Open Forum #24 Open Forum on Digital Cooperation in the Arab Region

Summary

This discussion focused on digital cooperation in the Arab region, examining regional perspectives on global digital development and cooperation initiatives. The Open Forum brought together experts from various organizations including the National Telecommunication Authority of Egypt, International Trademark Association, RIPE NCC, and UN ESCWA to discuss the Arab region’s role in shaping digital governance.

The panelists identified key achievements of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) over the past 20 years, including regional digital cooperation that contributed to the Arab Digital Agenda 2033, improved e-government services, and enhanced multi-stakeholder dialogue. However, significant gaps remain, particularly in digital infrastructure, AI readiness, policy harmonization across countries, and inclusive participation from marginalized groups and youth. The discussion emphasized that while some Arab countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia are advancing rapidly in emerging technologies, others still lack basic connectivity infrastructure.

A central theme was the need to strengthen multi-stakeholder participation and ensure balanced representation from government, civil society, private sector, and technical communities. Participants noted that stakeholder engagement fluctuates, with some groups becoming less active over time while others increase their involvement. The importance of capacity building, measurement and data collection, and early participation in global policy drafting processes was repeatedly emphasized.

The panelists discussed mechanisms to ensure Arab priorities are reflected in upcoming global events like WSIS Plus 20, stressing the need for unified regional voices, strategic coordination between national and regional IGFs, and stronger partnerships with regional institutions. They highlighted the Arab Digital Agenda as a framework for inclusive governance and called for sustained funding, institutionalization of forums, and improved outreach to engage new voices and perspectives in shaping the region’s digital future.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **Multi-stakeholder engagement challenges in the Arab region**: The discussion highlighted significant gaps in balanced participation across government, civil society, private sector, and technical communities, with concerns about reaching beyond the “usual participants” and engaging marginalized groups, particularly youth.

– **Infrastructure and capacity building priorities**: Panelists emphasized persistent digital divides in rural areas, the need for basic connectivity infrastructure, and capacity building requirements for both technical skills and policy literacy across Arab countries.

– **Regional coordination and voice in global processes**: The conversation focused on strengthening Arab representation in international forums like WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact, emphasizing the need for unified regional positions and early engagement in drafting processes rather than waiting for final approval phases.

– **Implementation of the Arab Digital Agenda (ADA)**: Discussion centered on the ADA as a framework for bridging policy, access, and investment divides across 35 priority areas, with emphasis on measurement, data collection, and creating sustainable mechanisms for stakeholder input.

– **Institutional strengthening and sustainability**: Panelists addressed the need for more robust funding mechanisms, permanent secretariats, year-round thematic working groups, and better coordination between national, sub-regional, and regional Internet Governance Forums.

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion aimed to assess the current state of digital cooperation in the Arab region, evaluate achievements and gaps from 20 years of Internet Governance Forum activities, and develop strategies for strengthening regional coordination and global representation in upcoming digital governance processes, particularly WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact.

## Overall Tone:

The discussion maintained a constructive and collaborative tone throughout, characterized by frank acknowledgment of challenges while emphasizing positive achievements. Participants demonstrated mutual respect and shared commitment to regional progress, with the tone becoming increasingly solution-oriented as speakers built upon each other’s recommendations. The atmosphere was professional yet candid, with panelists openly discussing shortcomings while maintaining optimism about future possibilities for enhanced digital cooperation in the Arab world.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Qusai AlShatti** – Open Forum moderator

– **Ayman El-Sherbiny** – Online co-moderator from UN ESCWA (UN House in Lebanon, Beirut)

– **Ahmad Farag** – National Telecommunication Authority of Egypt

– **Charles Sha’ban** – International Trademark Association and Chairman of the Arab IGF MAG

– **Chafic Chaya** – RIPE NCC and regional office of RIPE NCC in the Middle East

– **Hadia Elminiawi** – Chief expert at the National Telecom Regulatory Authority of Egypt, FRALU chair, ICANN Africa region at-large organization chair, and member of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee at ICANN

– **Participant** – Jarad Jadel Magid, working at the Court of Cassation in Egypt, honorary professor at Durham University, former Arab expert at the Council of Ministers of the League of Arab States

**Additional speakers:**

None – all speakers who spoke during the discussion were included in the provided speakers names list.

# Digital Cooperation in the Arab Region: A Comprehensive Assessment of Progress and Challenges

## Executive Summary

This Open Forum discussion examined digital cooperation in the Arab region, evaluating achievements and identifying future priorities as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) marks its 20th anniversary alongside WSIS+20. Moderated by Qusai AlShatti with substantial contributions from Ayman El-Sherbiny of UN ESCWA, the panel featured representatives from Egypt’s National Telecommunication Authority, the International Trademark Association, RIPE NCC, and various ICANN bodies.

The discussion highlighted significant regional achievements including the Arab Digital Agenda (2023-2033) and comprehensive measurement frameworks, while candidly addressing persistent challenges in multi-stakeholder participation, infrastructure development, and coordination mechanisms. Participants emphasized the need for early engagement in global processes, sustainable institutional frameworks, and enhanced outreach to achieve more effective regional digital cooperation.

## Regional Digital Cooperation Framework and Global Context

### Historical Development and Current Frameworks

Ayman El-Sherbiny provided comprehensive context for the discussion, explaining that UN Secretary-General António Guterres coined the term “digital cooperation” in 2018-2019, leading to the Global Digital Cooperation Roadmap (2020) and the Common Agenda (2021). He emphasized that digital cooperation encompasses the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), IGF, and Enhanced Cooperation communities under a multi-stakeholder approach.

The Arab Digital Agenda serves as the primary regional blueprint, addressing 35 priority areas from 2023 to 2033. El-Sherbiny highlighted that the Digital Cooperation Development Forum represents an innovative approach combining the Arab IGF, Arab WSIS, and other regional forums into a unified platform. He noted that the Arab region is pioneering in regional-level measurement, being second only to Europe in having comprehensive indicators for priority issues with established baselines and measurable goals.

El-Sherbiny also mentioned that ESCWA was chosen as vice-chair of the Global Working Group on Digital Technologies of the Global Digital Compact, demonstrating the region’s growing influence in global digital governance processes.

### Institutional Challenges and Legal Framework Needs

Charles Sha’ban, chairman of the Arab IGF MAG, identified critical institutional weaknesses, arguing that the Arab region needs stronger institutional frameworks with sustainable funding and permanent secretariat arrangements for IGF operations. Current arrangements lack the resources necessary for effective year-round coordination and implementation.

Jarad Jadel Magid introduced the legal dimension, emphasizing that concrete legal instruments such as conventions are needed for effective implementation. Drawing from Arab League experience, he advocated for developing “an Arab convention on enhancing digital cooperation,” noting that “legal aspects should be always here when we are formulating when we want to develop some things or to implement a recommendation.”

He also highlighted the need for coordination between the Arab Digital Agenda and other initiatives like the Arab strategy on artificial intelligence currently being developed, emphasizing integrated approaches to digital governance.

## Multi-Stakeholder Participation and Engagement Challenges

### Participation Imbalances and Structural Issues

Charles Sha’ban provided a frank assessment of multi-stakeholder participation, noting that “when we started, I think it was more balanced. We had the government, the civil society, the private sector. Then we started to be – I’m very frank here… some governments started to be less, let’s say, in participation.” He observed that stakeholder participation fluctuates, with “every year we see someone moving better and the rest moving, let’s say, backward a little bit.”

Chafic Chaya identified a fundamental structural problem, explaining that “many of the national strategies in the region are government-centric. That means the other stakeholder groups, they don’t have any way to see or to provide their input to these national strategies.” He positioned the Arab Digital Agenda as a potential corrective mechanism where “we are all under the same roof, on the same table discussing the challenges.”

