The Fifth International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development (FBAS 2025) was successfully convened at the Beijing International Conference Center from 6 to 8 September 2025. During the forum, a special session entitled "Big Earth Data Facilitating SDGs for SIDS and African Countries: Challenges and Opportunities" was successfully held on the morning of 8 September.

The special session was co-organized by the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and the CAST-UN Consultative Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CAST-UN CCDRR). It attracted over 100 participants from various organizations, including UN DESA, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Pan-African Agency for the Great Green Wall, the Seychelles Centre for Innovation and Sustainable Development, as well as numerous universities and research institutions from SIDS, African nations, and China.

The session opened with addresses from Prof. JIA Gen Suo, Deputy Director of CBAS and Member of CAST-UN CCDRR; Dr. LIU Wei, Sustainable Development Officer and Coordinator of UN Inter-agency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, UN DESA; and Dr. Robert Ndugwa, Chief of the Data and Analytics Section, UN-Habitat.

Prof. JIA Gensuo delivered the opening remarks

Dr. LIU Wei delivered the opening remarks

Dr. Robert Ndugwa delivered the opening remarks

Insights on diverse pathways to sustainable development were shared by Professor GONG Ke, Former President of Nankai University, and Former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO); Ms. Azeema Adam, Senior Inter-Regional Advisor on Strategic Foresight and Systems Thinking, DPIDG, UN DESA; and Mr. Xavier Estico, Executive Chairman of the Seychelles Centre for Innovation and Sustainable Development (SCISD) and member of the UN SG's 10 High-level Representatives to Promote Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs. The experts stressed that overcoming global sustainability challenges demands systemic and forward-looking governance frameworks, moving beyond purely technical solutions. Key pillars highlighted included localized capacity building, strategic foresight, and inclusive technology assessment. These approaches can assist resource-constrained regions in prioritizing efforts, optimizing resources, breaking down sectoral barriers, and building robust local and global governance to ensure technology fosters inclusive growth rather than exacerbating inequalities.

Keynote Speech by Prof. GONG Ke

Keynote Speech by Ms. Azeema Adam

Keynote Speech by Mr. Xavier Estico

A panel discussion, chaired by Professor Gretchen Kalonji, Chair of the CBAS International Advisory Committee, featured Mr. Xavier Estico, Dr. LIU Wei, Ms. Azeema Adam, Dr. Robert Ndugwa, Mr. Gilles Amadou Ouedraogo (Programme Planning and Management Officer, UNCCD), Mr. Marcelin Sanou (Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Pan-African Agency for the Great Green Wall), Professor Amos Tiereyagn Kabo-Bah (University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana), and Dr. WANG Guanyi (International Office Director, WFEO Africa Engineering Capacity Building Programme; Nankai University).

A consensus emerged among the panelists regarding several pressing challenges, such as institutional fragility, insufficient cross-sector collaboration, high infrastructure costs, and gaps in locally relevant education. In response, they advocated for the establishment of robust coordination mechanisms, better integration of international resources, stronger global partnerships, and targeted efforts to nurture local expertise. The discussion also underscored the importance of enhancing data visualization to improve public engagement, as well as promoting forward-looking governance to attract private investment—both identified as critical levers for catalyzing systemic change.

Panel Discussion

The session witnessed the formal adoption of an outcome statement from the "Capacity Building Workshop for Small Island Developing States: Leveraging Big Earth Data to Evaluate the SDGs Progress", delivered by Mr. Sai Navoti, Chief of the SIDS Unit at UN DESA. Certificates were subsequently presented to 26 workshop participants by Dr. LIU Wei, Prof. SUN Zhongchang, Prof. WANG Changlin (Secretary-General, International Society for Digital Earth), and Dr. WANG Lei (Secretary-General, CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation), capping off the successful special session and the eight-day training program.

Outcome Statement of Capacity Building Workshop delivered by Mr. Sai Navoti

Group Photo of Participants at the Capacity Building Workshop for SIDS