Lightning Talk #29 Multistakeholder Engagement in Africa’s WSIS+20 Review

Summary

This discussion focused on Africa’s engagement with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process over the past 20 years and future directions following the adoption of the Global Digital Compact. Mactar Seck opened the session by highlighting that African internet connectivity has grown from 2.6% in 2005 to 38% currently, though cybersecurity costs the continent 10% of its GDP. He emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder involvement across government, private sector, civil society, and academia in developing inclusive digital policies and infrastructure.

Representatives from various African countries shared their national experiences and progress. Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary outlined their 10-year National Digital Strategic Framework with six pillars including digital infrastructure, governance, and financial services, noting achievements like 13,820 kilometers of national ICT broadband covering 78% of the country. Benin’s representative discussed the Cotonou Declaration and proposed accountability mechanisms including an African Digital Performance Index and standardized data collection systems.

Private sector representative Jimson Odufuye stressed the need for regular WSIS reviews at national levels, citing South Africa’s recent review as a positive example. He emphasized that measuring progress is essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. South African participant Paresa advocated for post-consultation implementation through collaborative multi-stakeholder frameworks with clear guidelines and feedback mechanisms extending to local levels.

Academic and gender perspectives highlighted the need for evidence-based policy formulation, digital literacy curricula, and gender-responsive revisions to WSIS action lines. Speakers called for 30% allocation of AI and digital infrastructure funding to women entrepreneurs and regular gender audits of tech policies. The discussion concluded with emphasis on Africa’s potential to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution, given that 42% of global youth will be African by 2050, requiring collaborative efforts to raise $100 billion for closing the digital divide while potentially creating 230 million jobs by 2030.

Keypoints

**Major Discussion Points:**

– **WSIS Implementation Progress in Africa**: Review of the 20-year journey since 2005, highlighting achievements like connectivity growth from 2.6% to 38% at continental level, while acknowledging ongoing challenges such as cybersecurity costs representing 10% of Africa’s GDP

– **Multi-stakeholder Engagement and Accountability**: Emphasis on inclusive participation from government, private sector, civil society, academia, and parliamentarians in digital policy development, with calls for better accountability mechanisms and regular national-level WSIS reviews

– **Infrastructure and Connectivity Challenges**: Discussion of the need for $100 billion investment to close Africa’s digital divide, with examples from countries like Tanzania showcasing progress in broadband coverage (92% 3G, 91% 4G) and regional connectivity initiatives

– **Gender Inclusion and Digital Equity**: Strong advocacy for gender-responsive policies, including calls for 30% allocation of AI and digital infrastructure funding to women entrepreneurs, and addressing the current 2% funding gap for women-led tech businesses

– **Framework Alignment and Future Strategy**: Integration of multiple digital frameworks including WSIS, Global Digital Compact, African Digital Transformation Strategy, and AU initiatives, with focus on leveraging Africa’s youth demographic (42% of global youth by 2050) for digital leadership

**Overall Purpose:**

The discussion aimed to evaluate Africa’s 20-year progress in implementing the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) framework, share best practices among African countries, and strategize for future digital development aligned with the Global Digital Compact and continental digital transformation goals.

**Overall Tone:**

The discussion maintained a consistently collaborative and optimistic tone throughout. Speakers demonstrated enthusiasm for sharing achievements and lessons learned, while acknowledging challenges constructively. The atmosphere was solution-oriented, with participants actively engaging in knowledge sharing and expressing confidence in Africa’s potential to lead in the digital revolution, particularly emphasizing the continent’s youth advantage and innovation capacity.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Mactar Seck** – Session moderator/chair, appears to be affiliated with UNECA (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)

– **Speaker 1** – Permanent Secretary of Tanzania, government official responsible for digital strategy implementation

– **Speaker 2** – Honorable Adjara from Benin, government official involved in the Cotonou Declaration

– **Speaker 3** – Representative from South Africa, focus on multi-stakeholder engagement and consultation processes

– **Speaker 4** – Christian from DR Congo, Academic representative, university sector

– **Speaker 5** – Baratang, Gender advocate, represents African women in digital policy network

– **Jimson Odufuye** – Private sector representative, advocates for national-level WSIS reviews

– **Philippe Roux** – UN Emerging Technology Office, international perspective on WSIS and Global Digital Compact

– **Wisdom Donkor** – Executive Director for Ghana Domain Name Registry, DNS and cybersecurity expert

– **Lou Gray** – Chairperson of the Youth Internet Governance Forum, South African Internet Governance Forum representative

– **Audience** – Multiple unidentified audience members who made brief interventions

**Additional speakers:**

– **Adil** – African Union Commission representative, continental initiatives and policy development

– **Mary** – Representative from Nigeria, Internet Governance Forum mandate renewal advocate

– **Honorable Elashmo** – Chair from Zimbabwe, government official promoting African collaboration

– **Maxence Merrow** – Representative from Tanzania, local innovation and AI collaboration advocate

# Africa’s WSIS Implementation Review: Progress, Challenges, and Future Directions

## Executive Summary

This 30-minute session, moderated by Mactar Seck from UNECA, brought together government officials, private sector representatives, academics, and civil society advocates to review Africa’s implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) framework and discuss future digital strategies. The discussion highlighted significant progress in continental connectivity growth from 2.6% in 2005 to 38% currently, while acknowledging substantial challenges including cybersecurity costs and the need for continued investment in digital infrastructure.

Key themes included the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement, the need for regular national-level WSIS reviews, and coordination between multiple frameworks including WSIS, the Global Digital Compact, and the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy. Participants shared national experiences and identified specific areas requiring attention, including gender inclusion, infrastructure investment, and accountability mechanisms.

## Opening Context

Mactar Seck opened the session by highlighting Africa’s digital transformation journey, noting that internet connectivity has grown from 2.6% in 2005 to 38% currently. He stated that cybersecurity threats cost the continent 10% of its GDP annually and emphasized that “40% of our population will be youth in 2050,” stressing the need to “promote innovation for our youth to be leader or actor in this revolution around 2050.”

