WSIS prepares for Geneva as momentum builds for impactful digital governance

As preparations intensify for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) high-level event, scheduled for 7–11 July in Geneva, stakeholders from across sectors gathered at the Internet Governance Forum in Norway to reflect on WSIS’s evolution and map a shared path forward.

The session, moderated by Gitanjali Sah of ITU, brought together over a dozen speakers from governments, UN agencies, civil society, and the technical and business communities.

The event is crucial, marking two decades since the WSIS process began. It has grown into a multistakeholder framework involving more than 50 UN entities. While the action lines offer a structured and inclusive approach to digital cooperation, participants acknowledged that measurement and implementation remain the weakest links.

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WSIS prepares for Geneva as momentum builds for impactful digital governance 3

Ambassador Thomas Schneider of Switzerland—co-host of the upcoming high-level event—called for a shift from discussion to decision-making. “Dialogue is necessary but not sufficient,” he stated. “We must ensure these voices translate into outcomes.” Echoing this, South Africa’s representative, Cynthia, reaffirmed her country’s leadership as chair-designate of the event and its commitment to inclusive governance via its G20 presidency focus on AI, digital public infrastructure, and small business support.

UNDP’s Yu Ping Chan shared insights from the field: “Capacity building remains the number one request from governments. It’s not a new principle—it has been central since WSIS began.” She cited UNDP’s work on the Hamburg Declaration on responsible AI and AI ecosystem development in Africa as examples of translating global dialogue into national action.

Tatevik Grigoryan from UNESCO emphasised the enduring value of WSIS’s human rights-based foundations. “We continue to facilitate action lines on access to information, e-learning, and media ethics,” she said, encouraging engagement with UNESCO’s ROMEX framework as a tool for ethical, inclusive digital societies.

Veni from ICANN reinforced the technical community’s role, expressing hope that the WSIS Forum would be formally recognised in the UN’s review documents. “We must not overlook the forum’s contributions. Multistakeholder governance remains essential,” he insisted.

Representing the FAO, Dejan Jakovljević reminded participants that 700 million people remain undernourished. “Digital transformation in agriculture is vital. But farmers without connectivity are left behind,” he said, highlighting the WSIS framework’s role in fostering collaboration across sectors.

Anriette Esterhuysen of APC called civil society to embrace WSIS as a complementary forum to the IGF. “WSIS gives us a policy and implementation framework. It’s not just about talk—it’s about tools we can use at the national level.”

The Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Andy Richardson underscored parliaments’ dual role: advancing innovation while protecting citizens. Meli from the International Chamber of Commerce pointed to business engagement through AI-related workshops and discussions on strengthening multi-stakeholders.

Gitanjali Sah acknowledged past successes but urged continued ambition. “We were very ambitious in 1998—and we must be again,” she said. Still, she noted a persistent challenge: “We lack clear indicators to measure WSIS action line progress. That’s a gap we must close.”

The upcoming Geneva event will feature 67 ministers, 72 WSIS champions, and a youth programme alongside the AI for Good summit. Delegates were encouraged to submit input to the UN review process by 15 July and to participate in shaping a WSIS future that is more measurable, inclusive, and action-oriented.

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Verizon and Nokia secure UK contract

Verizon and Nokia have partnered to deliver private 5G networks at Thames Freeport in the UK. The networks will support industrial operations with high-speed, reliable connectivity, enabling AI, automation, and real-time data processing.

The UK contract is part of a broader multibillion-dollar transformation of the region. Nokia will provide all hardware and software, powering major sites, including DP World London Gateway and Ford’s Dagenham plant.

Preparations for 6G are already underway, with Nokia expecting commercial rollout by late 2029. The technology promises enhanced AI capabilities, improved device battery life, and efficient spectrum sharing with 5G.

Thanks to advanced spectrum management features, the transition between 5G and 6G is expected to be smooth. Both networks will operate simultaneously without interference, supporting the next industrial and consumer technology generation.

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Taiwan leads in AI election defence efforts

Taiwan has been chosen to lead a new coalition formed by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems to strengthen democratic resilience against AI-driven disinformation. The AI Advisory Group on Elections will unite policymakers and experts to address AI’s role in protecting fair elections.

The island’s experience has made it a key voice in global AI governance as it counters sophisticated disinformation campaigns linked to authoritarian regimes. Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador, Audrey Tang, stressed that AI must serve the greater good and help build accountable digital societies.

Taiwan has developed rapid response and civic fact-checking tools that many democracies now look to adopt. These measures helped ensure the integrity of its recent elections despite unprecedented levels of AI-generated disinformation and cyberattacks.

Global democracies are urged to learn from Taiwan’s playbook as threats evolve, and the influence of AI on elections grows. Taiwan’s success shows that resilience can be achieved without sacrificing civil liberties.

