Guinea

Guinea’s connectivity stack is increasingly ‘sovereign by design.’ International capacity comes via the ACE submarine cable landing at Kipé (Conakry), operated nationally by GUILAB, while the state backbone company SOGEB runs the national fibre network and offers transport and colocation, together providing the primary routes from users to upstream transit. A domestic Internet exchange (IXP-GUINÉE) in Conakry helps keep traffic on-net, lowering latency and costs compared with pure off-net transit.

Policy is anchored in the government’s Digital State and Economy Strategy 2023–2027, with last-mile expansion and inclusion programmes financed through ANSUTEN (the universal-service agency). On mobile evolution, the regulator ARPT has opened a national 5G consultation, a precursor to spectrum planning and awards, while the country continues to harden its cyber posture through ANSSI initiatives like the DJAMA SUTURA incident-reporting platform (hotline 1017).

Naming and hosting capabilities are being localised as well: the .gn country domain is managed domestically (ANDE as technical contact, NIC.GN as admin), and government/industry communications highlight ongoing data-centre and service consolidation in Conakry. In the regional context, Guinea’s combination of an ACE landing, a state-run national backbone, and an operational IXP puts it among West Africa’s smaller markets that are building a complete, localised internet stack rather than relying solely on foreign transit paths.

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Switzerland

Switzerland is renowned for its sophisticated and inclusive approach to governance. The country’s framework is built upon democratic principles that prioritise multistakeholder participation, transparency, and protection of fundamental rights. This approach also extends to the governance of the internet; at a national level, Switzerland follows these three principles when developing and implementing governance frameworks that relate to the internet; at an international level, the country is a strong promoter of Internet governance approaches that are balanced, inclusive, and respect the diverse interests of all stakeholders involved.

Switzerland ensures that various stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector entities, civil society organisations, academic institutions, and technical communities, are involved in the decision-making processes. This inclusive approach fosters diverse perspectives and solutions. Regular dialogues and consultations are held among stakeholders to address internet-related challenges, ensuring that policies are well-rounded and representative of different interests.

Switzerland promotes transparency by keeping stakeholders informed about the processes, decisions, and implementations of internet policies. Public consultations and forums are frequently organised to discuss policy proposals and their implications; the Swiss Internet Governance Forum is one example.

The country places a strong emphasis on protecting fundamental rights, including data protection and freedom of expression. Switzerland has stringent data protection laws, including the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), which regulates the processing of personal data and ensures privacy rights of individuals. Policies and regulations are designed to protect freedom of expression online while balancing the need to prevent misuse of the internet for harmful activities.

Initiatives are in place to ensure that all citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status, have access to digital technologies and the internet. Programmes to enhance digital literacy and provide affordable internet access are prioritised. Efforts are made to ensure that digital services are accessible to people with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity in the digital space.

Switzerland provides a supportive environment for startups and tech companies through funding, tax incentives, and a robust legal framework that encourages innovation. Investments in research and development are made to keep pace with technological advancements and to promote the development of cutting-edge digital solutions.

Swiss international connectivity

Switzerland is connected to neighbouring countries such as France, Germany, Italy, and Austria through high-capacity terrestrial fibre optic cables. These cables facilitate cross-border data exchange and connect Switzerland to major European internet hubs. Switzerland is in the centre of the so-called ‘communication banana’, from Northern Italy to Amsterdam and London via Frankfurt, the main European digital hub (see: bellow).

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While Switzerland itself does not have direct undersea cable landings due to its landlocked geography, it benefits from undersea cables that land in neighbouring countries. For example, France and Italy have several undersea cable landings that connect to other continents, providing indirect access to Swiss networks.

Canada

Canada’s digital democracy is underpinned by robust tools for citizen engagement and transparency. One notable example is MyDemocracy.ca, an interactive consultation platform that educates Canadians on democratic values by situating their views on electoral reform within five archetypes—fostering public literacy and inclusive dialogue beyond traditional town halls. Concurrently, Canada ranks 8th globally in UN e‑participation, reflecting its varied use of online consultations, polls, and forums across federal and municipal levels.

At the civic-tech front, initiatives like IserveU in Yellowknife and PlaceSpeak in Vancouver engage citizens at the grassroots, enabling direct voting and geo-authenticated input for local decisions. These platforms exemplify a shift toward real-time, localized digital democracy tools, reinforcing public involvement and accountability. The federal government’s civic-tech pilot report highlights successful partnerships like Vaccine Hunters Canada and River Watch Mobile, showcasing practical volunteer-built tools that improve service delivery.

However, this digital expansion brings new challenges. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security warns of cyber threats targeting democratic systems, including state-sponsored influence operations and deepfake content ahead of elections. In response, federal initiatives such as the Declaration on Electoral Integrity Online commit to safeguarding discourse on social media and other platforms. Together, these efforts highlight Canada’s balanced digital democracy: innovative, participatory, and increasingly resilient against modern threats.