Seck outlined the need to coordinate multiple existing frameworks, including “Africa Digital Transformation, WSIS process, Global Digital Compact, Cyber Security Model Law and AI strategy,” rather than creating competing initiatives. He emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder involvement across government, private sector, civil society, and academia.

## National Implementation Experiences

### Tanzania’s Digital Infrastructure Progress

Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary presented their National Digital Strategic Framework built on six pillars: digital infrastructure, digital governance, digital literacy, digital financial services, digital innovation, and digital security. The country has achieved “13,820 kilometers, covering almost 78% of the country” in national ICT broadband infrastructure, with 92% 3G coverage and 91% 4G coverage. Tanzania has also established connections with neighboring countries including Rwanda and Kenya.

### Benin’s Continental Leadership

The representative from Benin outlined their country’s role in hosting the WSIS+20 Africa review, which resulted in the Cotonou Declaration. This declaration established an African Digital Performance Index to measure progress across indicators including broadband connectivity, digital skills development, cybersecurity preparedness, and digital inclusion. The representative emphasized “standardized data collection” and “strengthening national and regional data system” as key priorities.

### South Africa’s Multi-Stakeholder Approach

The South African representative shared insights from their national WSIS review process, emphasizing the importance of multi-stakeholder frameworks with clear guidelines for engagement. She advocated for collaboration “from beginning to end” rather than isolated consultations and stressed the need to move beyond consultation to implementation.

## Sector-Specific Perspectives

### Private Sector Implementation Gaps

Jimson Odufuye noted that while continental-level reviews through UNECA are excellent, national-level reviews are lacking. He emphasized that regular annual national WSIS reviews are essential for measuring progress toward Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, stating that without measurement mechanisms, it becomes impossible to determine when objectives will be achieved.

### Academic Contributions

Christian from the DR Congo, representing the academic sector, highlighted that 45% of Africans lack basic digital skills. He called for establishing digital policy research hubs within universities and developing curricula to address digital skills gaps.

### Gender Inclusion Focus

Baratang Pil, representing African women in digital policy networks, advocated for gender-responsive revision of WSIS action line 7. She called for mandatory gender audits of tech policies and 30% allocation of national AI and digital public infrastructure funding to women entrepreneurs, highlighting the current 2% funding gap for women-led tech businesses.

### Technical Infrastructure Needs

Wisdom Donkor from Ghana’s Domain Name Registry emphasized DNS resilience and internet exchange points, noting that “all cybersecurity issues pass through DNS systems,” making DNS infrastructure resilience crucial for Africa’s digital security.

## International Coordination

Philippe Roux from the UN Emerging Technology Office emphasized implementing existing agreements rather than renegotiating frameworks. He distinguished between correlation and causation in connectivity challenges, noting that people often lack access not due to coverage gaps but because connectivity costs too much and demand-side barriers persist.

Adil from the African Union Commission outlined continental initiatives including the African Digital Compact, AI strategy, and PRIDA programme. He emphasized plans to formalize the WSIS process through ministerial committee meetings.

Mary highlighted the importance of convincing “ministers that will negotiate, our ambassadors that will negotiate this process, to understand that it is key that the mandate of the IGF be renewed, even permanently.”

## Resource Mobilization and Youth Perspectives

Louvo Gray, representing youth voices, quantified the continental challenge, noting that Africa needs $100 billion investment to close the digital divide and connect the next billion people by 2030. He emphasized that proper digital infrastructure investment could create significant employment opportunities.

## Experience Sharing and Collaboration

The Zimbabwe representative emphasized the value of sharing experiences, stating “the more we share what we do, the better for all of us,” highlighting the importance of continental collaboration and knowledge exchange.

## Key Outcomes and Action Items

The discussion generated several specific action items:

– Establish regular annual national WSIS reviews with multi-stakeholder participation

– Implement mandatory gender audits for tech policies

– Develop digital policy research hubs within universities

– Strengthen DNS infrastructure and internet exchange points

– Coordinate multiple frameworks to avoid duplication

– Formalize WSIS processes through African Union ministerial committees

## Challenges and Gaps Identified

Participants identified several ongoing challenges:

– Limited national-level WSIS review processes

– Need for better coordination between multiple digital frameworks

– Resource mobilization requirements for infrastructure development

– Addressing demand-side barriers to connectivity

– Ensuring meaningful participation beyond major urban centers

– Developing systematic monitoring and accountability mechanisms

## Conclusion

The session demonstrated Africa’s evolution from digital policy development toward implementation focus. While significant progress has been achieved in connectivity growth and framework development, participants identified critical gaps in national-level implementation, resource mobilization, and inclusive engagement mechanisms.

The discussion emphasized the need for regular monitoring, multi-stakeholder engagement, and coordination between existing frameworks rather than creating new initiatives. With Africa’s young population representing a significant opportunity for digital leadership, success will depend on translating policy agreements into concrete implementation with clear accountability measures and adequate funding.

The brief nature of the session, with each speaker allocated 1-2 minutes, highlighted the need for continued dialogue and more detailed discussions on implementation strategies. Participants expressed commitment to ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing to advance Africa’s digital transformation goals.