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Bosch calls for balanced AI rules in Europe

Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung has cautioned that Europe could slow its progress in AI by imposing too many regulations. Speaking at a tech conference in Stuttgart, he argued that strict and unclear rules make the region less attractive for innovation.

Bosch, which holds the most significant number of AI patents in Europe, plans to invest 2.5 billion euros in AI development by the end of 2027. The company is focusing on AI solutions for autonomous vehicles and industrial efficiency.

Hartung urged lawmakers to focus on essential regulations rather than attempting to control every aspect of technological progress. He warned that over-regulation could hinder Europe’s global competitiveness, particularly as the US and the EU ramp up AI investments.

The warning follows significant funding announcements, with the US committing up to 500 billion dollars and the EU planning to mobilise 200 billion euros for AI infrastructure.

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AI governance debated at IGF 2025: Global cooperation meets local needs

At the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway, an expert panel convened to examine the growing complexity of artificial intelligence governance. The discussion, moderated by Kathleen Ziemann from the German development agency GIZ and Guilherme Canela of UNESCO, featured a rich exchange between government officials, private sector leaders, civil society voices, and multilateral organisations.

The session highlighted how AI governance is becoming a crowded yet fragmented space, shaped by overlapping frameworks such as the OECD AI Principles, the EU AI Act, UNESCO’s recommendations on AI ethics, and various national and regional strategies. While these efforts reflect progress, they also pose challenges in terms of coordination, coherence, and inclusivity.

IGF session highlights urgent need for democratic resilience online

Melinda Claybaugh, Director of Privacy Policy at Meta, noted the abundance of governance initiatives but warned of disagreements over how AI risks should be measured. ‘We’re at an inflection point,’ she said, calling for more balanced conversations that include not just safety concerns but also the benefits and opportunities AI brings. She argued for transparency in risk assessments and suggested that existing regulatory structures could be adapted to new technologies rather than replaced.

In response, Jhalak Kakkar, Executive Director at India’s Centre for Communication Governance, urged caution against what she termed a ‘false dichotomy’ between innovation and regulation. ‘We need to start building governance from the beginning, not after harms appear,’ she stressed, calling for socio-technical impact assessments and meaningful civil society participation. Kakkar advocated for multi-stakeholder governance that moves beyond formality to real influence.

Mlindi Mashologu, Deputy Director-General at South Africa’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Technology, highlighted the importance of context-aware regulation. ‘There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to AI,’ he said. Mashologu outlined South Africa’s efforts through its G20 presidency to reduce AI-driven inequality via a new policy toolkit, stressing human rights, data justice, and environmental sustainability as core principles. He also called for capacity-building to enable the Global South to shape its own AI future.

Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of the Diplo Foundation, brought a philosophical lens to the discussion, questioning the dominance of ‘data’ in governance frameworks. ‘AI is fundamentally about knowledge, not just data,’ he argued. Kurbalija warned against the monopolisation of human knowledge and advocated for stronger safeguards to ensure fair attribution and decentralisation.

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The need for transparency, explainability, and inclusive governance remained central themes. Participants explored whether traditional laws—on privacy, competition, and intellectual property—are sufficient or whether new instruments are needed to address AI’s novel challenges.

Audience members added urgency to the discussion. Anna from Mexican digital rights group R3D raised concerns about AI’s environmental toll and extractive infrastructure practices in the Global South. Pilar Rodriguez, youth coordinator for the IGF in Spain, questioned how AI governance could avoid fragmentation while still respecting regional sovereignty.

The session concluded with a call for common-sense, human-centric AI governance. ‘Let’s demystify AI—but still enjoy its magic,’ said Kurbalija, reflecting the spirit of hopeful realism that permeated the discussion. Panelists agreed that while many AI risks remain unclear, global collaboration rooted in human rights, transparency, and local empowerment offers the most promising path forward.

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Advancing digital identity in Africa while safeguarding sovereignty

A pivotal discussion on digital identity and sovereignty in developing countries unfolded at the Internet Governance Forum 2025 in Norway.

The session, co-hosted by CityHub and AFICTA (Africa ICT Alliance), brought together experts from Africa, Asia, and Europe to explore how digital identity systems can foster inclusion, support cross-border services, and remain anchored in national sovereignty.

Speakers emphasised that digital identity is foundational for bridging the digital divide and fostering economic development. Dr Jimson Olufuye, Chair of AFICTA, stressed the existential nature of identity in the digital age, noting, ‘If you cannot identify anybody, it means the person does not exist.’ He linked identity inclusion directly to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) action lines and the Global Digital Compact goals.

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Several national examples were presented. From Nigeria, Abisoye Coker-Adusote, Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), shared how the country’s National Identification Number (NIN) has been integrated into banking, education, telecoms, and census services. ‘We’ve linked NINs from birth to ensure lifelong digital access,’ she noted, adding that biometric verification now underpins school enrolments, student loans, and credit programmes.

