Events | Digital Watch Observatory

Global Conference on AI, Security and Ethics 2026

The Global Conference on AI, Security and Ethics 2026, organised by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), will be held 18–19 June 2026 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, and online. The conference convenes diplomats, policymakers, military representatives, researchers, industry experts, civil society organisations, and international organisations to examine the implications of AI for international peace and security.

The two-day programme focuses on the intersection of AI development and security governance, reflecting ongoing international discussions on norms, regulatory frameworks, and cooperation in the military domain.

Discussions are organised around four thematic clusters. The first day addresses technological foundations, including algorithmic bias, dual-use technologies, agentic AI, and testing, evaluation, verification, and validation of AI systems in defence contexts. The second day shifts to applications and integration, covering counter-AI capabilities, infrastructure dependencies, resilience, and human-centred considerations in operational environments. The programme also includes sessions on stakeholder perspectives, including the role of investors, industry practice, regional approaches, and public–private cooperation. The final sessions focus on governance pathways, accountability frameworks, and the relationship between AI and broader disarmament and security regimes.

The conference includes keynote addresses, expert panels, thematic presentations, lightning talks, and demonstrations, aiming to facilitate exchange between technical and policy communities.

UN Open Source Week 2026

UN Open Source Week 2026 is a global convening focused on open-source technologies and digital cooperation, scheduled to take place 22–26 June 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York. Co-hosted by the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) and the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT), the event serves as a platform for multistakeholder dialogue and collaboration.

The programme is organised across the week, beginning with a Community Hackathon on Monday (22 June), followed by discussions on the intersection of open source and AI on Tuesday (23 June), Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Day on Wednesday (24 June), Open Source Programme Offices (OSPOs) for public interest objectives (25 June), and community-led events (26 June).

Pre-registration for UN Open Source Week 2026 is currently open.

Developments in Africa cyber diplomacy: Continental, regional, and national initiatives

Objectives

Providing an overview of cyber diplomacy in Africa: Understanding the current key players, stakeholders, and frameworks shaping cyber diplomacy on the continent.
Highlighting successful continental and regional initiatives: Examining collaborative efforts such as the African Union’s (AU) initiatives and the African Digital Compact (ADC) that aim to enhance digital sovereignty and cybersecurity across member states.
Discussing national strategies and policies: Analysing how individual African countries are addressing cyberthreats and promoting digital cooperation through their national cyber diplomacy efforts.
Fostering dialogue and collaboration: Encouraging networking and partnerships among participants; sharing best practices and lessons learned in cyber diplomacy.

Target audience

Policymakers and government officials from African nations
Cybersecurity experts and practitioners
Academics and researchers in international relations and technology
Representatives from civil society organisations
Private sector stakeholders involved in technology and cybersecurity

Expected outcomes

Increased awareness and understanding of cyber diplomacy in Africa
Enhanced collaboration between stakeholders across the continent
Identification of best practices and strategies for effective cyber diplomacy
Recommendations for policymakers to strengthen national and regional cyber initiatives

This online event will serve as a vital platform for discussing the evolving landscape of cyber diplomacy in Africa. By addressing both the challenges and opportunities, we aim to foster a collaborative environment that promotes secure and inclusive digital transformation across the continent.

WSIS Forum 2026

The WSIS Forum 2026 is the 2026 edition of the annual multistakeholder gathering established under the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process, which brings together actors engaged in digital cooperation, information and communication technologies (ICTs), and sustainable development. The Forum is scheduled to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 6 to 10 July 2026.

It will convene representatives from governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, academia, and technical communities to exchange knowledge, highlight innovative solutions, and engage in multistakeholder dialogue to advance the implementation of WSIS Action Lines and contribute to broader global development goals.

The event is co-organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in collaboration with more than 50 UN entities.

WSIS Forum 2026 will serve as a principal platform for reviewing progress, strengthening partnerships, and identifying future directions in digital cooperation and ICT‑related development initiatives.

Global Dialogue on AI Governance inaugural meeting

The Global Dialogue on AI Governance (AI Dialogue) will hold its inaugural meeting on 6-7 July 2026. The AI Dialogue was established in 2025, to involve governments and all relevant stakeholders, and is envisioned as a platform ‘to discuss international cooperation, share best practices and lessons learned, and to facilitate open, transparent and inclusive discussions on AI governance with a view to enabling AI to contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and to closing the digital divides between and within countries.’

The programme of the Global Dialogue will include high-level governmental plenary segments, multistakeholder exchanges, and the presentation of the report of the multidisciplinary
Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, thematic discussions
across four clusters, and side events.

The four thematic clusters are:

AI opportunities and implications: social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic and
technical dimensions;
Bridging AI divides: capacity-building, access and digital foundations;
Safe, secure and trustworthy AI: interoperability and compatibility of approaches; and
Respecting, protecting and promoting human rights: transparency, accountability and
human oversight.

