May 17, 2021 A nurse shows a Palestinian refugee in Jordan a health app on her smart phone. — courtesy UNRWA/George Awwad NEW YORK — Although the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation across the planet, millions worldwide still lack Internet access, the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, highlighting why information and communication technologies (ICTs) must be “a force for good.” In his message for World Telecommunication and Information Science Day, celebrated annually on May 17, the UN chief called for action to conquer both the pandemic and the digital divide. Innovative and protective “Digital technologies sustain life, work, health and learning for billions of people. In the face of COVID-19, businesses, governments and the digital community have proven resilient and innovative, helping to protect lives and livelihoods. These challenging times have accelerated the transformation everywhere,” he said.