### Outreach Deficiencies and Engagement Gaps

The discussion revealed significant concerns about outreach effectiveness. Hadia Elminiawi argued that “the problem is that we don’t know anything about those working groups… The outreach, in my opinion, is a basic issue.” Her intervention was particularly significant as someone who should theoretically be included as an expert but felt excluded, providing concrete evidence of outreach failures.

Elminiawi noted that “other stakeholders who should actually be contributing… are absent. And I would say are always absent,” highlighting the gap between intended multi-stakeholder participation and actual engagement.

Ahmad Farag proposed specific solutions, advocating for youth engagement with dedicated tracks and advisory roles, including establishing an Arab IGF for youth, based on successful initiatives in the North African IGF.

## Infrastructure Development and Technical Community Engagement

### Persistent Infrastructure Challenges

Despite overall regional progress, significant infrastructure gaps remain. Charles Sha’ban noted that the digital divide persists, especially in rural areas, while Chafic Chaya emphasized that infrastructure gaps remain critical with many Arab countries lacking basic connectivity.

This creates a complex regional landscape where some Arab countries are advancing rapidly in emerging technologies while others struggle with basic connectivity requirements. The discussion highlighted that AI and emerging technologies readiness varies significantly across the region.

### Technical Community Success and Resource Needs

Chafic Chaya highlighted demonstrated success in technical areas, noting that Arab countries lead globally in IPv6 adoption and routing security due to continuous technical community engagement. He explained that RIPE NCC, which opened its Dubai office 11 years ago, focuses on infrastructure development and internet routing security, with “knowledge transfer showing measurable progress after face-to-face training sessions.”

However, sustainable financing remains a challenge. Chaya emphasized that “the technical community needs more funding to finance training and engagement activities,” highlighting resource constraints that limit expansion of successful capacity building initiatives.

### Data and Measurement Systems

Chaya identified the need for reliable data and measurement systems, noting that “decision makers lack up-to-date and reliable data for policy formulation.” This creates fundamental challenges for evidence-based policymaking, despite the region’s pioneering work in developing comprehensive measurement frameworks.

## Global Process Participation and Regional Coordination

### Strategic Timing and Early Engagement

Ahmad Farag made a critical observation about timing, emphasizing that “we need to ensure that the Arab influence is starting from the drafting process, not waiting for the final approvals phases. We need to start early.” This highlighted the difference between participation and influence, suggesting the need for more proactive rather than reactive engagement in global forums.

### Coordination Mechanisms and Representation

The discussion revealed broad agreement on the need for better coordination mechanisms. Ahmad Farag advocated for developing a unified Arab voice through strategic coordination between regional and national IGFs, while El-Sherbiny described how the Digital Cooperation Development Forum combines various Arab digital governance forums.

Hadia Elminiawi identified representation imbalances, noting that “Arab states contribute well to multilateral platforms but other stakeholders are often absent,” highlighting the gap between government participation and multi-stakeholder engagement.

Chafic Chaya argued that “the region’s voice should be backed by two things… political legitimacy, and second, the technical credibility. And here is the importance of the technical community engagement with governments and regulators.”

## Proposed Solutions and Future Directions

### Institutional Strengthening

Ahmad Farag proposed establishing a permanent NRI (National and Regional IGF) network in the Arab region to function as a cooperation hub for sharing insights and aligning policy messages. Charles Sha’ban advocated for creating thematic working groups that operate year-round rather than only during IGF events, and implementing term limits for chairs and vice-chairs (4 years) while providing advisory roles for continuity.

### Capacity Building and Engagement Strategies

The discussion identified several approaches to improving stakeholder engagement, including targeted capacity building programs for SMEs, civil society, and policymakers with dedicated funding. Participants agreed on the need for better outreach mechanisms to reach new stakeholders beyond usual participants.

Ahmad Farag’s proposals for youth engagement tracks and advisory roles, based on North African IGF experience with people with disabilities engagement and youth initiatives, provided concrete models for enhanced participation.

### Strategic Coordination for Global Engagement

Participants emphasized the need for strategic coordination to ensure Arab priorities are reflected in global processes, including strengthening partnerships between regional institutions such as the League of Arab States, ESCWA, ITU, and RIPE NCC for unified positioning in global forums.

## Conclusion and Next Steps

The discussion demonstrated both achievements and persistent challenges in Arab regional digital cooperation. While significant frameworks have been established and measurable progress achieved in specific areas, fundamental challenges remain in multi-stakeholder participation, sustainable financing, and effective implementation.

Ayman El-Sherbiny concluded by referencing ongoing processes and the upcoming eighth Arab IGF, emphasizing continued momentum in regional digital cooperation efforts. The discussion’s focus on concrete solutions and early engagement in global processes provides a foundation for enhancing the Arab region’s influence in global digital governance, particularly as WSIS+20 and IGF20 processes advance.

The participants’ willingness to acknowledge shortcomings while proposing specific solutions suggests a pragmatic approach to addressing identified challenges through strengthened institutional mechanisms, enhanced outreach, and more strategic coordination in global digital governance processes.

Qusai AlShatti: Welcome to the Open Forum on Digital Cooperation in the Arab Region. With you is your Open Forum moderator, Qusai AlShatti. And I would like first to introduce the distinguished panelists in the Open Forum. To my right, Mr. Ahmad Farag from the National Telecommunication Authority of Egypt. To my left is Mr. Charles Sha’ban from the International Trademark Association and the chairman of the Arab IGF MAG. And to my far left is Mr. Chafic Chaya from RIPE NCC and the regional office of RIPE NCC in the Middle East. As you may know already, the forum is about the digital cooperation in the Arab region. And it will discuss the Arab region perspective on the recent global development and digital cooperation. Do you hear me clearly now? You’re hearing me clearly? I can hear you but I cannot see you. Maybe you need to change the device. Yes. Can you see us? We can see you. And the forum will be discussing the Arab perspective on the global digital cooperation perspective from the Arab world point of view. As well as what is going on in this topic in such a platform and venues in the Arab world like the Arab IGF, the digital cooperation platform and the Arab League. I would like to welcome also my online co-moderator, Mr. Ayman Sherbini from the UN Esquire. And I would like to pass him the floor for his introductory remarks.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: Good morning everyone, greetings from the UN House in Lebanon, in Beirut. We are very happy to have this forum organized by our colleagues here in ESCWA and colleagues in League of Arab States, who are the main custodians of several of the platforms that we will speak about today regarding the digital cooperation. We are also happy that the Global Secretariat, Shengtai, Anya, and Celine, all of them have worked hard to make this event happen, so we thank them a lot. And I’m happy that my colleague and co-chair and co-moderator for this session, Mr. Qusai, and the colleagues Shafiq, Charles, and Ahmad are already on site. Unfortunately, you couldn’t be on site due to changes in our plans in the last moment, and we were planning to be there, but nevertheless, we are with you now remotely. I’d like to give very brief opening remarks to set the scene on the topics of digital cooperation that are going to be tackled in this session. Of course, digital cooperation is a notion that mainly the experts in the field know the real connotations behind that notion that was coined by the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, at the start of 2018-2019, when he started instigating the idea of bringing all the community of WSIS, IGF, Enhanced Cooperation, all together, the multi-stakeholder community, the inter-government community, under the notion of digital cooperation. So the substantive and the… diplomatic and political weight of the term is really so much rich, and we have worked on translating this vision of the Secretary General all the way until the inception of the many flagships by him, including the Global Digital Cooperation Roadmap in 2020, and then our common agenda vision in September 2021, where there was a call for a digital cooperation forum and also for a global digital compact. By then, in the region, we have put together also a vision to bring the community of Arab Internet Governance Forum, Arab WSIS, together under a DCDF notion of Digital Cooperation Development Forum that brings all the communities together, and this is going to be one of the things to be dealt with during that session. That platform in the region for digital advocacy that combines Arab IGF, Arab WSIS, Arab High Level Conference on the Arab Digital Agenda, and many other forums co-located in one place and time. This is one element. The other element that I would like to focus on quickly is the Arab IGF itself, because today we are in the IGF20, and we are awaiting the Global IGF++, or let us say the Global IGF20, which will coincide with the WSIS20. So this is another topic that will be dealt with also during that session of today. The last component, which is equally important, is our roadmap in the region or our agenda for the region, which has been developed by Esquire, League of Arab States, and member states within a process that took almost two years and was culminated in an adoption by heads of states. This is the Arab Digital Agenda, which represents the aspirations, the vision, and the plans to bridge many divides, policy divides, access divides, investment divides, economical, and many other related to digital development in general. So this is also the Arab Digital Agenda. For us, it is the blueprint for our future, 2023-2033. So the Arab Digital Agenda is the substantive formulation of how to bridge the gaps in 35 priority areas. This is going to be the third aspect for the session of today. So in summary, the Arab IGF, the Digital Cooperation and Development Forum, and the Arab Digital Agenda will be in the hands now of our co-chair, Mr. Qusai AlShatti, and all the distinguished panelists. I give the floor to Qusai to manage and moderate the panel until the end. We will be also listening, and we will give some concluding remarks on behalf of Esquire and the League of Arab States at the end. So without further ado, the floor is yours, Qusai.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you so much. Thank you, dear Ayman, for the good introduction and laying the ground of the activities related to digital cooperation in the Arab world. I will start my first question to my dear colleague, Charles Chaban, and asking him which What achievements and gaps from the IGF over the past 20 years are most relevant to the Arab region?

