I recently joined a panel discussion at the Ministry of Commerce's forum on technology development and connectivity in the CLMVT (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand) region. Talking about this topic often brings us to physical connectivity like road and rail; while we overlook another important aspect of connectivity especially in this era -- the flow of information or data across countries. This type of connectivity forms a crucial part in supporting sustainable development and shared prosperity.
The key enabler for such connectivity requires government investment in its own digital infrastructure that will provide a strong foundation for people and business to build upon.
One particular area I want to discuss is digital infrastructure for data sharing. Given the massive amount of data at hand, governments can provide a strong catalyst to advancement in technology like AI and big data by taking on a role of data aggregator and a platform that gives data back to the rightful owners, its citizens.