Mactar Seck: We are going to start our session, it is, we have only 30 minutes. And the objective is to discuss how we engage the WSIS process in Africa. As we started in 2005 WSIS, and now we have over almost 20 years since we adopted WSIS. We have 11 action lines, and now we discuss the progress made by African countries during these 20 years, how we are going to think about the future of WSIS given the adoption of the Global Digital Compact. Today, let me start by telling you a little bit how the process has been done in the African continent. To do WSIS, it is a policy. And the objective is to make this policy inclusive. All stakeholders should be part of this process, which means we talk about policy and strategy, how we develop our policy and strategy at the national level and at the continental level. Also, we should talk about infrastructure and connectivity, how we can involve all in the development of the infrastructure and connectivity. It’s not only government to do this infrastructure. We need the involvement of the private sector. Why today we are at 38% connectivity at the continental level, but we have some progress since 2005, because 2005 it was at 2.6%. Other issue, it is cyber security interests. We need to involve all in cyber security. As you know today, cyber security costs 10% of Africa’s GDP. It is a big challenge for the continent. Why this metric also is very important on cyber security. When you talk about innovation, in the continent, 40% of our population will be youth in 2050. We need to promote innovation for our youth to be leader or actor in this revolution around 2050. Other issue we need to do, we have several framework across the continent. You have this Africa Digital Transformation. We have WSIS process. We have the Global Digital Compact. We have also the Cyber Security Model Law and AI strategy. We need to monitor all this initiative across the continent to know where we are, what are the gaps, what we have to correct, what we have to do. Next. Why on the WSIS process, we have some core thematic. Have you seen in the screen, you have this Digital Inclusion, also bridges digital divide. The infrastructure connectivity, innovation, entrepreneurship, multistakeholder governance. You have this African Internet Governance Forum. You have also at the regional level this Core Governance Forum and at the continental level this Internet Governance Forum, where we are today. Next. How we organize this consultation? Since we adopted this WSIS in 2005, there is also a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly, given mandate for UN Regional Commission to organize the review at the regional level. Why UNEC, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, organized every year WSIS implementation, progress made by African country. This year we organized the 20 years review in Benin. It was an evaluation of the 20 years of WSIS implementation across the 11 action lines in the continent. Also, it is a regional consultation, we have also some national consultations, and we involve government, parliamentarians, academia, private sector, and civil society. The key outcome of this 20 years discussion, it was the adoption of Common Position for Africa on WSIS plus 20. And why today, I have the pleasure to have several key actors across government, private sector, members of academia, parliamentarians, civil society, to talk about, to give their talk on how the WSIS is progressive, and how it process across their country, also across in the continent. I give two minutes to each of you, just to give us your input. I’m going to start by, let me start by the Permanent Secretary of Tanzania. You can come here, I think it’s better. I’ll start by you, two minutes. I’m just wondering whether I still have the two minutes, I thought walking up to here.

Speaker 1: Thank you so much, I just wanted to do a quick talk, very little because of the limited time. As you know, you visited Tanzania, and for us, what we did so far, is we came up two years back, we came up with 10 years National Digital Strategic Framework, and on this, the vision of having this framework is to establish highly advanced, digitally empowered economy in the country, and it also focuses on, end of the day, is to have the personal government to achieve the digital society. In that framework, usually, we have six pillars, which we keep on working on them. For example, we have a pillar which focuses on enabling digital infrastructure. We also have a pillar which does on governance, and enabling environment, digital literacy, and digital skills, and the last pillar deals with digital financial services. Let me chip on to align with WSIS 20 Outcomes Framework, how does the digital framework of the 10 years we have for Tanzania, how does it align with the WSIS 20 Framework? For example, if you look at pillar number one, pillar number one, it focuses on basically facilitative infrastructure. For example, we have the roads, the railways, and the other infrastructure, the basic facilitative infrastructure, and then on the same pillar, we talked about two things that had digital infrastructure, for example, the national backbone, we have the submarine cables, and the broadband connectivity. Also, on the same pillar, we also talk about the software infrastructure, for example, the digital platform, the software, the application that we’ve been using, so if you look at the WSIS Action Line C2, which talks about information and communication infrastructure as an essential foundation for an inclusive society, and if you go further, if you look at the AU Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2030, if you look at the component B of it, which also talks about the digital infrastructure itself, and if you look at the global digital the compact objective number one, that says closes all digital device and accelerate progress across sustainable development and it also aligns with the SDGs. Look at the SDGs number one, number eight, number nine and SDG number 11. All those, if you look at our framework, it aligns both on those areas. So let me say, what did we do for Tanzania? What did we address? For example, we already have existence of national ICT broadband, which in current we already constructed almost 13,820 kilometers, covering almost 78% of the country. That coverage is also there. We also went further to connect most of our neighboring countries like Rwanda, Kenya. We also did that. And then if you look at on the broadband, we have a very good coverage on our country. For example, we have 92% of 3G and we also have 91% coverage on 4G and now we are pushing on the 5G almost with 25% of it. And the focus on this coverage is to achieve 100% on 4G, 5G by 2030.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much. Well done, Tanzania. Thank you. Thank you so much. This is a very good example. Let me call upon Honorable Adjara for Benin. Benin also this Africa which is plus 20 to come up to give some highlight from Benin and also on the declaration adopted in April, in May. Honorable, you have the floor for two minutes.

Speaker 2: Okay. What to say? Only two minutes. Let me start. Thank you for this important question. Ensuring accountability across government, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders is a cornerstone of the Cotonou Declaration. Several mechanisms are proposed to make this a reality. We can no more state all the mechanism, just some of them. An African Digital Performance Index. This annual index will measure progress in key areas such as broadband connectivity, digital skills, adoption, cyber security and inclusion. It will provide a transparent benchmark for government and stakeholders. A high level and in the second place mechanism, we will go to the standardized data collection. I’m very sorry but strengthening national and regional data system will ensure evidence-based policy making. Level rating platforms like the ITU’s WSIS-20 review, tools will help harmonize reporting and monitoring across countries. The declaration calls for explicit allocation of responsibility among actors, not only to implement digital strategies but also to report, evaluate and improve them. Thank you very much, honorable. I think you can see some highlight on this declaration.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much also for hosting this WSIS-20 Africa. I call upon my friend, Jimson, to get the view from private sector. I give him one minute.