Charles Sha ban: Thank you, Qusai. In fact, let me start by the key achievement, as you mentioned. I think we can consider three main achievements for today, to be honest. One is regional digital cooperation. As everybody knows, the IGF had a direct effect on the Arab digital agenda. In 2033, that was done by the SQA and the League of Arab States. So I think this is one of the things we were able to participate in as Arab IGF. The second achievement is e-government and digital services. I think our outcomes and messages that we used to send to the different countries helped in preparing their regulations. And the third main achievement, which everybody is talking about here, is the multi-stakeholder dialogue, which was, I think, wonderful to have the different multi-stakeholders from the Arab region talk together. However, moving to the gaps, I think we still have some gaps we need to work on. The main gaps from my side, although the digital divide is much less than usual, but I think you agree with me that we still have some gaps, especially with some rural areas in some countries, in the region, of course. The AI and emerging technologies readiness, although we have some countries in the region who are really moving forward in this, like UAE, Saudi Arabia, and so on, but some other countries, I think they still need more information about this issue in specific. One of the gaps I can mention, too, is the policy harmonization. You can find different procedures and laws in the different countries still. And I think the most important thing we are facing in the last few years is the inclusive participation. I think we need more participation from some, let’s say, less marginalized groups or mainly the youth, in fact. I think they need to be with us more. I think I’ll stop here. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatti: I just want you to elaborate further. How do you see the stakeholder participation in the region? Do you see them balanced or do you see someone is better than the other? Can you address that, at least from your perspective here, Charles?

Charles Sha ban: Sure. Thank you. Thank you, Qusai. In fact, I think we need more balance between the different multi-stakeholders. The main reason I say that is that when we started, I think it was more balanced. We had the government, the civil society, the private sector. Then we started to be – I’m very frank here, of course, because I know everybody wants to move forward in a better place. So I think when we move forward, some governments started to be less, let’s say, in participation. I know they attend the general meetings, but I mean to be more active in the different participation. For example, and I think since you mentioned stakeholders, I think we mainly see the main players always. So we need, I think, to reach more people, even in the different sectors. I will not say, let’s say, civil society is – we’re more active again. If you noticed recently, we have less civil society people. Private sector, I think we can say the same. So I think every year we see someone moving better and the rest moving, let’s say, backward a little bit. So I think we need to find a way to reach more than the usual people we always see. We are here on the table. Christine is there. We always see them. Of course, UNESCO and the League of Arab States always with us. But I mean, you know, we need more people, maybe to reach more organization, more governments and so on.

Chafic Chaya: Thank you, Charles. And from here, let me move to the second question to my dear colleague Shafiq Shaya. What are the most pressing regional digital development needs that should be emphasised and prioritised by the Arab Digital Agenda? Thank you Qusai. Good morning everyone and thank you for LAS and ESCOA for inviting me today to this important panel. First I want to give you a quick background that all the engagement that we are doing in the Arab region in the Middle East is based on our work, on our daily work with all the stakeholder groups. So 11 years ago RIPE NCC, part of the technical community, we opened our office in Dubai to work closely and to be nearby our partners, members, governments and the community. We witnessed a lot of achievements but still there are a lot of challenges. I can say working with ESCOA and LAS on the Arab Digital Agenda, RIPE NCC is engaged very heavily in two, let’s say, projects. One is to develop the infrastructure and second is to secure the internet routing security. So I will, just to answer your question, I will just name three or four main items that the Arab Digital Agenda is dealing with but it should be prioritised and focused more. First one, let’s see the infrastructure gap. Many of the Arab countries are still facing challenges in connectivity. As you can see today, Qusay here in IGF Oslo, we are talking about AI, we are talking about digital transformation, we are talking about ethics but in our region unfortunately we still don’t have the basic infrastructure to connect. people. So I believe ADA should prioritize this infrastructure development. Second is the capacity building. So capacity building remains very essential. Whether it’s policy literacy for governments, or it’s an advanced training for operators and the technical community. We are building a human capital for these countries. And as part of the technical community, we are working with our partners like ISOC and ICANN in organizing joint webinars, workshop trainings for all the community there. The third point that I would like to focus on, as we are here in the IGF, is the multi-stakeholder. So we see many of the national strategies in the region are government-centric. That means the other stakeholder groups, they don’t have any way to see or to provide their input to these national strategies. That’s why I see the ADA, the Arab Digital Agenda, as a framework. Because ADA, once again, the advantage is that we are all under the same roof, on the same table discussing the challenges and priorities of the Arab countries. So I believe ADA could be a framework to engage with other national strategies so other stakeholder groups can be there on the same table. And the fourth point, and finally, there is an important topic that I would like to highlight here, which is always overlooked, is measurement and data. We have really a big statistic gap. Decision makers often lack the up-to-date and reliable data, and this should be taken into consideration so they can put the adequate and the suitable policy and regulation. So in summary, infrastructure, skills, inclusive governance, measurements, this should be the priority for the Arab Digital Agenda in the upcoming years.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you dear Shafiq for such a detailed response in five minutes, that’s a good way to do it. Thank you. Let me here move to the third question to my dear colleague Ahmad. How can the Arab region ensure its priorities are reflected in the outcome documents of the upcoming WSIS Plus 20 high-level event which will take place in Geneva? How do you view that?

Ahmad Farag: Thank you dear Qusai, and thank you ESCO and LAS teams, it’s a great pleasure to be here during this thoughtful discussion. To ensure that the Arab region priorities are meaningfully reflected in the outcome of the WSIS Plus 20 review process, I believe that we need to take some strategic steps. For example, we need to unify the Arab voices through strategic coordination, strong cooperation between the regional, sub-regional and national IGFs in the Arab region is needed. Last year we saw a great example for this cooperation effort through a joint webinar organized by the Arab IGF and North African IGF and Lebanon IGF, and it was held before the Riyadh meeting. This webinar focused on the OASIS Review, GDC and Summit of the Future and the Way Forward. These collaboration efforts brought together voices from all stakeholders from the Arab region and it was engaging, inclusive and showed the power of coordinating dialogue. Looking ahead, we also need to continue and enhance the partnership with the main regional institutions such as League of Arab States, Esquire, ITU, RIPE, NCC. I think we need to present a clear and unified Arab position in this global process. Also we need to add a thematic input based on the Arab priorities. As mentioned, I think it is very important, not only participating, it’s about what we say and what we deliver. Our contribution should address, from the Arab perspective of course, should address issues that reflect the Arab region priorities. Digital infrastructure gaps, as mentioned, access and inclusion, Arab digital content, ethics of using the AI, which align with the global digital goals. However, it’s also important to ensure that the Arab influence is starting from the drafting process, not waiting for the final approvals phases. We need to start early. Also leverage our role within the multi-stakeholder ecosystem. The Arab region is well represented in many global bodies, IGF, MAG, ITU, Councils, UN Working Groups and others. I think these positions from all stakeholders in the Arab region give us a strong opportunity to contribute and coordinate and deliver our priorities during the drafting and preparation process. It’s about ensuring inclusion and balance. Our goal. for the Wasted Plus 20 Review to reflect the goal diversity and the Arab region deserve to be a main player in this global conversation. I will stop here. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you. Thank you, dear Ahmad. And I would like really to emphasize on the point that you mentioned just that we need to start early when we are in the drafting process, not reaching the later stages. Moving from there, I will go back to my dear colleague, Charles. And based on your earlier intervention, how can the Arab IGF and you are the chairman of the current chairman of the Arab IGF MAG, how can you see the Arab IGF and other venues actually like the digital cooperation platform and so on strengthened, be strengthened as a sustained multi-stakeholder platform to advance the digital cooperation and digital agenda in the Arab world?

