 Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Adafiri Yazi, and I am the United Nations Assistant Secretary General and Chief Information Technology Officer. I'm sorry that I can't attend the Cities Without Conference today, and big thanks to the City Science Lab and the Hafen City University of Hamburg for giving me the opportunity to address you remotely. More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas, and this proportion is expected to rise to more than two-thirds by 2050. Up until 1975, there were only three mega cities in the world with over 10 million people each, New York, Tokyo, and Mexico City. Today, there are as many as 21. By 2025, this number is expected to grow to 29. To improve the lives of those who live in cities today while accommodating such growth, technology is making great strides. Prosperous cities are both sustainable and inclusive. National and local cities are using technology to empower disadvantaged residents while tackling challenges in housing, transport, employment, security, and education among facets of urban life. Technologies are used every day to improve the overall communal and individual daily lives of city residents, regardless of background. Nevertheless, while technology has immense potential to bridge socioeconomic disparities among city dwellers, it also has equal potential to increase the digital divide between cities and within the cities themselves. It's thus imperative to actively assist in the integration of technology among the underprivileged by forging cross-sectoral partnership between the public and the private sectors to ensure sustainability, to ensure that no one is left behind. Furthermore, cities confront vulnerabilities in their technological infrastructure through cyber attacks. For example, critical infrastructure, such as power grids, water supplies, transportation hubs, and many other utilities are prone to compromise by outside actors. We stand ready to assist our member states in helping them build a strong capacity to prevent and mitigate the risks of such attacks. Finally, I'm happy to highlight that the U.M. Secretary General has established a high-level panel on digital cooperation. The panel submitted a really good and bold report with concrete recommendations, both to raise awareness about the transformative impact of digital technologies across society and the economy, and to contribute to the broader public debate on how to ensure a safe and inclusive digital future for all. We are all at the cusp of a major change, and there is no doubt that the development of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence or blockchain, will help nations in achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, of which these tools are a part, allows for new space to explore other technological advances that reduce inequalities, boost security, and reduce conflict, all while establishing a fair, stable, and agile governance. Imagine achieving SDGs without technology. Would that be possible? Thank you.