Jimson Odufuye: I have to shorten my trip here so that I can make it right on time. My name isJimson Odufuye. Good afternoon, everybody. I really want to first start by commending UNECA. They are fulfilling their mandate, actually. They’ve never failed to do WSIS review and they always brought us in private sector, the civil society, academic and technical community, even the youth. So at the top level, WSIS review, excellent. But the challenge is at the national level. So we need to have WSIS review at the national level. I think two weeks ago, South Africa had WSIS review, which is commendable. And we want to encourage other countries in Africa to have their reviews. An important part of WSIS review is so that we can fulfill the sustainable development goal. We can achieve it by 2030. But if we cannot measure this progress, how can we know when we will attain it? So that is why we need to have the review so that we can measure the progress and also bring in the sustainable development goal offices in our countries, because we cannot be saying you want to target SDG and you don’t have the SDG office with you. They must be with you. They must be inclusive. Everybody must be part of it. And NetMundia plus 10 principle must be adopted. If you don’t know it, please Google it and let it be part of our working framework. Going forward, let’s do review regularly and annually.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Well done. Let me call upon Paresa to get a view from South Africa. Two minutes.

Speaker 3: Good afternoon. I think for me, I’m not going to talk about what we’ve done in South Africa, but I’m going to focus on post the consultation because we consult and consult and consult. But then what happens? And then we go back to the people to consult. So my take is that once we’ve consulted, those priority areas, we need to implement them in collaboration. Because for me, what that would do is that it will show inclusivity, accountability and transparency. And also to establish frameworks, these multi-stakeholder frameworks and give them legitimacy. You know, where they have guidelines to say who gets to be engaged when and how, you know, and the processes. And I think also feedback is important. And my take is that once we have these structures, these multi-stakeholder structures, then from beginning to end, you are engaging people, you work in collaboration. It’s not just one silo. And then after 10 years, you go back and say, hey, you know, this is what we’ve done and this is what we’ve done. And also I think, you know, this engagement needs to go at the local, local level. Because it’s not about us who come here. The reason why we are here is about the people we’ve left behind. And yet their voices are not heard. How do we begin, you know, especially governments, how do they begin to foster that? To ensure that, you know, communication is at, you know, local level. And also, the other thing is to say that how do we feedback, you know, because not everybody’s going to be part of the structure that I’m talking about. These structures, the multi-stakeholder engagement structures that I think are important. And I suppose going forward in there, which is something that we would have to look at, how do we feedback? How do people feedback who are not part of the structures? We need to have those online platforms to say that everybody has a voice and you can go to this platform and make your voice heard. You know, so, is my time up?

Mactar Seck: Yeah, thank you very much. Thank you. Let me get a view from academia. Dr. Christian, is it here? No. Oh, you are the one. Christian is not here. I’m here. Baratang. I’m happy if somebody is not here. Thank you, yes. Two minutes.

Speaker 4: I’m Christian from the DR Congo. And on the academic stage, strategic contribution is the evidence-based policy formulation. African universities can establish digital policy research hubs to translate WCSC principles into actionable frameworks aligned with the global digital compact. This includes conducting localized studies on connectivity gaps and evaluating emerging technologies like AI through ethical and development lens. For example, the Kotonu Declaration specifically calls for the contextually ground innovation trajectory. On the other hand, the capacity building and the future-ready skills. Academia should lead in developing molecular digital literacy, and curricula targeting persistent skill gaps. As you know, in Africa, 45% of Africans lack basic digital skills, according to ACAR. Another one is innovation translation and living labs. So universities can serve as innovation intermediaries by establishing testbeds in environmental for community-focused solutions. Examples include incubating social solidarity economy models. Thank you.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much. Well done. Let me get a view from a gender perspective. Baratang Pil, please. Thank you. You did well. Thank you, Makta. You’re going to give me two minutes.

Speaker 5: I want three. You know, women are always silenced. I need three. You have one minute. Okay. I’m just going to push what the African women in digital policy network have been pushing for, which is a gender-responsive revision of WSIS action line number seven. And for them, what they’re saying, which is like I think what most women, we are agreeing with that, is that there should be gender audits for tech policies to make sure that, like Sispalisa said, there is that follow-up. You can’t come up with a policy and not follow-up of whether these gender achievements are being made. And there was this broad policy frameworks that were discussed, and they weren’t specific into how gender is going to be balanced and achieved. The second part of it is that they are talking about quotas for women-led SMMEs. The most growing thing in the tech space is entrepreneurship and business. And at the moment, we only have 2% of funding going to women. That is not acceptable. And that can be addressed at policy level as a framework. And what they’re saying is that the quotas for women-led tech entrepreneurs, we should allocate 30% of national AI and DPI funding to women entrepreneurs. I know that’s a big statement. But in South Africa, it is achieved. South Africa is getting in trouble for saying 30% of the business you’re doing should be allocated to black people. And it’s because we are addressing the past of our country. So, at global level, if we were to address gender issues, we need to address issues by specific quotas. I used to be afraid when people say to me, you are put there because you are a black person. You know what I do nowadays? If somebody says you are there because Magda likes you or you are black, I like it. Because he used some form of a measurement, he audited, and he put a person that’s relevant for that position. So, I think we should start being proud of saying, and being accurate as women, saying we need that 30%. We need audits. We need to hold our governments accountable. And that should come through the framework of WSIS.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much. Gender issue is very important for inclusion, for this WSIS process, and also this ICT policy development. Now, we talk about WSIS. We have several frameworks across the world. The last one, it is a global digital compact. Now, the discussion is how to align global digital compact and WSIS. I’m going to give the floor to my colleague from UN Emerging Technology Office, Philippe Roux, for two minutes. Yeah, come, come. One minute. Two minutes.