Charles Sha ban: Thank you, Qusai. In fact, I’m glad you said this on what I mentioned before, because I think I have some recommendation based on what you know, too, I’m sure, but to share with everyone. First, I think we need some kind of institutionalization for the forum. Mainly, of course, as everybody is talking about, even in the global IGF, the funding, I think it should be always clear how the funding of the forum will be in general. And maybe with sustainable secretariat, thanks to the NTIA who handled it since we started, but I think besides the ESCO and the Arab states, we need something more clear about the funding and secretariat to broaden and deepen the stakeholder engagement, as you asked, by the way, before, and I think we already covered this. I will not talk about it more, except maybe we can think of when we have some clear… We can concentrate on maybe creating some of thematic working groups that work all years long. Not to wait always to the end or when we have the Arab IGF coming to start working and as usual the back. But maybe some thematic groups can keep working all year long so we are ready any time for anything needed. Of course as we always say we want to concentrate on our region main issues which some already mentioned. But I think good to align it to with the global and the regional frameworks. We have for example North Africa and so on. So to work with everyone we need to find a way to enhance the capacity and knowledge sharing in fact. Maybe some capacity building programs especially in our region for SMEs, civil society as you mentioned and others. And even policy makers by the way. Sometimes they need I think some kind of capacity building training to be able to have good policies. And what can I add? I think we can say I write some notes here. Promote policy coherence and legal harmonization. We mentioned the different laws in the different countries. So maybe sometimes we can help them how to harmonize the different rules related to internet in general. And improve in communication and visibility. We mentioned before the Arab IGF messaging which usually is delivered to the different states. But I think we need to find a way to make it more visible for more people in the region. And as we always say more robust and digital presence for us.

Qusai AlShatti: May I ask you to elaborate further on how effective you see the involvement of the policy makers currently in our part of the world in developing the digital agenda? If you can give me specific input on that.

Charles Sha ban: Specific in fact, maybe I don’t have a lot, but from what I see, as you mentioned, from my point of view, it’s always being driven by the UNESCO and the League of Arab States. I think, yes, we invite the policy makers to be with us, but I think it will be good for the different Arab states to start sending, let’s say, some decision makers to learn more, as we said, or maybe we can find a way, as we mentioned, to reach them, to have more presence, besides the messaging, I mean, of the different IGF forums we do, of course. So I think we need more involvement, especially from some countries, some countries already involved. For example, we mentioned NTRA in Egypt, they are always with us, for example, and so on. But I mean the other countries who don’t usually be with us all the way and don’t participate in the groups. Although I know that UNESCO always says that they are welcome to join any work group we do anytime. So they need the initiative, I think, to say, yes, we want to join.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you. Thank you, dear Charles. And let me move to my dear colleague Shafiq Shaya and how he viewed the role of the digital cooperation, digital part of the Arab world. And how do you see the Arab region voice being reflected in the global forums, such as the IGF or the WSIS Plus 20? And what should be the technical community’s role, being you part of it and our part of the world, moving forward in the Arab region?

Chafic Chaya: Thank you, Khosrow. Without a doubt, this year is very critical for the global Internet governance processes and digital cooperation. And as you can notice, Khosrow, during this IGF, all the UN agencies who are leading these discussions are here and they are trying to give us all the background and details how things are moving around. I believe that the Arab region is becoming more visible on the global stage, but we need to have more strong aligned messaging here. So, during the Arab West-East consultation that was led by ESCWA this year, we were engaged with them and we put our feedback and input. And it was very encouraging to see that we were on the same page. That means the challenges that we have and the common goals to bridge the gap, to have more capacity building, to support the infrastructure development. And one more progress and achievement is the recognition of the multi-stakeholder Internet governance. And this is, I believe, the biggest achievement in our region. As a technical community, once again, we participated very heavily at the Riyadh IGF last year, and we are participating here, giving our feedback and engaging with the Arab community. But one thing that I would like, once again, to highlight here is that the region’s voice should be packed by two things, two important, let’s say, points. First, political legitimacy, and second, the technical credibility. And here is the importance of the technical community engagement with governments and regulators. What we are doing in this arena is that we go with the governments and we go with the regulators. We give them special training, we give them the necessary data so they can make their policy in the right direction. And once again, we contributed to this open consultation and we have the outcome of this consultation that is really encouraging and that’s in the right direction. Last point I believe here and I would like to tackle is, all the stakeholder groups, including the technical community, should be included in the preparations of any global discussion like IGF, GDC, from the beginning. The weakness point here is that we are always trying to catch up with this preparation, but if we start this as part of the team who is working with the preparation, who is putting the plans, this can have a more impactful outcome for the whole region. And I stop here. Let me, since we still have time for your question, how effective is the knowledge transfer from the technical community to the recipient or relative stakeholders in the Arab world? How do you see the knowledge transfer so far as an effective process or needs more? One of the positive points is the knowledge transfer. If we go back and see the status and the progress of the Arab countries, for example, in IPv6 or in routing security, we see the Arab countries are leading in this globally. And this didn’t come from vacuum. It comes from the continuous engagement with them. So, if you go back and see the charter or the progress of this knowledge transfer and the progress in this new technology, you can see that after each training, face-to-face training, with the community the next 40 hours you see the progress and you see the chart increase and this is a result from the engagement of the community with the relevant stakeholders I believe we have the sources, we have the materials and the tools we have the trust of governments and regulators but we can do better when it comes to have finance we need to finance this training, we need to finance this engagement and this is where we need to talk more with UN agencies like ESCWA and the Arab League for Arab States how to find some more funding to finance this training and these engagements

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you dear Shafiq Moving to my dear colleague Ahmad and reflecting on your last intervention what mechanisms are needed to ensure that the inputs from the national and sub-national or sub-regional IGFs such as the Arab IGF or the Arab Digital Agenda Implementation can be reflected in the global process in a bottom-up manner?