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Serbia

Digital Snapshot – Key Policies and Laws

Serbia’s digital profile is anchored in a relatively strong digital-government baseline: the UN’s E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2024 ranks Serbia 39/193 (EGDI 0.8618) and 19/193 in e-participation. Such a performance aligns with an implementation-heavy policy stack, including the e-Government Development Programme 2023–2025 (public administration digitisation and service delivery). Cross-cutting coordination is also evident in the broader Information Society and Information Security Development Strategy 2021–2026, which frames both digitalisation and security goals in a single document.

AI governance is one of the more formalised ’emerging tech’ areas. Serbia adopted an AI Development Strategy for 2025–2030, complemented by Ethical Guidelines for safe and reliable use of AI, adopted by government resolution, and established a Council for Artificial Intelligence as a coordination mechanism. A dedicated draft for Artificial Intelligence Law has also been under preparation through a government-led working group process, signalling a shift from strategy to binding rules. Furthermore, Belgrade hosted and co-chaired the GPAI 2024 Summit with Slovakia, alongside Serbia’s election to chair GPAI for 2025.

Serbia, from ‘AI adopter’ to ‘convenor in AI governance’

Serbia and the GPAI: One of the clearest indicators that Serbia is trying to move from an ‘AI adopter’ to a ‘convenor in AI governance’ is its hosting of the GPAI Summit on 3–4 December 2024 in Belgrade, paired with the Belgrade Ministerial Declaration issued under the leadership of Serbia and Slovakia as GPAI co-chairs, together casting Serbia as a diplomatic convenor for debates on how governments should manage AI’s risks and benefits. Serbia’s election to chair GPAI for 2025 adds weight to that role. In parallel, Serbia has adopted a new Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (2025–2030), which sets out plans to further build the AI ecosystem and strengthen the institutional framework, including a broader push for AI use in the public sector and the economy.

In cybersecurity, Serbia’s central strategic umbrella is the same Information Society and Information Security Strategy (2021–2026), while the most consequential recent ‘policy backbone’ is the new Law on Information Security, adopted on 22 October 2025, with an 18-month compliance window referenced in legal briefings. For connectivity, the government adopted the Strategy for the Development of the Electronic Communications System until 2027, and linked it to a Broadband Infrastructure Programme (2024–2026), aiming to connect 880 schools and public institutions and approximately 152,000 households in rural and underdeveloped areas.

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For data protection and digital rights, the core framework is the Law on Personal Data Protection, with oversight by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection. This matters not only for commercial processing (e-commerce, adtech, HR) but also for public-sector digitisation, where the same authority also supervises access-to-information rules (FOI), shaping transparency and accountability in digital public services.

Serbia’s digital economy and infrastructure picture is a mix of fast-growing online payments and investments in hosting capacity. The National Bank of Serbia reported that in 2024, there were 56.5 million online purchase transactions worth RSD 162.3 billion, while the number of domestic online shops reached 4,726 (up 17.9% year-on-year).

On the infrastructure side, international connectivity depends on terrestrial routes to regional landing stations and the Kragujevac Government Data Centre is positioned as a national hosting hub.

Serbia’s permanent mission to the UN:

Serbia’s Permanent Mission to the UN represents the country at the UN Office in Geneva and coordinates Serbia’s participation across the Geneva-based multilateral diplomacy ecosystem (human rights, humanitarian issues, disarmament, health, trade, and other agendas). The UN Geneva ‘Blue Book’ lists the mission’s address and official contact, and UN Geneva also publicly notes credential presentations of Serbia’s Permanent Representative.

Official UN website: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/blue-book/missions/member-states/serbia

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Poland

Poland’s infrastructure is unusually robust for Central and Eastern Europe, as it hosts two hyperscale cloud regions: Google Cloud Warsaw (opened in 2021) and Microsoft Azure Poland Central (launched in 2023), which provide in-country data residency and low-latency access for both the public and private sectors. Poland also ranks high on local interconnection: the Internet Society counts 15 active IXPs with 883 members as of November 2025, supporting resilient, locally routed traffic.

In terms of public services, Poland has a statutory mobile-ID app (mObywatel) and is rolling out mandatory e-invoicing (KSeF), scheduled for implementation from February to April 2026. These initiatives, when combined, will facilitate large-scale digital interactions among citizens, businesses, and the state. At the EU level, the Digital Decade review notes strong fixed connectivity but urges faster business adoption of advanced technologies, providing context for current investments and reforms.

In commerce, BLIK remains a regional outlier in terms of scale, with 2024 witnessing over 2.4 billion transactions and PLN 347.3 billion in value, underscoring the high online payment penetration across Polish checkouts. These usage patterns sit atop a dual cloud-region footprint and a dense IXP fabric, features that, taken together, place Poland among the CEE’s most developed digital markets in terms of infrastructure, public digital services, and retail payments.

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Finland

Finland is one of Europe’s top performers on core digital infrastructure. Fixed high-speed broadband and widespread 5G deployment are supported by a national Digital Infrastructure Strategy 2025, which aims to ensure that by 2025, all households will have access to at least 100 Mbps, with a fibre-based roll-out and scale-up to gigabit speeds where possible. At the same time, Finland is linked internationally via high-capacity submarine cables, most notably C‑Lion1, the first direct cable between Finland and continental Europe, providing a 1173 km low-latency route to Germany.