Representing Benin, Dr Kossi Amessinou highlighted the country’s ‘It’s Me’ card, a digital ID facilitating visa-free travel within ECOWAS. He underscored the importance of data localisation, asserting, ‘Data centres should be located within Africa to maintain sovereignty.’

Technical insights came from Debora Comparin, co-founder of CityHub, and Naohiro Fujie, Chair of the OpenID Foundation Japan. Comparison called for preserving the privacy characteristics of physical documents in digital forms and stressed the need for legal harmonisation to build trust across borders.

No digital identity system can work without mutual trust and clarity on issuance procedures,’ she said. Fujie shared Japan’s experience transitioning to digital credentials, including the country’s recent rollout of national ID cards via Apple Wallet, noting that domestic standards should evolve with global interoperability in mind.

Tor Alvik, from Norway’s Digitisation Agency, explained how cross-border digital identity remains a challenge even among closely aligned Nordic countries. ‘The linkage of a person’s identity between two systems is one of the hardest problems,’ he admitted, describing Norway’s regional interoperability efforts through the EU’s eIDAS framework.

Panelists agreed on key themes: digital identities must be secure, inclusive, and flexible to accommodate countries at varying digital readiness levels. They also advocated for federated data systems that protect sovereignty while enabling cooperation. Dr Olufuye proposed forming regional working groups to assess interoperability frameworks and track progress between IGF sessions.

As a forward step, several pilot programmes were proposed—pairing countries like Nigeria with neighbours Cameroon or Niger—to test cross-border digital ID systems. These initiatives, supported by tools and frameworks from CityHub, aim to lay the groundwork for a truly interoperable digital identity landscape across Africa and beyond.

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SpaceX rocket carries first quantum satellite into space

A groundbreaking quantum leap has taken place in space exploration. The world’s first photonic quantum computer has successfully entered orbit aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 14 mission.

Launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 23 June, the quantum device was developed by an international research team led by physicist Philip Walther of the University of Vienna.

The miniature quantum computer, designed to withstand harsh space conditions, is now orbiting 550 kilometres above Earth. It was part of a 70-payload cargo, including microsatellites and re-entry capsules.

Uniquely, the system performs ‘edge computing’, processing data like wildfire detection directly on board rather than transmitting raw information to Earth. The innovation drastically reduces energy use and improves response time.

Assembled in just 11 working days by a 12-person team at the German Aerospace Center in Trauen, the quantum processor is expected to transmit its first results within a week of reaching orbit.

The project’s success marks a significant milestone in quantum space technology, opening the door to further experiments in fundamental physics and applied sciences.

The Transporter 14 mission also deployed satellites from Capella Space, Starfish Space, and Varda Space, among others. Following its 26th successful flight, the Falcon 9 rocket safely landed on a Pacific Ocean platform after a nearly two-hour satellite deployment.

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Microsoft and OpenAI revisit investment deal

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman revealed that he had a conversation with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Monday to discuss the future of their partnership.

Speaking on a New York Times podcast, Altman described the dialogue as part of ongoing efforts to align on the evolving nature of their collaboration.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft — OpenAI’s primary backer — and the AI firm are in discussions to revise the terms of their investment. Topics under negotiation reportedly include Microsoft’s future equity stake in OpenAI.

According to the Financial Times, Microsoft is weighing whether to pause the talks if the two parties cannot resolve key issues. Neither Microsoft nor OpenAI responded to media requests for comment outside regular business hours.

‘Obviously, in any deep partnership, there are points of tension, and we certainly have those,’ Altman said. ‘But on the whole, it’s been wonderfully good for both companies.’

Altman also commented on his recent discussions with United States President Donald Trump regarding AI. He noted that Trump appeared to grasp the technology’s broader geopolitical and economic significance.

In January, Trump announced Stargate — a proposed private sector initiative to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure — with potential backing from SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle.

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Global digital funding crisis takes centre stage at IGF 2025 session in Norway

At the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway, a pivotal session hosted by the APNIC Foundation gathered global experts to address widening digital funding gaps in the developing world.

The discussion spotlighted the shrinking resources for internet development just as 32% of the world’s population remains unconnected, mainly in the Global South.

Neeti Biyani, from the APNIC Foundation, opened the discussion by framing the urgency of transforming digital development into a vehicle for broader socioeconomic outcomes. ‘We need to shift our mindset from infrastructure delivery to meaningful transformation,’ she said, highlighting the need for collaboration beyond traditional donor-recipient models.

Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, Executive Director at the Tech Global Institute, warned of an ‘unhealthy tension between digital development and human rights,’ particularly as governments impose internet shutdowns while touting digital progress. ‘We’re not only leaving people unconnected, we’re actively disconnecting them,’ she said. Diya also called for communities to take greater ownership of digital transformation, moving beyond imposed solutions from the Global North.