Philippe Roux: I’ll start the timer. Merci beaucoup, Magda. I’ve been asked to bring the international perspective, so I’m going to do what Italians do best, move my hands a lot and talk in very abstract terms. We need to move, both in WSIS and the global digital compact, from correlation to causation. That is, we need to implement what has not been implemented in the WSIS framework, and I’m thinking about connectivity. Because connectivity, yes, we did a huge leap forward in terms of how many people are connected, but we need to work not only on the supply side, but on the demand side. In a lot of parts of the world, including Africa, people are not connected, not because the territories are not covered by 3G or by other connectivity or by cable, but because it costs too much and people don’t have the demand side to access connectivity. So this is my first of three points. First, implement the WSIS agenda on digital skills, on connectivity. Point number two, we have the global digital compact. The global digital compact covers a lot of areas that are super relevant for the African continent, for the entire world. Artificial intelligence, data governance and how to redistribute the value of data, where it’s created, digital public infrastructure, digital public goods. We have that framework, let’s implement it. We don’t have to renegotiate what’s already been agreed under the leadership of Zambia and of Sweden. Last point, IGF, NRIs, national regional initiatives have been mentioned, and I was delighted to be virtually in Cotonou at the last meeting. Use that to implement some of the objectives of the global digital compact and of WSIS and rely on the stakeholders in your own countries.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much, thank you. Thank you, Filippo. Now let’s open the floor. One minute for the audience. If you want the floor, quickly, one minute.

Audience: I’ll just pick up on what Jameson was saying. We really need to have on the level of the countries a review of the WSIS Plus 20 and then share challenges, share best practices. It is very important for us to learn from each other. We should not recreate the wheel and we should not just learn from the North. We need to learn from the South, the good experience and to implement it. Thank you very much.

Mactar Seck: Thank you, another one. Adil, you don’t want to say something?

Audience: Okay, so thank you very much, my friend, Makta. Basically, this is Adil from the African Union Commission. I want to talk about some continental initiatives towards the implementation of WSIS. There is the African Digital Compact, which was approved recently. Out of it, this year we are going to develop some projects with our international partner to implement. AI strategy, also we developed an AI strategy. PRIDA, Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa, it has an IG component. We will continue helping countries in terms of IG training and also creating IG processes in the countries. Finally, I want to speak about the process, how we are going to end the WSIS process. We are going to formalize the process through our ministerial committee meeting, so that it has more acceptance, more approval. Thank you very much.

Mactar Seck: Thank you, Adil. Mary.

Audience: Thank you very much for calling me, although I came in late. But the truth is that we just have to convince our multistakeholders within our continent that it is important. important that the mandate of the IGF is renewed. So it is left for you, when you get back to your country, to do, if you want to do a prep, do a prep. It might not be, you know, physical. You can do online prep. That’s what we are thinking about in Nigeria, for instance. Can we do an online prep in such a way that we get our ministers that will negotiate, our ambassadors that will negotiate this process, to understand that it is key that the mandate of the IGF be renewed, even permanently. Thank you. Thank you. Honourable Elashmo, as chair of Zimbabwe, one minute, please. Thank you very much, Martha and Dr. Seck, and thank you very much, everybody, for coming today to listen to the WSIS process that we have in Africa. And I think the collaboration we’ve seen that has been done, and I think you’ve heard what Tanzania has done, you’ve heard what other countries like Nigeria, et cetera. So I think the more we share what we do, the better for all of us. Because, see, the collaboration that we need to do as an African continent, because we know there are basics that actually is an issue, and that is connectivity and infrastructure. So the moment we share more and more, I think that’s going to help us a lot to ensure that we understand some of the issues that are experienced by Tanzania or by Rwanda or Gambia, and we can build on that. So thank you very much for coming and for sharing what you have done. Thank you.

Mactar Seck: Thank you. Come, come, quickly. Where is Togo? Is it on? Togo.

Audience: Hello. Maxence Merrow from Tanzania. While I appreciate what our governments in Africa are doing, there’s a lot that is being done by big tech targeting our continent, especially Africa, be it whomever you may mention. Let’s think local. Let’s strategically collaborate. Let’s not have fears about AI. Let’s work together. Let’s innovate together. Let’s promote local innovations and make sure that you work with them and you do not discourage them from doing innovations. Wisdom. Thank you.

Mactar Seck: The last one, eh? Thank you very much.

Wisdom Donkor: My name is Wisdom Donkor. I’m the Executive Director for Ghana Domain Name Registry. So all that I’ll say is that we shouldn’t forget the fact that everything we talk about, cyber security, passes through the DNS. So let’s make sure we make the DNS very resilient in Africa and also introduce more exchange points.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much. I want to have a perspective from you. Come, come quickly. No, you have to wait. We have one minute. One minute. One minute. Thank you very much.

Lou Gray: My name is Louvo Gray from the South African Internet Governance Forum and the Chairperson of the Youth Internet Governance Forum. So colleagues, as a continent, we need about $100 billion in order for us to close the digital divide in the continent. So as we review the WSIS-20, let us think of ways of how do we collaborate as a bloc in order for us to be able to connect the next $1 billion by 2030. How does South Africa, how does Tanzania, how does Gambia, how does Zimbabwe? How do we sit in one room and figure out how do we raise this $100 billion? And I think the discussion starts here. Let’s make it happen. Thank you.

Mactar Seck: Thank you very much. We have to raise $100 million for the infrastructure gap. It’s very important. But you should know also this digital economy can create 230 million jobs by 2030. And it is possible for Africa to get it. If you work together, if you develop urbanized policy, if you build the capacity of digital skills for the youth generation, if you make sure we protect our digital era, also this collaboration is key. We have to work all together, government, private sector, civil society, academia, and also we need to involve all parts of the continent. People with disability, youth, women, and all should be inclusive of this digital technology if you want Africa to be a leader in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Because why we can be a leader? Because we have our youth generation, this digital dividend is very important for Africa. At the beginning I said by 2050, 42% of the world population should be, 42% of the youth population should be African. And we have this opportunity. We have to take it. And we have the knowledge. We have very smart youth generation. And we can take opportunity of this. Thank you very much for that. Let’s have a family picture. Where is the photograph? Tomorrow we have a session also. We invite you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Agreement points

