, and reducing inequalities. Digitalization is also increasing the importance of boosting job opportunities, increasing market access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
We support fostering an open, fair, and non-discriminatory environment, protecting and empowering consumers, ensuring the safety and stability of supply
chains in relevant areas, and advancing inclusiveness and human-centricity more broadly, noting the importance of the environmental impact of digitalization and
introducing a gender lens. We continue to support international cooperation and multi-stakeholder engagement to design and implement evidence-based digital
policies to address these challenges. We recognize that various countries have already taken steps with the intention of making policy approaches more flexible,
holistic, and agile, for example through the use of regulatory sandboxes.
3. We stress the importance of the digital economy and policy discussions to sustain
progress on the implementation and achievements of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.
4. We recognize that universal, secure, and affordable connectivity is a fundamental
enabler of the development of the digital economy and a catalyst for inclusive
growth, innovation, and sustainable development. We recognize the importance of
initiatives related to advancing digital connectivity infrastructure, digital skills and
awareness, the affordability of Internet services and devices, closing the digital
gender gap, and the relevance of digital content. We recognize the need to close
the gaps in these areas and the importance of working with stakeholders to
connect humanity by accelerating global Internet penetration, especially in remote
and rural areas.
5. We emphasize the role of connectivity, digital technologies, and policies in
accelerating our collaboration and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and
enhancing our ability to prevent and mitigate future crises as stated in our
Extraordinary Statement adopted on April 30, 2020. We note the Policy Options to
Support Digitalization of Business Models during COVID-19, developed by the Saudi
G20 Digital Economy Ministers Meeting Presidency, which shares policies and practices to strengthen business continuity
and resilience consistent with national circumstances.

I. Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems have the potential to generate economic, social,
and health benefits and innovation, drive inclusive economic growth, and reduce
inequalities as well as accelerate progress toward the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They could also have potential impacts on
the future of work, the functioning of critical systems, digital inclusiveness, security,
trust, ethical issues, and human rights.
7. We reaffirm our commitment to promoting a human-centered approach to AI and
support the G20 AI Principles, which are drawn from the OECD AI Principles –
including section 1, Principles for Responsible Stewardship of Trustworthy AI, and
section 2, the Recommendations on National Policies and International Cooperation for Trustworthy AI. We each commit to advance the G20 AI Principles, in
accordance with national priorities.
8. As a first step, we note the Examples of National Policies to Advance the G20 AI
Principles (Annex 1), which presents a list of examples of national strategies and
policy approaches to advance the G20 AI Principles, including investment in
research, human capacity, innovation, and trustworthiness.
9. We believe that there is a need for inclusive multi-stakeholder discussions and
sharing of experiences on AI and related policy practices. We welcome the Dialogue
hosted by the Saudi Presidency on trustworthy AI in pandemic response and note
the Summary of Discussions from the G20 AI Dialogue in 2020. We promote
continued multi-stakeholder discussions on AI, consistent with the G20 AI
Principles.
II. Data Free Flow with Trust and Cross-Border Data Flows
10. In 2019, in Osaka, G20 Leaders acknowledged the importance of data free flow with
trust and cross-border data flow and recognized the critical role played by effective
use of data for digitalization, as enablers of economic growth, development, and
social well-being, and expressed their willingness to cooperate to encourage the
interoperability of different frameworks and reaffirmed the role of data for
development.
11. The cross-border flow of data, information, ideas and knowledge generates higher
productivity, greater innovation, and improved sustainable development. At the
same time, we recognize that the free flow of data raises certain challenges, such
as the protection of privacy and personal data. G20 members recognize the need
to address these challenges, in accordance with relevant applicable legal
frameworks, which can further facilitate data free flow and strengthen consumer
and business trust, without prejudice to legitimate public policy objectives by sharing experiences and good practices for data policy, in particular
interoperability and transfer mechanisms, and identifying commonalities
between existing approaches and instruments used to enable data to flow
across borders with trust, reaffirming the importance of the interface between trade and digital economy, noting the ongoing negotiations under the Joint Statement Initiative on electronic commerce and reaffirming the importance of the Work Programme
on electronic commerce at the WTO, exploring and better understanding technologies such as privacy enhancing
technologies (PETs).

III. Smart Cities
12. Building on the achievements of past Presidencies, we encourage further work
with stakeholders for the development and deployment of digital technologies and
solutions for human-centric, environmentally sound, sustainable, rights-respecting,
and inclusive smart cities and communities that boost competitiveness and
enhance well-being and community resilience.
These digital solutions should be centered around connectivity and providing services in more efficient and
personalized ways, while safeguarding human rights. These digital solutions should
also be deployed responsibly with effective security and resilience in the digital
economy to safeguard privacy, personal data, and service provision, and foster
greater transparency and public trust. In this respect, we take note of the G20
Global Smart Cities Alliance initiative launched in 2019.
13. We recognize that smart mobility is one of the elements of a holistic approach to
smart cities and communities, serving as a vital engine of innovation and
investment, and that smart mobility data and technology solutions can address
some of the challenges of smart cities and communities, potentially reducing
inequality of access to cities’ services in an environmentally friendly way.
14. We welcome the G20 Smart Mobility Practices (Annex 2) to contribute to this work.
Its purpose is to provide guidance and best practices regarding how to accelerate
the diffusion of smart mobility systems in ways that are human-centric, inclusive,
and sustainable, based on experiences and shared knowledge of G20 members and
beyond.
15. We recognize the work of G20 members to facilitate smart mobility technology and
digital infrastructure deployment, build the digital capacity of governments,
promote interoperability, monitor the impacts of smart mobility including those on
human rights, foster multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnership, and cultivate
and promote digital inclusion.
16. Going forward, we recognize the importance of aligning work on smart cities with
the G20 Infrastructure Working Group and advancing smart cities and communities’ approaches, in cooperation with local partners and other relevant
social partners. We encourage the exploration of other elements of smart cities and
communities beyond smart mobility.
IV. Measurement of the Digital Economy
17. Building on the work carried out under previous G20 Presidencies and following up
on the draft 2018 G20 Toolkit for Measuring the Digital Economy, developed under
the Argentine Presidency, we support advancing digital economy measurement.
Reinforced cooperation will help advance consistency across different approaches
and enhance evidence-based policymaking to contribute to the realization of the
opportunities of the 21st century for all.
18. We welcome the G20 Roadmap toward a Common Framework for Measuring the
Digital Economy (The Roadmap, Annex 3) developed under the Saudi Presidency.
The Roadmap contributes to closing measurement and implementation gaps,
especially in developing economies, and to strengthening comparability of
indicators, as well as statistical capacities in G20 countries and beyond. We promote
inclusive and multi-stakeholder dialogue on measurement and recognize the
contributions made during the G20 Workshop on Measurement of the Digital
Economy.
19. We acknowledge the importance of exchanging information on how best to define
elements of the digital economy to guide measurement efforts. Building on the
outcomes reached in Hangzhou in 2016, and the established frameworks of
statistical accounting in sectors and industries, G20 countries this year recognize
the proposal by the Saudi Presidency of a tiered definitional framework that
supports the following overarching policy definition of elements of the digital
economy, for measurement purposes: the digital economy incorporates all
economic activity reliant on, or significantly enhanced by the use of digital inputs,
including digital technologies, digital infrastructure, digital services, and data; it
refers to all producers and consumers, including government, that are utilizing
these digital inputs in their economic activities.