IFIP President, Mike Hinchey, shares his vision for IFIP, speaks about what makes IFIP so influential and how IFIP supports developing countries, in line with UN SDGs.

What is your vision for IFIP?

Over the next few years I like to see us become more relevant internationally, globally if you like, so we’re looking to work more with UNESCO with the various United Nations agencies such as ITU and of course we’re working with the regional organizations like SEAARC (South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation), CEPIS (Council of European Professional Informatics Societies) , CLEI (Conferencia Latinoamericana de Informática) and, of course, the individual members.

What makes IFIP so influential?

IFIP is the true global organization representing the ICT industry whether it’s academics, researchers and manufacturers, consultants, what have you. We represent the entire community around the world. We also interact with the agencies, we interact with various organizations that maybe are not quite so directly ICT but very much on the periphery of it. We were founded under the auspices UNESCO in 1960 and we’ll be building on that relationship with the United Nations and various agencies and, of course, with the various organizations that are relevant to ICT around the world.

How does IFIP support developing countries?

Our role with developing countries is, of course, that we promote ICT in these countries, we help with education in these countries, we help with access and this is going to help developing countries to increase their situation, to improve their lot and to engage more with the rest of the community.