Need for multi-stakeholder engagement and inclusive participation

Speakers

– Mactar Seck
– Speaker 3
– Jimson Odufuye
– Audience

Arguments

All stakeholders should be part of this process, which means we talk about policy and strategy, how we develop our policy and strategy at the national level and at the continental level

Multi-stakeholder frameworks need legitimacy with clear guidelines for engagement processes, collaboration from beginning to end, and local-level participation beyond elite gatherings

Private sector participation in WSIS reviews is excellent at continental level through UNECA, but national-level reviews are lacking and need regular annual implementation

The IGF mandate should be renewed permanently, requiring preparation and education of ministers and ambassadors who will negotiate this process

Summary

All speakers agree that WSIS implementation requires inclusive multi-stakeholder participation involving government, private sector, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders at all levels

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Importance of national-level WSIS reviews and implementation

Speakers

– Jimson Odufuye
– Audience

Arguments

Private sector participation in WSIS reviews is excellent at continental level through UNECA, but national-level reviews are lacking and need regular annual implementation

Focus should be on local innovation and strategic collaboration rather than relying on big tech companies targeting Africa

Summary

Speakers emphasize the critical need for countries to conduct regular national WSIS reviews beyond continental-level assessments

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Need for collaboration and experience sharing among African countries

Speakers

– Audience
– Lou Gray

Arguments

Zimbabwe emphasizes the importance of sharing experiences and collaboration among African countries to address connectivity and infrastructure challenges

Africa needs $100 billion investment to close the digital divide and connect the next billion people by 2030, requiring continental collaboration

Summary

African countries must work together, share best practices, and collaborate to address common digital infrastructure and connectivity challenges

Topics

Infrastructure | Development | Economic

Similar viewpoints

Infrastructure development and connectivity remain critical challenges requiring comprehensive approaches that address both technical coverage and accessibility/affordability issues

Speakers

– Speaker 1
– Philippe Roux
– Lou Gray

Arguments

Tanzania developed a 10-year National Digital Strategic Framework with six pillars including digital infrastructure, governance, and digital literacy, achieving 78% national coverage with broadband infrastructure

Implementation must address both supply and demand sides of connectivity, as people often lack access due to cost rather than coverage gaps

Africa needs $100 billion investment to close the digital divide and connect the next billion people by 2030, requiring continental collaboration

Topics

Infrastructure | Development | Economic

Evidence-based policy making and systematic monitoring mechanisms are essential for effective WSIS implementation and digital development

Speakers

– Speaker 2
– Speaker 4
– Audience

Arguments

Benin hosted the WSIS+20 Africa review and adopted the Cotonou Declaration establishing accountability mechanisms including an African Digital Performance Index

Universities should establish digital policy research hubs for evidence-based policy formulation and develop curricula addressing digital skills gaps, as 45% of Africans lack basic digital skills

African Union developed continental initiatives including the African Digital Compact, AI strategy, and PRIDA program to support countries with internet governance training

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Current frameworks lack adequate accountability mechanisms and need specific measures to ensure inclusive participation and measurable outcomes

Speakers

– Speaker 3
– Speaker 5

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder frameworks need legitimacy with clear guidelines for engagement processes, collaboration from beginning to end, and local-level participation beyond elite gatherings

WSIS action line 7 needs gender-responsive revision with mandatory gender audits for tech policies and 30% allocation of national AI and DPI funding to women entrepreneurs

Topics

Development | Human rights principles | Gender rights online

Unexpected consensus

Integration rather than replacement of existing frameworks

Speakers

– Philippe Roux
– Mactar Seck

Arguments

Need to align WSIS with Global Digital Compact by implementing existing agreements on AI, data governance, and digital public infrastructure rather than renegotiating

Multiple frameworks exist (WSIS, Global Digital Compact, AU Digital Transformation Strategy) requiring coordinated monitoring to identify gaps and corrections

Explanation

Despite having multiple competing frameworks, speakers unexpectedly agreed on harmonizing and implementing existing agreements rather than creating new ones or choosing between them

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Specific quota-based approaches for inclusion

Speakers

– Speaker 5
– Audience

Arguments

WSIS action line 7 needs gender-responsive revision with mandatory gender audits for tech policies and 30% allocation of national AI and DPI funding to women entrepreneurs

Focus should be on local innovation and strategic collaboration rather than relying on big tech companies targeting Africa

Explanation

Unexpected consensus emerged around using specific numerical targets and quotas as policy tools, moving beyond general inclusion rhetoric to concrete measurable commitments

Topics

Human rights | Gender rights online | Development | Economic

Overall assessment

Summary

Strong consensus exists around multi-stakeholder engagement, need for national-level implementation, continental collaboration, and evidence-based policy making. Speakers agree on infrastructure challenges and the importance of coordinating multiple existing frameworks rather than creating new ones.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with constructive alignment on implementation approaches. The agreement suggests a mature understanding of WSIS challenges and realistic pathways forward, with implications for successful continental coordination of digital development initiatives and effective resource mobilization for the $100 billion infrastructure investment needed.

Different viewpoints

Implementation approach – top-down vs bottom-up engagement

Speakers

– Speaker 3
– Jimson Odufuye

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder frameworks need legitimacy with clear guidelines for engagement processes, collaboration from beginning to end, and local-level participation beyond elite gatherings

Private sector participation in WSIS reviews is excellent at continental level through UNECA, but national-level reviews are lacking and need regular annual implementation

Summary

Speaker 3 emphasizes the need for grassroots engagement and local-level participation, criticizing elite-focused consultations, while Jimson focuses on strengthening institutional frameworks through regular national-level reviews and formal processes

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Innovation strategy – local vs global integration

Speakers

– Audience
– Philippe Roux

Arguments

Focus should be on local innovation and strategic collaboration rather than relying on big tech companies targeting Africa

Need to align WSIS with Global Digital Compact by implementing existing agreements on AI, data governance, and digital public infrastructure rather than renegotiating