Raj Singh, CEO of the APNIC Foundation, expressed concern over the persistent duplication of efforts in digital development. ‘We keep talking about collaboration, but the reality is, there’s very little of it,’ he observed. Singh called for a shift from capacity-building to capability-building and from output-based to outcome-based funding. ‘Without structural change and a supportive ecosystem, we’re just repeating old mistakes,’ he added.

Remy Friedmann of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs stressed that digital inclusion must be treated as a cross-sectoral development priority, not a standalone infrastructure issue. ‘Meaningful internet access is not a luxury—it’s fundamental for economic participation and resilience,’ he said.

GIZ’s Franz von Weizsäcker highlighted the challenges of maintaining development momentum amid declining official development assistance (ODA) and restrictive investment climates. He raised concerns about monopolised satellite infrastructure and the need for open ecosystems. ‘Without proper regulation and procurement capacity, many countries won’t benefit from connectivity, even if the cables are laid,’ he noted.

Speaking remotely, ICANN board director Maarten Botterman emphasised the need for local ownership and multistakeholder collaboration. ‘We can’t just push digital transformation down people’s throats. Local communities need to know what to ask for and be part of shaping it,’ he said.

The session also heard from audience members, including Molly Pugh-Jones from the Digital Health and Rights Project, who highlighted challenges in tracking donor investments and called for transparency in digital development funding. A Norwegian entrepreneur expressed frustration with market access barriers, reflecting a broader distrust of private sector actors in development contexts.

Participants agreed that digital development must become a collective effort driven by cooperation, accountability, and locally defined priorities. ‘We’ve solved harder problems before—think polio eradication,’ Diya concluded. ‘It’s time we applied the same collaborative ambition to digital inclusion.’

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EuroDIG outcomes shared at IGF 2025 session in Norway

At the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway, a high-level networking session was held to share key outcomes from the 18th edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG), which took place earlier this year from 12–14 May in Strasbourg, France. Hosted by the Council of Europe and supported by the Luxembourg Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Strasbourg conference centred on balancing innovation and regulation, strongly focusing on safeguarding human rights in digital policy.

Sandra Hoferichter, who moderated the session in Norway, opened by noting the symbolic significance of EuroDIG’s return to Strasbourg—the city where the forum began in 2008. She emphasised EuroDIG’s unique tradition of issuing “messages” as policy input, which IGF and other regional dialogues later adopted.

Swiss Ambassador Thomas Schneider, President of the EuroDIG Support Association, presented the community’s consolidated contributions to the WSIS+20 review process. “The multistakeholder model isn’t optional—it’s essential,” he said, adding that Europe strongly supports making the Internet Governance Forum a permanent institution rather than one renewed every decade. He called for a transparent and inclusive WSIS+20 process, warning against decisions being shaped behind closed diplomatic doors.

YouthDIG representative Frances Douglas Thomson shared insights from the youth-led sessions at EuroDIG. She described strong debates on digital literacy, particularly around the role of generative AI in schools. ‘Some see AI as a helpful assistant; others fear it diminishes critical thinking,’ she said. Content moderation also sparked division, with some young participants calling for vigorous enforcement against harmful content and others raising concerns about censorship. Common ground emerged around the need for greater algorithmic transparency so users understand how content is curated.

Hans Seeuws, business operations manager at EURid, emphasised the need for infrastructure providers to be heard in policy spaces. He supported calls for concrete action on AI governance and digital rights, stressing the importance of translating dialogue into implementation.

Chetan Sharma from the Data Mission Foundation Trust India questioned the practical impact of governance forums in humanitarian crises. Frances highlighted several EuroDIG sessions that tackled using autonomous weapons, internet shutdowns, and misinformation during conflicts. ‘Dialogue across stakeholders can shift how we understand digital conflict. That’s meaningful change,’ she noted.

A representative from Geneva Macro Labs challenged the panel to explain how internet policy can be effective when many governments lack technical literacy. Schneider replied that civil society, business, and academia must step in when public institutions fall short. ‘Democracy is not self-sustaining—it requires daily effort. The price of neglect is high,’ he cautioned.

Janice Richardson, an expert at the Council of Europe, asked how to widen youth participation. Frances praised YouthDIG’s accessible, bottom-up format and called for increased funding to help young people from underrepresented regions join discussions. ‘The more youth feel heard, the more they stay engaged,’ she said.

As the session closed, Hoferichter reminded attendees of the over 400 applications received for YouthDIG this year. She urged donors to help cover the high travel costs, mainly from Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. ‘Supporting youth in internet governance isn’t charity—it’s a long-term investment in inclusive, global policy,’ she concluded.

Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.