Ahmad Farag: Thank you Qusai I think the bottom-up approach of the Arab Digital Agenda is the key of inclusive and sustainable This dialogue approach is a shortcut for the regional policy action I have three main points I think it is very important to build on First, the institutional role of the national and regional IGFs in the Arab region It is very important to establish a solid channel and follow-up mechanism for the national and regional IJFs in the Arab region to feed in and submit their recommendation guiding the ADA implementation in a systematic way. Also, it is very important to establish a digital cooperation network in the Arab region. We have many of the national IJFs, along with the Arab IJF and North African IJF, I think launching a permanent NRI network in the Arab region, functioning as a cooperation hub, will be very effective. Where all regional and national IJFs in the region can share insights, contribute to the joint initiative, align policy messages from all stakeholders to the Arab Digital Agenda implementation cycle. This will be very effective. Also, as my colleague Chafic mentioned, invest in the capacity building and awareness enhancement. I think the IJFs in the Arab region need stronger support to participate effectively in the global and regional process. We have the calibers, we have the experience, I think we just need the right way to be engaged. The ADA implementation plan should include targeted capacity building resources, sharing and outreach to raise awareness about the ADA and how stakeholders can engage effectively in a dynamic, evolving framework for all stakeholders in the Arab region. Here, I would like to embed inclusion dialogue and cooperation into ADA. We can create a truly sustainable digital future for the Arab region. And I would like to share some experience from the North African IJF, what we are trying to do last year about how to create more engagement. We didn’t just open the door for all stakeholders to come. We tried to engage. We knocked on the door to other players to engage. Last year, for example, we knocked on the door for the people with disabilities. We didn’t just open a forum and wait for them to come. No, we approached them. We invited them. Whether in the forum or the SIG, School of Internet Governance, as well. Also, we reviewed the charter. We added a new advisory membership in the Multi-Stakeholder MAG. It opened the door for the regional and global bodies to be representative in the MAG process and work in the process through an advisory membership in the MAG. I think this will add value to the discussion and the outcomes of the North African IJF forum. Also, we encourage youth to engage. So, we established a solid track during the North African IJF dedicated for youth to be the first step for establishing Arab IJF for youth. I think we deserve this in our region. Also, actually, in fact, as a result of this engagement, for youth engagement, we have now in the MAG of the North African IJF five youth graduated from our SIG, which is something we totally support. Also, we put some rules to encourage people to join and create new experts. We put something like a condition. It’s not a condition, but a rule. for the chairs and vice-chairs of the MAG to be advisory members for four years. So this will help new calipers and to stand beside them, so we can build more calipers, more experts in our region. And I’ll stop here. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you. Thank you, dear Ahmad, for a really general, comprehensive response to this question. I would like to pass the floor to the audience, thanking them for being with us. And if they have any questions or intervention that they would like to do regarding the questions and the intervention that was made by our distinguished panelists. Please go ahead, sir. Introduce yourself.

Participant: Good morning. Can you hear me well? It is always a pleasure to have my Arab companions from the Arab League of States and other institutions. I am Jarad Jadel Magid. I am working at the Court of Cassation in Egypt. I am honorary professor at Durham University as well. And I worked as an Arab expert at the Council of Ministers of the League of Arab States for a long time. So I have this background and experience on how to implement and to enforce issues. And as you mentioned, the panel, many of you mentioned things like hinders, that it hinders you sometimes to achieve the goals of the Global Compact on Digital Information and other conventions. And you want to implement in the Arab world, and you can see the discrepancy between some states in the Arab world that has achieved real steps in information technology and digital issues, and some Arab states, they don’t have the basic infrastructure. My experience at the Arab League, to achieve anything under the umbrella of the Arab League, you should have a concrete instrument. And until now, I don’t see a concrete instrument, convention, model legislation. And I worked in the Arab League in various model legislation, in various issues. We have in the Arab League a model legislation on combating cyber crimes. You can rely on it. We have in the Arab League a convention on combating crimes related to information technologies. You can rely on it. And then you should think about, as I mentioned, formulating a document. It might be a framework, it might be a legal framework, to enhance digital cooperation between the Arab League. You can think about the Arab convention on enhancing digital cooperation in the Arab region. In this issue specifically, I would like to mention something else that you should put in mind. Currently, in the media sector, they are working on preparing a strategy on artificial intelligence. This is very important. Should this strategy on artificial intelligence help you in digital cooperation? So, things need some coordination. harmonization, and legal aspects should be always here when we are formulating when we want to develop some things or to implement a recommendation, please think about the legal framework. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatti: Leave the floor to the panelists if they have any response. Oh please go ahead.

Participant: Please. Do you want to answer him first?

Qusai AlShatti: Let’s take the question first and then maybe we’ll have it. Apologies for not noticing.

Hadia Elminiawi: My name is Hadi Al-Minyawi. I’m a chief expert at the National Telecom Regulatory Authority of Egypt, but I have another hat as well. I’m a FRALU chair, ICANN Africa region at-large organization chair and a member of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee also at ICANN. And we were talking about the involvement of Arabs in the region in shaping the digital future. And the Arab states, I would say, are contributing well to the development of the global digital agenda through multilateral platforms. However, other stakeholders who should actually be contributing also to shaping the global digital agenda through, I would say, venues and platforms like the one we are at today are absent. And I would say are always absent. And I think this is because of the lack of outreach. And so you were talking about capacity building, raising awareness, but to whom? Where’s the outreach part? And Charles mentioned that we have working groups and people are most welcome to join those working groups? Well, the problem is that we don’t know anything about those working groups. So we basically, and that’s why you’re always playing with the same people, you’re always conversing with the same people over and over saying, so you’re like, where are the new voices? Where are the new perspectives? Where are the other people? Where are the stakeholders? The outreach, in my opinion, is a basic issue. Thank you.

Charles Sha ban: Well, I will first thank you for the questions. And first, let me give the floor to the panelists if they have any response to any of these questions. Charles, please go ahead. Thank you. I will start with the second, if you allow me justice, because I think Ms. Minyawi mentioned an important issue. In fact, I said we need more outreach. You’re right. I agree with you in that. So I’m not against you. When I said that they were invited, when the process of the Arab IJF started, they kept the floor open and asked for the people to join from the government. This is what I meant. But if you remember, when I answered Qusai about the future, I said I think we need more thematic working groups and to work all around the year. So I agree with you. We need more outreach for that. I think ESCO will have maybe a better reply to this question in general. I just want to add something about multilateral. I think if some of you attended in the first day, we had a session called WeGig plus 20. When all of this started with the Working Group on Internet Governance, who recommended to have this IJF, in fact, in general, the global, I mean, now not only the Arab, this was mentioned. Should it be multilateral or multi-stakeholder? So I think many of the people were happy to say we need to find a way of… cooperation. We need to keep the multi-stakeholder button up. The multilateral is not, of course, not good. It’s important to stay, but we need to find the best way to cooperate in both of them.

Ahmad Farag: Thank you. Thank you for the questions and for the feedback. I’ll start with the first question about the challenges that we have with the League of Arab States and the challenge that we are facing in the region. I can agree with you that the diversity of the political and economical and technical landscape in the region is a challenge for us. That means we can’t go for the 22 Arab countries with the same program and with the same engagements. Some Arab countries are very well advanced. They don’t need our support. Other Arab countries, they are not. They need our support. And the least development countries, it’s not they need our support only. They support everyone. So this non-uniformity in the landscape is a challenge for us because we don’t have enough resources and we need to have tailored programs and plans for each country. But I agree with you, this is a challenge and it’s still a challenge. Replying to Hadia, thank you, Hadia, for the feedback. I totally agree with you. And the second point that always we don’t have a new audience or new voices with us. And this is not a new challenge. It was there and still there. We need to work on it. But for the first part of your questions, when you said multilateral, so here this is the dilemma. If you are talking about multilateral, that means there is no place for other stakeholders in a multi-stakeholder approach. to support and engage with others. So, what we are trying to do is to have this multilateral system supported by a multi-stakeholder approach. And I believe this will be a win-win situation for both governments and the community. Thanks, Qusai.