Summary

One audience member advocates for local innovation and resistance to big tech influence, while Philippe Roux emphasizes implementing existing global frameworks and international agreements

Topics

Economic | Development | Legal and regulatory

Unexpected differences

Gender quota implementation approach

Speakers

– Speaker 5

Arguments

WSIS action line 7 needs gender-responsive revision with mandatory gender audits for tech policies and 30% allocation of national AI and DPI funding to women entrepreneurs

Explanation

Speaker 5’s aggressive stance on mandatory gender quotas and her explicit embrace of affirmative action (‘I like it when someone says you are there because you are black’) represents an unexpectedly bold position that other speakers did not directly address or challenge, creating a notable gap in discussion

Topics

Human rights | Gender rights online | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows relatively low levels of direct disagreement, with most conflicts being methodological rather than substantive. Main areas of disagreement center on implementation approaches (top-down vs grassroots), innovation strategies (local vs global), and engagement mechanisms (institutional vs participatory)

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level with constructive implications – the differences appear to be complementary rather than contradictory, suggesting that a comprehensive approach incorporating multiple perspectives could strengthen WSIS implementation in Africa

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Infrastructure development and connectivity remain critical challenges requiring comprehensive approaches that address both technical coverage and accessibility/affordability issues

Speakers

– Speaker 1
– Philippe Roux
– Lou Gray

Arguments

Tanzania developed a 10-year National Digital Strategic Framework with six pillars including digital infrastructure, governance, and digital literacy, achieving 78% national coverage with broadband infrastructure

Implementation must address both supply and demand sides of connectivity, as people often lack access due to cost rather than coverage gaps

Africa needs $100 billion investment to close the digital divide and connect the next billion people by 2030, requiring continental collaboration

Topics

Infrastructure | Development | Economic

Evidence-based policy making and systematic monitoring mechanisms are essential for effective WSIS implementation and digital development

Speakers

– Speaker 2
– Speaker 4
– Audience

Arguments

Benin hosted the WSIS+20 Africa review and adopted the Cotonou Declaration establishing accountability mechanisms including an African Digital Performance Index

Universities should establish digital policy research hubs for evidence-based policy formulation and develop curricula addressing digital skills gaps, as 45% of Africans lack basic digital skills

African Union developed continental initiatives including the African Digital Compact, AI strategy, and PRIDA program to support countries with internet governance training

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Current frameworks lack adequate accountability mechanisms and need specific measures to ensure inclusive participation and measurable outcomes

Speakers

– Speaker 3
– Speaker 5

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder frameworks need legitimacy with clear guidelines for engagement processes, collaboration from beginning to end, and local-level participation beyond elite gatherings

WSIS action line 7 needs gender-responsive revision with mandatory gender audits for tech policies and 30% allocation of national AI and DPI funding to women entrepreneurs

Topics

Development | Human rights principles | Gender rights online

Key takeaways

Africa has made significant progress in digital connectivity since 2005, growing from 2.6% to 38% continental connectivity, but substantial gaps remain requiring $100 billion investment to close the digital divide by 2030

The Cotonou Declaration was adopted establishing accountability mechanisms including an African Digital Performance Index to measure progress across broadband connectivity, digital skills, cybersecurity and inclusion

Multi-stakeholder engagement works well at continental level through UNECA but is lacking at national levels – countries need to conduct regular annual WSIS reviews with all stakeholders involved

Africa has a significant demographic advantage with 42% of global youth population expected to be African by 2050, representing a major opportunity for digital transformation and job creation (230 million jobs possible by 2030)

Multiple digital frameworks exist (WSIS, Global Digital Compact, AU Digital Transformation Strategy) that need coordinated implementation rather than renegotiation

Gender inclusion requires specific policy interventions including mandatory gender audits for tech policies and 30% allocation of AI/DPI funding to women entrepreneurs

Local innovation and continental collaboration should be prioritized over dependence on big tech companies targeting Africa

Resolutions and action items

Countries should conduct national WSIS reviews regularly and annually, following South Africa’s example

Establish multi-stakeholder frameworks with clear guidelines for engagement processes and legitimacy at local levels

Implement gender audits for tech policies and allocate 30% of national AI and DPI funding to women entrepreneurs

African Union to formalize WSIS process through ministerial committee meetings for greater acceptance and approval

Develop online preparation platforms for countries to educate ministers and ambassadors on IGF mandate renewal

Universities should establish digital policy research hubs and develop curricula addressing digital skills gaps

Focus on making DNS infrastructure more resilient and introduce more internet exchange points across Africa

Countries should collaborate as a bloc to raise the $100 billion needed for infrastructure investment

Unresolved issues

How to effectively coordinate and monitor multiple overlapping digital frameworks without duplication

Specific mechanisms for ensuring local-level participation beyond elite gatherings in major cities

Concrete strategies for raising the $100 billion needed for infrastructure investment

How to address the demand-side barriers to connectivity beyond just infrastructure coverage

Implementation details for the African Digital Performance Index and standardized data collection systems

Specific timelines and accountability measures for the various action items proposed

How to balance local innovation promotion with necessary international partnerships and investments

Suggested compromises

Use online platforms for national WSIS preparations when physical meetings are not feasible

Combine multiple review processes to avoid consultation fatigue while maintaining stakeholder engagement

Leverage existing IGF national and regional initiatives to implement Global Digital Compact and WSIS objectives rather than creating new structures

Focus on implementing existing agreed frameworks rather than renegotiating new ones

The challenge is at the national level. So we need to have WSIS review at the national level… An important part of WSIS review is so that we can fulfill the sustainable development goal. We can achieve it by 2030. But if we cannot measure this progress, how can we know when we will attain it?

Speaker

Jimson Odufuye (Private Sector)

Reason

This comment was insightful because it identified a critical gap between continental-level policy discussions and national-level implementation. Jimson highlighted the fundamental issue that without measurement mechanisms at the national level, progress toward SDGs becomes unmeasurable and potentially unachievable.