The Dialogue is open to a broad range of participants, including all UN member states and observers, intergovernmental organisations with observer status at the UN, UN entities and specialised agencies, as well as representatives of NGOs, civil society organisations, academia, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholder groups. Participation by non-governmental stakeholders is subject to the accreditation and registration process. However, the Dialogue does not permit attendance by individuals acting solely in a personal capacity. Registration for the event is open until 25 June, 2026.

The Dialogue will be streamed on UN Web TV:

The event will be convened back-to-back in the margins of the AI for Good Global
Summit and during the same week as the annual World Summit on the Information Society
meetings in Geneva.

AI for Good Global Summit 2026

The AI for Good Global Summit 2026 is scheduled to take place from 7 to 10 July 2026 at Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland.

Organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with more than 50 UN agencies and co-convened with the Government of Switzerland, thesummit focused on exploring and advancing the practical application of AI to address global challenges and support the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The summit brings together representatives from governments, international organisations, the private sector, civil society, academia, and technical communities.

Participants will engage in discussions, presentations, and collaborative sessions on topics including AI governance, innovative AI solutions, capacity-building, standards development, and ethical considerations.

The programme includes keynote speeches, panels, exhibitions, workshops, and related initiatives to identify scalable AI applications that contribute to sustainable development and societal benefit. The event also offers opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder engagement across the global AI ecosystem.

High-Level Political Forum 2026

High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2026 (HLPF 2026) will be convened under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), 7–15 July 2026 in New York, including a ministerial segment from 13–15 July as part of the ECOSOC High-Level Segment, and concluding on 16 July 2026.

The HLPF serves as the main UN platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2026 session will be held under the theme ‘Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its sustainable development goals for a sustainable future for all.’

The Forum will conduct in-depth reviews of sustainable development goals (SDGs) 6 (water and sanitation), 7 (energy), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), 11 (sustainable cities), and 17 (partnerships for the Goals). A total of 36 countries are expected to present Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), sharing national progress and implementation experiences.

The programme includes thematic sessions on accelerating SDG implementation across different country contexts, including African countries, least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and middle-income countries (MICs), as well as dedicated discussions on small island developing States (SIDS). Additional sessions address stakeholder engagement, regional perspectives, local-level implementation, and interlinkages among SDGs.

The ministerial and high-level segments include general debates on accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda, presentations of key UN reports, and discussions on pathways to strengthen implementation in the remaining years to 2030. The Forum will conclude with the adoption of a ministerial declaration.

First substantive session of the UN Global Mechanism on cybersecurity

The first substantive session of the Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs will be held on 20-24 July.

This session marks the start of the substantive work of the Global Mechanism, a new single-track, permanent forum on ICT security under UN auspices.

Within this framework, states will advance discussions across the five established pillars of responsible state behaviour in the use of ICTs, covering existing and potential threats, rules, norms and principles, the application of international law, confidence-building measures, and capacity-building efforts.

The Global Mechanism will convene in different formats.

It will hold substantive plenary sessions once a year during each biennial cycle, the first being scheduled for July 2026.

It will hold two dedicated thematic groups—one addressing general substantive issues and one focused on capacity building—intended to enable more in-depth discussions, building on the outcomes of the plenary. In 2026, the dedicated thematic groups are scheduled to take place from 7 to 11 December.

In addition, the mechanism will convene a review conference every five years to assess progress and guide its future direction.

Global Mechanism on ICT Security

Diplo has been providing analysis of the UN cybersecurity negotiations since 2017. Visit our dedicated web page to learn more about negotiations in the Global Mechanism on ICT Security.

The 81th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 81)

The 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 81) will open on Tuesday, 8 September 2026. The general debate of the 81st session of the General Assembly will open on Tuesday, 22 September, continuing through Saturday, 26 September, and concluding on Monday, 28 September 2026.

The general debate of the UN General Assembly is the opportunity for heads of state and government and ministers to come together at the UN Headquarters and discuss world issues, such as climate change, sustainable development, and international peace and security.

The presidency of the 81st session will be held by a representative from the Asia-Pacific Group, following the customary regional rotation.

UN Global Mechanism on cybersecurity dedicated thematic groups (DTGs) 2026

The 2026 dedicated thematic groups of the Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs will be held on 7-11 December 2026.

The two groups are:

An integrated, policy-oriented and cross-cutting dedicated thematic group drawing on the five pillars of the framework to address specific challenges in the sphere of ICT security in the context of international security in order to promote an open, secure, stable, accessible, peaceful, and interoperable ICT environment, with the participation of, inter alia, technical experts and other stakeholders. (DTG 1)
An integrated, policy-oriented and cross-cutting dedicated thematic group drawing on the five pillars of the framework to accelerate ICT security capacity-building, with the participation of, inter alia, capacity-building experts, practitioners, and other stakeholders. (DTG 2)

The Global Mechanism on cybersecurity will convene in different formats.

It will hold substantive plenary sessions once a year during each biennial cycle, the first of which is scheduled for July 2026.

It will hold two dedicated thematic groups each year—one addressing general substantive issues and one focused on capacity building—intended to enable more in-depth discussions, building on the outcomes of the plenary.

In addition, the mechanism will convene a review conference every five years to assess progress and guide its future direction.