Qusai AlShatti: I will pass the floor to my dear colleague Ayman, my online co-moderator, to reply to any of the questions that have been raised on the floor. Thank you.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: Thank you. Thank you so much, Qusai. And I’m very delighted and happy to hear many positive messages and also the continuous concerns that we all have. And let me use this opportunity to strengthen our concern on the problem for all developing regions regarding the participation in the global processes. It is still a challenge for us. We have called many times for the last 20 years for strengthening the NRI. And let me now raise my voice. Maybe raising the voice is part of the energy you want to convey to all of us. We, all of the panelists, George, Hadia, everyone who has spoken, we need really support to participants from developing regions such as ours. We have 22 countries. More than half of them, they need really active fellowships and support to participate in the global IGF. Not only that, I really also strongly support on behalf of myself, my organization and the region. We strongly support the idea of establishing a mechanism for NRIs in the region that is more solid. I have myself voiced my concern several times. on the diluted nature of the N and the R-I things. The N should be with the R, should be together, and the R should encompass the N. And we have called for that several times, and now I really support the call by Ahmad Farag to create this network of NRIs in the region, at least as we intended from the beginning, that we, Arab IGF, have a national IGFs, like the one in Lebanon, the one in Tunisia, and also the one in North Africa subregional. We have to be one and then talk as one. So this is part of the problems in the design of the IGF. And let me use the presence of your distinguished selves in the event itself to strongly call for the IGF++++, because there have been++ before, that really considers the regions as the conduit to countries. It is impossible that the voice of 196 countries plus five regions, 201 bodies, are really effective unless we group ourselves into regions. And that is the strength of the regional commissions that we are advocating for. We, on behalf of myself, the member states, as I know, and the region, the bodies, that we should have really a continuous role, not only in the WSIS, as we used to do for the last 20 years, in the IGF, to be more strengthened. And of course, we have a stronger role already in the GDC. I would like to bring the good news to everyone, as part of the other side of the good news that you brought, that ESCWA is the vice chair of the Global Working Group on Digital Technologies of the Global Digital Compact, has been chosen. among all regional commissions to vice-chair on behalf of all regions and all the global south some part of the Summit of the future pact, which is the global digital compact and chapter 3 of the pact. What is the problem? Where is the problem? The problem as we all and you all mentioned and I’m glad that you have mentioned in the resources as well is in the outreach and the outreach here need to be financed, need to be covered for us to help people.

Qusai AlShatti: Dear Ayman, may I ask you to pause to pause because we have an extra question from the floor and maybe you can address the response to the extra question and with the closing remarks. If you just come pause it please for a second.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: Okay, I will close this segment of my intervention that I really strongly support all what have said. We at ESCO are equidistant from multilateral modalities and multi-stakeholder modalities and we are working hard to bring all the community. And by the way, I can as well as ISOC has been partners for the last 10-15 years with IGF. RIPE as well has been partners since inception. So technical community is active and all bodies of the UN are active. Before I give you full back, Qusai, I just want to reply quickly before I lose the thread to George and Hadia that George to be very confident that we are on top of the development of not Arab digital agenda only but the Arab strategy on artificial intelligence, Arab strategy on cyber security and many others that he mentioned that concern him, but I don’t want to mention everything. But the problem also is in the inclusion and we need to find way for example, you are in Egypt and I Thank you. Thank you. I can tell you more about the role of NTRA in this. So, I mean we need even to

Hadia Elminiawi: Thank you so much. This is just a clarifying comment that I never meant to say that multilateral platforms are more important. No, I meant to say that Arab states are doing their role there and is that we need to strengthen the multi-stakeholder platforms in order to allow all stakeholders to take part in shaping the digital future. And I thank you for this very important session.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you, Hadia, and believe me, your intervention question was taken the right way and the right context and thank you for your participation and your questions and thank you for the responses that we got. As you heard my colleagues, the audience from the floor, and regarding the challenges that we have, I think overall you have all listened that the multi-stakeholder process in the Arab world, although it became a culture, yet there is a room to improve it more. Although we have outreach, outreach has been done, but there are also gaps in the outreach and the communication and reaching new segments and stakeholders or within each stakeholder group. New players in our part of the world need to come to the floor, especially when it comes to the digital agenda and global digital cooperation and internet governance related issues. And let’s say a request or a will to be involved earlier in these processes in order to make sure that our perspective on digital cooperation and internet governance is reached and reflected. Also, there is a need for data. Let’s say, I wouldn’t say for the absent data, but let’s say more transparency, right? More measurement, more transparency. Transparency in our part of the world is needed. There is good achievement that has been done. But we are always ambitious to do better and to do more and to be in a better position to make our voice and perspective to be listened to in the global arena and regional levels. I would like to thank my distinguished panelists for their input and their time and their thorough perspective on the various aspects of digital cooperation and internet governance issues. I would like to thank my online co-moderator, Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, and the wonderful team of the UN SQA, who made this open forum possible for us. And I will pass the closing remarks to dear Ayman.

Ahmad Farag: Can we pass words, dear Qusai? Just three words per speaker and then we pass the closing to Ayman. Please go on. Okay. Just to conclude, there is one main message from this session. The Arab region stands at a critical crossroad for its digital journey. Once again, it’s not about infrastructure, it’s not about capacity building. It’s about inclusive policymaking, it’s about trust, it’s about national and regional collaboration, and it’s about trust in the multi-stakeholder collaboration model. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatti: Any addition? Okay. Dear Ayman, please go ahead.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: Thank you so much once again. A quick message regarding the measurement, George, very much important message, or not only George, I think Ahmad mentioned it and Chafic mentioned it. We are proud to be the only region in the world after Europe who has in their digital agenda intrinsically designed indicators and measurements for the divides that we have in the region. We have baseline for each of 35 main priority issues of the region and we have goals for each of them that are measurable by targets that have indicators and this measurement platform is not only for the region but for all the countries in the region and we are working on it. It takes time. Some of the indicators still need new methodologies for measurements. The core indicators of the world are much less. The indicators and the 2030 agenda are almost two if not even less. I mean we have a gap in measurement in the 2030 agenda that we detected 10 years ago but we are working on it. Even the WSIS and the GDCA consultation and all these things, they have not achieved a lot in measurement at the global level. Nevertheless, our region is pioneering in measuring at the regional level and we are passing our experience to other regions in the south so that we are comparable and we give a good example to the UN headquarters. So that is for the measurement. For the consultation, I’m glad that we are always the first runners in providing consultative, let us say, venues and dialogues since the inception of any process. We started the dialogue in the Arab region on the GDC two, three years before its conclusion successfully in 2024. We contribute to the negotiation of the GDC text and now we are convening a WSIS plus 20 review for the fourth, let us say, round very soon next September. It will be wide. It will be multi-stakeholder. with multilateral. So there are a lot of things that we need to give attention to. And last, not least, we have to revive our internal mechanisms, the working groups of the MAG or the MPAG, as well as Secretariat. And all of this will take some time during the next six to nine months. Hopefully, you have a strong comeback in 2026 in the eighth Arab IGF. We have done the seventh Arab IGF.

Qusai AlShatti: Dear Ayman, we are already passing our time, so please close.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: Okay. So successfully, seventh Arab IGF took place. The eighth will come next year, inshallah. Some countries I’m in touch with to host the next rounds. So everything is, inshallah, positive. Despite all the challenges in the region, where we had to reschedule things because of the wars, we look for peace, and we hope that peace will bring a better digital future for the region and elsewhere. Thank you. Over to you, Qusay.

Qusai AlShatti: Thank you. Thank you. Please, at the end of the workshop, I would like to thank you.