Impact

This comment shifted the discussion from celebrating continental frameworks to acknowledging implementation gaps. It prompted subsequent speakers to focus more on practical implementation challenges and the need for accountability mechanisms, influencing the overall tone toward more concrete action-oriented solutions.

So my take is that once we’ve consulted, those priority areas, we need to implement them in collaboration… once we have these structures, these multi-stakeholder structures, then from beginning to end, you are engaging people, you work in collaboration. It’s not just one silo.

Speaker

Speaker 3 (South Africa)

Reason

This comment was thought-provoking because it challenged the consultation-heavy approach that dominates policy processes. The speaker pointed out the futility of endless consultations without meaningful implementation and collaboration, addressing a systemic issue in policy development.

Impact

This observation deepened the conversation by introducing the concept of consultation fatigue and the need for structural change in how multi-stakeholder engagement occurs. It influenced subsequent discussions about accountability and the need for legitimate frameworks with clear guidelines for engagement.

We need to move, both in WSIS and the global digital compact, from correlation to causation… people are not connected, not because the territories are not covered by 3G or by other connectivity or by cable, but because it costs too much and people don’t have the demand side to access connectivity.

Speaker

Philippe Roux (UN Emerging Technology Office)

Reason

This comment was particularly insightful because it challenged the assumption that infrastructure coverage equals connectivity success. By distinguishing between supply-side achievements and demand-side barriers, it introduced a more nuanced understanding of the connectivity challenge in Africa.

Impact

This reframing shifted the discussion from celebrating infrastructure statistics to acknowledging affordability and demand-side barriers. It added analytical depth to the conversation and influenced the focus toward implementation rather than just policy frameworks.

I’m just going to push what the African women in digital policy network have been pushing for, which is a gender-responsive revision of WSIS action line number seven… we need that 30%. We need audits. We need to hold our governments accountable.

Speaker

Speaker 5 (Baratang – Gender Perspective)

Reason

This comment was thought-provoking because it moved beyond general inclusivity rhetoric to propose specific, measurable interventions. The speaker’s advocacy for concrete quotas and audits challenged the audience to move from aspirational language to actionable commitments.

Impact

This intervention introduced urgency and specificity to the gender discussion, moving it from abstract principles to concrete policy proposals. It demonstrated how marginalized voices can push for accountability mechanisms and influenced the conversation toward more measurable outcomes.

So colleagues, as a continent, we need about $100 billion in order for us to close the digital divide in the continent… How do we sit in one room and figure out how do we raise this $100 billion?

Speaker

Lou Gray (Youth representative)

Reason

This comment was insightful because it quantified the challenge and reframed the discussion from policy frameworks to resource mobilization. The youth perspective brought urgency and practical focus to what had been largely procedural discussions.

Impact

This comment served as a reality check that grounded the entire discussion in financial realities. It shifted the conversation toward collaborative resource mobilization and practical implementation, influencing Mactar Seck’s closing remarks about the potential for job creation and economic opportunities.

Overall assessment

These key comments collectively transformed the discussion from a celebratory review of policy frameworks to a more critical examination of implementation gaps and practical challenges. The conversation evolved through three phases: initial presentations of achievements, critical analysis of systemic gaps (prompted by Jimson and the South African speaker), and finally toward concrete solutions and resource mobilization (influenced by Philippe, Baratang, and Lou Gray). The most impactful comments challenged assumptions, introduced specificity where there had been generalities, and pushed for accountability mechanisms. This created a more honest and action-oriented dialogue that moved beyond diplomatic pleasantries to address real barriers to digital transformation in Africa.

How can African countries implement regular national-level WSIS reviews?

Speaker

Jimson Odufuye

Explanation

He emphasized that while UNECA does excellent continental reviews, the challenge is at the national level, and countries need to conduct their own WSIS reviews to measure progress toward SDG 2030

How can we establish multi-stakeholder frameworks with legitimacy and clear guidelines for engagement?

Speaker

Speaker 3 (South Africa)

Explanation

She stressed the need for frameworks that define who gets engaged when and how, with proper processes for inclusivity, accountability and transparency

How can we ensure engagement reaches the local level and include voices of people left behind?

Speaker

Speaker 3 (South Africa)

Explanation

She highlighted that current engagement doesn’t reach grassroots level and questioned how governments can foster communication at local levels

How can we create feedback mechanisms for people not part of formal multi-stakeholder structures?

Speaker

Speaker 3 (South Africa)

Explanation

She suggested need for online platforms where everyone can make their voice heard, even if not part of formal engagement structures

How can we implement gender audits for tech policies to ensure follow-up on gender achievements?

Speaker

Speaker 5 (Baratang)

Explanation

She advocated for gender-responsive revision of WSIS action line 7 and systematic auditing to ensure gender balance is achieved in tech policies

How can we address the demand side of connectivity, not just supply side coverage?

Speaker

Philippe Roux

Explanation

He noted that people aren’t connected not due to lack of coverage but because connectivity costs too much and there’s insufficient demand-side access

How can African countries collaborate as a bloc to raise $100 billion needed to close the digital divide?

Speaker

Lou Gray

Explanation

He emphasized the need for continental collaboration to connect the next billion people by 2030 and questioned how countries can work together to raise necessary funding

How can we make DNS more resilient in Africa and introduce more exchange points?

Speaker

Wisdom Donkor

Explanation

He highlighted that all cybersecurity issues pass through DNS, making DNS resilience and more exchange points critical for African digital infrastructure

How can we formalize the WSIS process through ministerial committee meetings for greater acceptance?

Speaker

Adil (African Union Commission)

Explanation

He mentioned plans to formalize the WSIS process through ministerial committees to gain more acceptance and approval at continental level

How can we convince stakeholders that IGF mandate renewal is important and potentially permanent?

Speaker

Mary

Explanation

She emphasized the need to educate ministers and ambassadors who will negotiate about the importance of renewing the Internet Governance Forum mandate