In terms of policy and governance, Finland has a coherent and long-term digital outlook. The Digital Compass, adopted in 2022, outlines national goals through 2030, focusing on broadening digital skills, ensuring secure and sustainable infrastructure, and promoting data-driven business and public service transformation. Meanwhile, its Cyber Security Strategy 2024–2035 provides a comprehensive framework for cyber resilience, securing critical infrastructure and integrating cybersecurity into the national security model. 

When about capability and use, Finland has attracted major cloud and data-centre investments: global providers, citing clean energy, stable infrastructure, favourable climate and connectivity, have deployed significant facilities there. The combination of strong domestic infrastructure, international connectivity, and supportive policy makes Finland a leading digital-ready country in the Nordic region.

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Greece

Digital Snapshot – Key Policies and Laws

A striking contrast defines Greece’s digital profile: it has built one of Europe’s more visible digital-state interfaces through gov.gr, while the ‘Predatorgate’ spyware scandal exposed how digital governance also depends on oversight, legality, and public trust. At the same time, the European Commission says Greece’s 5G coverage is among the highest in the EU, even as the country still faces gaps in business digital uptake and skills.

‘Predatorgate’, power, and public trust

Greece’s 2022 ‘Predatorgate’ surveillance scandal became a defining test of digital governance because it shifted attention from digital innovation to digital power. Allegations that spyware and other surveillance tools were used against a journalist and a political leader raised wider concerns about who authorises monitoring, how independent oversight works, and whether legal safeguards are strong enough when digital tools reach into politics and media. The case drew scrutiny from the European Parliament, which treated Greece as one of the EU’s key spyware controversies and linked it to broader questions of accountability and rule of law. More than a security or privacy dispute, the affair exposed how deeply digital governance depends on public trust, institutional checks, and the protection of fundamental rights.

The country’s digital transformation is organised around the Digital Transformation Bible 2020–2025, the National Digital Decade Strategic Roadmap, and the National Broadband Plan 2021–2027. Together, these frameworks cover public-service digitisation, digital skills, connectivity, AI, open data, and business digitalisation, showing that Greece treats digital policy as a whole-of-government modernisation agenda rather than a narrow e-government project.

Cybersecurity and AI have moved closer to the centre of state policy. Greece now has a National Cybersecurity Strategy 2026–2030 and a dedicated National Cybersecurity Authority, while the Ministry of Digital Governance has already published the national authorities responsible for protecting fundamental rights under the EU AI Act. Greece is also part of the EU’s first wave of AI Factories through Pharos, linked to the DAEDALUS supercomputer.

On rights and regulation, Greece follows the EU model but has some distinctive national features. Data protection is based on the GDPR, Law 4624/2019, and Law 3471/2006 on electronic communications and privacy, under the supervision of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority. At the same time, Greece has experimented with a more interventionist child-safety approach through Kids Wallet, a government-operated app for age verification and parental controls.

Its digital infrastructure story is increasingly regional. Beyond strong 5G performance, Greece is building out public digital infrastructure through GRNET, internet interconnection through GR-IX, and new international connectivity through cable-linked projects centred on Crete. This matters because Greece is trying to position itself not only as a user of digital technologies, but as a transit and infrastructure node between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Economically, according to the Greece 2025 Digital Decade Country Report, Greece’s digital market is growing but remains uneven. The US International Trade Administration says Greece’s e-commerce market reached $31.9 billion in GMV in 2024, while the government’s data.gov.gr platform anchors its open-data policy. Yet the Commission still points to weaker business adoption of advanced digital tools, especially among SMEs, suggesting that Greece’s policy ambition and infrastructure progress are ahead of the broader economy’s digital maturity.

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Greece’s permanent mission to the UN:

Greece’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva represents the country at the UN Office at Geneva and other international organisations in Switzerland, including bodies working on human rights, humanitarian affairs, trade, migration, health, labour, and telecommunications. The mission serves as Greece’s main channel for multilateral diplomacy in Geneva, advancing national positions in negotiations while engaging with UN agencies, other states, and relevant stakeholders. It is based at Rue du Léman 4, 1201 Geneva.

Official UNOG website: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/blue-book/missions/member-states/greece

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Sweden

Sweden is a leader in the adoption and utilisation of digital technologies across businesses and among individuals. The country boasts a well-developed digital infrastructure and a high rate of internet usage. This robust digital foundation has facilitated the digitalisation of numerous public services, with 87% of government services now accessible online. This makes Sweden one of the most advanced countries in Europe in terms of online and mobile accessibility for e-government services.

The Swedish government has established a robust regulatory framework for internet governance. This framework includes laws and regulations that ensure the protection of user data, promote net neutrality, and safeguard freedom of expression online. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) is the primary regulatory body overseeing electronic communications and postal services in the country​.

Sweden boasts one of the most advanced internet infrastructures in the world, with widespread high-speed broadband access. The government has invested heavily in digital infrastructure, ensuring that even remote and rural areas have reliable internet connectivity. This extensive network supports the high rate of internet usage among Swedish citizens and businesses.

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