Agreement points

Need for enhanced outreach and stakeholder engagement

Speakers

– Charles Sha ban
– Hadia Elminiawi
– Ahmad Farag
– Qusai AlShatti

Arguments

Need for better outreach to reach new voices beyond the usual participants

Lack of outreach prevents new stakeholders from knowing about working groups and participation opportunities

Youth engagement should be prioritized with dedicated tracks and advisory roles

Outreach efforts exist but have gaps in reaching new segments and stakeholders

Summary

All speakers agree that current outreach efforts are insufficient and there is a critical need to engage new voices and stakeholders beyond the regular participants in Arab digital governance forums

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Infrastructure development as fundamental priority

Speakers

– Charles Sha ban
– Chafic Chaya

Arguments

Digital divide persists especially in rural areas despite overall improvements

Infrastructure gaps remain a critical challenge with many Arab countries lacking basic connectivity

Summary

Both speakers emphasize that despite progress, significant infrastructure gaps persist across the Arab region, particularly in rural areas, requiring continued prioritization

Topics

Infrastructure | Development

Importance of early engagement in global processes

Speakers

– Ahmad Farag
– Qusai AlShatti

Arguments

Early engagement in drafting processes rather than waiting for final approval phases is crucial

Early involvement in global processes is essential for Arab perspective representation

Summary

Both speakers stress the critical importance of Arab region participation from the beginning of global policy processes rather than attempting to influence outcomes at later stages

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Need for better measurement and data systems

Speakers

– Chafic Chaya
– Qusai AlShatti

Arguments

Need for reliable data and measurement systems to support adequate policy and regulation

More transparency and measurement systems are needed in the region

Summary

Both speakers identify the lack of adequate data and measurement systems as a significant challenge that hampers effective policy formulation and transparent governance

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers observe that multi-stakeholder participation has become imbalanced, with governments becoming less actively engaged and national strategies often excluding other stakeholder groups from meaningful input

Speakers

– Charles Sha ban
– Chafic Chaya

Arguments

Stakeholder participation has become unbalanced with declining government and civil society involvement

Multi-stakeholder governance is often overlooked in favor of government-centric national strategies

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Both speakers advocate for coordinated regional approaches that bring together various Arab digital governance forums and initiatives under unified frameworks to strengthen the region’s collective voice

Speakers

– Ahmad Farag
– Ayman El-Sherbiny

Arguments

Arab region needs unified voice through strategic coordination between regional and national IGFs

Digital Cooperation Development Forum combines Arab IGF, Arab WSIS, and other regional forums

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Both speakers emphasize the critical importance of systematic capacity building programs that develop human capital and create institutional mechanisms for sustained engagement and knowledge transfer

Speakers

– Chafic Chaya
– Ahmad Farag

Arguments

Capacity building is essential for policy literacy, technical training, and human capital development

Bottom-up approach through institutional channels and digital cooperation networks is needed

Topics

Development | Capacity development

Unexpected consensus

Technical community’s proven effectiveness in knowledge transfer

Speakers

– Chafic Chaya
– Ahmad Farag

Arguments

Arab countries lead globally in IPv6 and routing security due to continuous technical community engagement

Knowledge transfer shows measurable progress after face-to-face training sessions

Explanation

There was unexpected consensus on the technical community’s demonstrable success in achieving measurable outcomes, with specific evidence of Arab countries leading globally in technical areas like IPv6 adoption – this concrete success story was not anticipated but strongly supported by both speakers

Topics

Infrastructure | Development

Arab region’s pioneering role in measurement systems

Speakers

– Ayman El-Sherbiny
– Chafic Chaya

Arguments

Arab region is pioneering in regional-level measurement with indicators for 35 priority issues

Decision makers lack up-to-date and reliable data for policy formulation

Explanation

While acknowledging data gaps, there was unexpected consensus that the Arab region is actually pioneering globally in developing comprehensive measurement frameworks, being second only to Europe in having intrinsically designed indicators – this positive achievement was surprising given the general discussion of challenges

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

Strong consensus emerged around four main areas: the critical need for enhanced outreach and stakeholder engagement, infrastructure development as a fundamental priority, the importance of early engagement in global processes, and the necessity for better measurement and data systems. Speakers consistently identified similar challenges and solutions across these domains.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with significant implications for coordinated regional action. The agreement suggests a clear pathway forward for Arab digital cooperation, with speakers identifying complementary roles and shared priorities that could enable more effective collective action in global digital governance forums.

Different viewpoints

Multilateral vs Multi-stakeholder Approach Priority

Speakers

– Participant
– Ahmad Farag
– Hadia Elminiawi

Arguments

Legal framework and concrete instruments like conventions are needed for effective implementation

Bottom-up approach through institutional channels and digital cooperation networks is needed

Arab states contribute well to multilateral platforms but other stakeholders are often absent

Summary

The participant emphasized the need for concrete legal instruments and conventions (multilateral approach) based on Arab League experience, while Ahmad Farag advocated for bottom-up multi-stakeholder approaches, and Hadia pointed out the imbalance where states participate well in multilateral venues but other stakeholders are absent from multi-stakeholder platforms

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Unexpected differences

Effectiveness of Current Outreach Efforts

Speakers

– Charles Sha ban
– Hadia Elminiawi

Arguments

Need for better outreach to reach new voices beyond the usual participants

Lack of outreach prevents new stakeholders from knowing about working groups and participation opportunities

Explanation

This disagreement was unexpected because both speakers were addressing the same participation problem, but Charles suggested that outreach exists but needs improvement, while Hadia argued that the outreach is fundamentally inadequate, with people simply not knowing about opportunities. This reveals a deeper disagreement about whether the problem is quality or existence of outreach efforts

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion showed relatively low levels of direct disagreement, with most conflicts being subtle differences in approach rather than fundamental opposition. The main areas of disagreement centered on governance approaches (multilateral vs multi-stakeholder), methods for improving participation, and assessment of current outreach effectiveness

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level. The speakers generally shared common goals but differed on implementation strategies and problem diagnosis. This suggests a collaborative environment where different perspectives can be integrated rather than requiring resolution of fundamental conflicts. The implications are positive for regional digital cooperation as the disagreements appear to be complementary rather than contradictory, allowing for multi-faceted approaches to address the identified challenges

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers observe that multi-stakeholder participation has become imbalanced, with governments becoming less actively engaged and national strategies often excluding other stakeholder groups from meaningful input

Speakers

– Charles Sha ban
– Chafic Chaya

Arguments

Stakeholder participation has become unbalanced with declining government and civil society involvement

Multi-stakeholder governance is often overlooked in favor of government-centric national strategies

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Both speakers advocate for coordinated regional approaches that bring together various Arab digital governance forums and initiatives under unified frameworks to strengthen the region’s collective voice

Speakers

– Ahmad Farag
– Ayman El-Sherbiny

Arguments

Arab region needs unified voice through strategic coordination between regional and national IGFs

Digital Cooperation Development Forum combines Arab IGF, Arab WSIS, and other regional forums

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Both speakers emphasize the critical importance of systematic capacity building programs that develop human capital and create institutional mechanisms for sustained engagement and knowledge transfer

Speakers

– Chafic Chaya
– Ahmad Farag

Arguments

Capacity building is essential for policy literacy, technical training, and human capital development

Bottom-up approach through institutional channels and digital cooperation networks is needed

Topics

Development | Capacity development

Key takeaways

The Arab region has established a comprehensive digital cooperation framework including the Arab Digital Agenda (2023-2033), Digital Cooperation Development Forum, and Arab IGF, but implementation faces significant challenges

Multi-stakeholder participation has become unbalanced with declining government and civil society engagement, while the same participants dominate discussions without sufficient new voices

Infrastructure gaps and capacity building remain critical priorities, with many Arab countries still lacking basic connectivity despite some leading in advanced technologies like IPv6 and routing security

The Arab region needs unified coordination and early engagement in global processes like WSIS+20 and Global Digital Compact to ensure regional priorities are reflected in outcome documents

Technical community engagement has proven effective in knowledge transfer, showing measurable progress in areas like IPv6 adoption and routing security across the region

The region is pioneering in measurement systems with indicators for 35 priority areas, providing baselines and measurable goals that exceed global standards

Legal frameworks and concrete instruments like conventions are needed alongside the existing strategic documents to ensure effective implementation

Resolutions and action items

Establish permanent NRI (National and Regional IGF) network in the Arab region to function as a cooperation hub for sharing insights and aligning policy messages

Create thematic working groups that operate year-round rather than only during IGF events to maintain continuous engagement

Develop targeted capacity building programs for SMEs, civil society, and policymakers with dedicated funding

Implement better outreach mechanisms to reach new stakeholders and voices beyond the usual participants

Establish sustainable funding and secretariat arrangements for Arab IGF institutionalization

Create youth engagement tracks and advisory roles, including establishing an Arab IGF for youth

Develop tailored programs for different Arab countries based on their varying levels of digital development

Strengthen partnerships between regional institutions (League of Arab States, ESCWA, ITU, RIPE NCC) for unified positioning

