A ‘thought leader on digital technology,’ Gill expected to leverage digital transformation for progress on Sustainable Development Goals
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed a senior Indian diplomat Amandeep Singh Gill, described as “thought leader on digital technology” as his Envoy on Technology.
“A thought leader on digital technology, he brings to the position a deep knowledge of digital technologies coupled with a solid understanding of how to leverage the digital transformation responsibly and inclusively for progress on the Sustainable Development Goals,” said a UN statement issued Friday.
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Gill is currently the chief executive officer of the International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Collaborative project, based at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.
He replaces Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, who was working as acting Envoy on Technology.
Previously, Gill was the Executive Director and Co-Lead of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation (2018-2019).
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In addition to delivering the report of the High-Level Panel, Gill helped secure high-impact international consensus recommendations on regulating artificial intelligence in lethal autonomous weapon systems in 2017 and 2018, the draft artificial intelligence ethics recommendation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2020, and a new international platform on digital health and artificial intelligence.
Gill was India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva (2016-2018).
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He joined India’s diplomatic service in 1992 and served in various capacities in disarmament and strategic technologies and international security affairs, with postings in Tehran and Colombo. He was also a visiting scholar at Stanford University.
Gill holds a PhD in nuclear learning in multilateral forums from King’s College, London, a Bachelor of Technology in electronics and electrical communications from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and an Advanced Diploma in French history and language from Geneva University. He is fluent in English, French, Hindi and Punjabi.