On September 21, 2026, the Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas participated, by invitation, in the “Local Action for Digital Inclusion” roundtable held as part of UN Digital Cooperation Day 2026 in New York City. The invitation-only roundtable was organized in collaboration with UN-Habitat.

Organized by the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (UN ODET) during the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, UN Digital Cooperation Day 2026 was held under the theme “Shaping A Global AI Future Through Science, Policy, and Capacity.” The event brought together representatives from governments, international organizations, local governments, the private sector, civil society, and academia.

Advancing Digital Inclusion at the Local Level

Following the adoption of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) in 2024, the United Nations has been advancing international cooperation on issues including bridging digital divides, fostering a safe and inclusive digital space, data governance, and artificial intelligence.

The “Local Action for Digital Inclusion” roundtable focused on how these global frameworks can be translated into concrete action at the city and local levels, where governments interact directly with residents and deliver public services.

Alongside Yokohama, representatives from cities and local governments including Gaziantep, Türkiye; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Barcelona, Spain; and Cook County, United States, participated in the roundtable and shared their respective experiences and challenges related to digital transformation and digital inclusion.

Yokohama also shared its experience in advancing digital transformation and supporting residents in accessing digital services, and contributed to the discussion on creating an environment in which the benefits of digitalization can reach all members of the community.

Mayors for Digital Cooperation and the Cities Digital Inclusion Toolkit

A key initiative discussed during the roundtable was Mayors for Digital Cooperation (MDC), an international city network promoted by UN-Habitat and UN ODET.

MDC aims to translate the Global Digital Compact into action at the city level through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and cooperation among cities. In May 2026, its Inaugural Assembly was held at the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together city leaders to discuss digital cooperation and inclusive digital transformation.

The roundtable also highlighted the Cities Digital Inclusion Toolkit (CDIT), which is being developed to support cities in taking practical action on digital inclusion.

The toolkit combines a “Digital Divide Assessment,” which helps cities identify digital divides within their communities, with a “Measures Explorer,” through which cities can explore policies, measures, and practices from other cities and consider approaches suited to their own local challenges.

Participants discussed how networks and tools such as these can help cities better understand local digital divides, connect with relevant expertise and funding, and advance inclusive digital transformation tailored to their local needs.

As digital technologies, including AI, continue to develop rapidly, cooperation among cities and collaboration with international organizations will be increasingly important in translating international discussions and frameworks into concrete action at the local level.

The Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas will build on this opportunity to strengthen its networks with international organizations and cities around the world, while continuing to promote knowledge sharing and international cooperation on urban challenges, including digital transformation and digital inclusion.