Public-Private Data Partnerships in the Global South | IGF 2023 WS #308

Event report

Speakers and Moderators

Speakers:

• Darlington Ahiale Akogo, Private Sector, African Group
• Isuru Samaratunga, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
• Mike Flannagan, Private Sector, Intergovernmental Organization
• Mona Demaidi, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
• Philipp Schönrock, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
• RODRIGO IRIANI, Intergovernmental Organization, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Moderators:

• Helani Galpaya, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
• Maurice McNaughton, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Event desciption

Public-private collaborations in the data sphere have the potential to bring transformative changes and facilitate the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When the “data revolution” was first anticipated, there was much fanfare about how private sector data could help governments measure and achieve the SDGs. Many commitments were made. 7 years from the target date for achieving the SDGs, it appears that much of the anticipated potential wasn’t reached. Challenges including lack of economic incentive alignment for various stakeholders, lack of enabling regulation, lack of skills and trust, and other factors appear to have reduced the opportunities for meaningful data sharing. However, a recent mapping study has also found out hundreds of instances of such partnerships. The roundtable brings together a group of stakeholders from the global South (Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East) and from multiple sectors (civil society, government and private sector). They will seed the round-table discussion on the extent to which private sector is collaborating with government and civil society on data related partnerships, specific examples of partnerships, reflecting on the factors that contributed to their success or failure. These participants will present both research as well as their personal experiences pre-conditions for data sharing and data partnerships and the challenges that limit the success of partnerships (including the challenges of complying with privacy requirements of data protection laws; lack of institutional capacities to develop partnerships; lack of operational procedures that facilitate data sharing at a technical level; the different incentives for various stakeholders and so on). The discussion will open up and invite the participants of the round table to provide specific examples of what has worked and what has not when it comes to data partnerships, and enable everyone to pose questions to each other.