The conference was held on February 16, following the hackathon. UNITAR Division for Prosperity Director Ms Mihoko Kumamoto opened the conference by highlighting the impact that digital finance can have on our future economy. She underscored the need to address inequalities, mitigate environmental degradation and uphold the principles of social justice and fairness.

The hackathon facilitator Mr. David Winter next shared some key outcomes from the hackathon. He touched upon the importance of engaging youth in digital finance and the digital economy, a message that was echoed in many of the solutions presented by the hackathon groups.

The conference continued with a keynote presentation and dynamic panel discussions with speakers from the private sector, international organizations and academia, who spoke about regulation, innovation and development.

The first panel explored the impact of digital transformation and how to balance fostering innovation and upholding financial stability, security and fairness, with special attention to the role of regulation. Speakers responded to the following questions:

• In what ways do you see digital finance and emerging technologies influencing sustainable development?
• What challenges and opportunities does the evolving nature of the digital economy present for regulatory frameworks?
• How can regulators encourage digital innovation while maintaining the necessary oversight to prevent security risks and foster a stable financial environment?

The speakers agreed that regulating digital technologies was necessary but doing so without stifling innovation was a delicate balance to find.

If we come up with regulations too early, we kill the innovation. And if we come up with regulations too late, it’s useless. Because meanwhile, things already happened.” – Mr. Pio Wennubst, Senior Advisor to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland

Moderator

• Mr. Pio Wennubst, Senior Advisor to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland.

Speakers

• Ms. Johanna Hill, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
• Mr. Gerrit Sindermann, Executive Director, Green Digital Finance Alliance and President, Green Fintech Network
• Mr. Michael Kende, Chair of the Board of the Datasphere Initiative and Senior Advisor at Analysys Mason
• Mr. Igor Litvinyuk, Economic Affairs Officer, Sustainable Energy Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

The second panel focused on how we can foster a responsible and trustworthy digital economy that benefits all, with particular attention to the impact of digital finance on inclusion and accessibility. The speakers responded to the following questions:

• What are the ethical considerations associated with digital finance, and how can we proactively address them?
• How can we ensure that advancements in digital finance benefit all and do not perpetuate existing inequalities?
• What do you see as the most important considerations when creating policies and regulations to promote a responsible digital economy?

To ensure that digital technologies are used for the common good, collaboration between industry, government and civil society is crucial.

Just because it's human doesn't mean it's good. Just because it's technology doesn't mean it's good either.” – Ms. Monique Morrow, President and Co-Founder, The Humanized Internet

I believe technology should be built for humanity and humanity should always be at the centre. So digitalization is the way forward and democratization in finance is the solution for it. We need to bridge this gap between the humans and digitalization.” – Dr. Marta Ra, Head of Business Development & Public Relations, Radicant Bank

Speakers

• Ms. Francesca Bosco, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer, CyberPeace Institute
• Mr. Torbjörn Fredriksson, Head of E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
• Ms. Monique Morrow, President and Co-Founder, The Humanized Internet
• Dr. Marta Ra, Head of Business Development & Public Relations, Radicant Bank
• Mr. Steve Ramsden, Chief Information Security Officer and Digital Innovation/Architect, The Global Fund

The hackathon and conference allowed attendees to engage with one another, aligning with the event's goal of fostering partnerships and collaboration. Many of these important discussions continued to the reception following the conference.