Unresolved issues

Sustainable funding mechanisms for Arab IGF and related digital cooperation initiatives remain unclear

Outreach strategies to engage new stakeholders and voices are not well-defined or implemented

Policy harmonization across different Arab countries with varying legal frameworks and procedures

Balancing multilateral government-led processes with multi-stakeholder approaches

Addressing the significant digital development disparities between advanced Arab countries and least developed countries in the region

Ensuring inclusive participation from marginalized groups and rural areas

Financing for technical community training and engagement activities

Coordination between various Arab strategies (digital agenda, AI strategy, cybersecurity strategy) to avoid duplication

Suggested compromises

Combine multilateral government systems with multi-stakeholder approaches to create win-win situations for both governments and community stakeholders

Implement advisory membership roles in MAG processes to allow regional and global bodies to participate without full voting rights

Establish term limits for chairs and vice-chairs (4 years) while providing advisory roles to build new expertise and ensure continuity

Create differentiated engagement approaches for Arab countries at different development levels rather than one-size-fits-all programs

Balance regional coordination with national sovereignty by allowing countries to opt into specific initiatives based on their readiness and priorities

We need more balance between the different multi-stakeholders… when we started, I think it was more balanced. We had the government, the civil society, the private sector. Then we started to be – I’m very frank here… some governments started to be less, let’s say, in participation… So I think every year we see someone moving better and the rest moving, let’s say, backward a little bit.

Speaker

Charles Sha’ban

Reason

This comment was particularly insightful because it honestly acknowledged the deteriorating quality of multi-stakeholder participation over time, moving beyond surface-level assessments to identify a systemic problem with stakeholder engagement cycles.

Impact

This observation prompted Qusai to ask follow-up questions about stakeholder balance and later influenced the discussion toward more concrete solutions like thematic working groups and year-round engagement mechanisms.

Many of the national strategies in the region are government-centric. That means the other stakeholder groups, they don’t have any way to see or to provide their input to these national strategies. That’s why I see the ADA, the Arab Digital Agenda, as a framework… we are all under the same roof, on the same table discussing the challenges.

Speaker

Chafic Chaya

Reason

This comment was thought-provoking because it reframed the Arab Digital Agenda not just as a policy document, but as a potential solution to structural exclusion in national policymaking processes.

Impact

This perspective shifted the conversation from viewing ADA as another agenda to seeing it as a corrective mechanism for inclusive governance, influencing later discussions about bottom-up approaches and institutional frameworks.

We need to ensure that the Arab influence is starting from the drafting process, not waiting for the final approvals phases. We need to start early.

Speaker

Ahmad Farag

Reason

This comment cut to the heart of a strategic problem – reactive versus proactive engagement in global processes. It highlighted the difference between participation and influence.

Impact

This observation became a recurring theme that Qusai emphasized and that influenced the entire discussion about how the Arab region can be more effective in global forums, shifting focus from participation to strategic timing.

Until now, I don’t see a concrete instrument, convention, model legislation… You can think about the Arab convention on enhancing digital cooperation in the Arab region… legal aspects should be always here when we are formulating when we want to develop some things or to implement a recommendation.

Speaker

Participant (Jarad Jadel Magid)

Reason

This intervention was particularly insightful because it challenged the entire premise of the discussion by pointing out the absence of binding legal frameworks, introducing a completely different perspective on how regional cooperation should be structured.

Impact

This comment introduced a new dimension to the conversation – the legal/institutional framework gap – that hadn’t been adequately addressed by the panelists, forcing them to consider more concrete implementation mechanisms.

Other stakeholders who should actually be contributing… are absent. And I would say are always absent… The problem is that we don’t know anything about those working groups… The outreach, in my opinion, is a basic issue.

Speaker

Hadia Elminiawi

Reason

This comment was particularly powerful because it came from someone who should theoretically be included (an expert in the field) but felt excluded, providing concrete evidence of the outreach failures discussed earlier.

Impact

This intervention validated and gave concrete form to the abstract discussions about stakeholder participation, forcing panelists to acknowledge that their outreach mechanisms were fundamentally flawed and leading to more specific commitments about improving communication.

The region’s voice should be packed by two things… political legitimacy, and second, the technical credibility. And here is the importance of the technical community engagement with governments and regulators.

Speaker

Chafic Chaya

Reason

This comment was insightful because it identified the dual requirements for effective regional influence in global forums, moving beyond simple participation to strategic positioning.

Impact

This framework helped structure the later discussion about how different stakeholder groups need to work together strategically, rather than just participate separately.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by moving it from celebratory assessments of progress to honest acknowledgment of systemic problems. Charles Sha’ban’s frank admission about deteriorating stakeholder balance set a tone of constructive criticism that permeated the entire session. The audience interventions, particularly from Jarad Jadel Magid and Hadia Elminiawi, served as reality checks that forced panelists to move beyond theoretical discussions to concrete acknowledgment of implementation gaps. The comments collectively shifted the conversation from ‘what we’ve achieved’ to ‘what we need to fix,’ creating a more actionable dialogue. The discussion evolved from a typical conference panel format to a more genuine problem-solving session, with each insightful comment building on previous ones to create a comprehensive critique of current regional digital cooperation mechanisms and a roadmap for improvement.

How can we establish sustainable funding mechanisms for Arab IGF and related digital cooperation platforms?

Speaker

Charles Sha’ban

Explanation

Charles emphasized the need for clear funding structures and sustainable secretariat beyond current arrangements, which is crucial for institutionalizing the forum and ensuring continuity of digital cooperation efforts in the Arab region.

How can we create effective thematic working groups that operate year-round rather than only during IGF events?

Speaker

Charles Sha’ban

Explanation

This would enable continuous engagement and preparation for digital cooperation initiatives rather than sporadic activity, improving the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder participation.

What specific mechanisms are needed to improve outreach and engage new voices in Arab digital cooperation platforms?

Speaker

Hadia Elminiawi and Charles Sha’ban

Explanation

Both speakers highlighted the critical issue of limited participation and the need for better outreach strategies to involve diverse stakeholders beyond the usual participants in digital governance discussions.

How can we develop a concrete legal framework or convention for enhancing digital cooperation in the Arab region?

Speaker

Jarad Jadel Magid

Explanation

The participant emphasized the need for concrete instruments like conventions or model legislation to achieve meaningful implementation of digital cooperation goals, drawing from experience with existing Arab League legal frameworks.

How can we establish a permanent NRI (National and Regional Internet Governance Initiatives) network in the Arab region?

Speaker

Ahmad Farag

Explanation

This would create a cooperation hub for all regional and national IGFs to share insights, contribute to joint initiatives, and align policy messages for Arab Digital Agenda implementation.

What financing mechanisms are needed to support capacity building and training programs for technical knowledge transfer?

Speaker

Chafic Chaya

Explanation

While technical training has been successful, sustainable financing is needed to expand and maintain these programs for continued technology adoption and capacity building in the region.

How can we improve data collection and statistical measurement capabilities for digital development in the Arab region?

Speaker

Chafic Chaya

Explanation

Decision makers lack up-to-date and reliable data, which is essential for creating adequate policies and regulations for digital development.

How can we ensure Arab region priorities are reflected early in the drafting process of global digital governance documents rather than in final approval phases?

Speaker

Ahmad Farag

Explanation

This is crucial for meaningful participation in global processes like WSIS Plus 20 and ensuring Arab perspectives are genuinely incorporated into international digital cooperation frameworks.

How can we coordinate between the Arab Digital Agenda and the Arab strategy on artificial intelligence currently being developed?

Speaker

Jarad Jadel Magid

Explanation

Coordination between these parallel initiatives is needed to ensure coherent and complementary approaches to digital development and AI governance in the region.

What support mechanisms are needed to enable developing countries in the Arab region to participate effectively in global IGF processes?

Speaker

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Explanation

More than half of the 22 Arab countries need active fellowships and support to participate in global IGF, highlighting the need for structured support mechanisms for meaningful participation.