Open Forum #37 Digital and AI Regulation in La Francophonie an Inspiration and Global Good Practice

Summary

This French-speaking roundtable discussion at the Internet Governance Forum focused on the challenges facing Francophone countries in digital governance and artificial intelligence, particularly regarding inclusion, cultural diversity, and data governance. The session was moderated by a representative from Francophonie and included Chad’s Minister of Telecommunications Boukar Michel, French Digital Ambassador Henri Verdier, UN Economic Commission for Africa representative Mactar Seck, and Professor Destiny Tchehouali from the University of Quebec in Montreal.

Minister Michel emphasized how digital technologies and AI present new opportunities to strengthen Francophone ties, building on the historical foundation established by leaders like Léopold Sédar Senghor. He highlighted the need for better digital infrastructure, particularly through programs like Connect Africa, and stressed the importance of creating AI tools that work effectively in French and local African languages. Ambassador Verdier drew parallels between the origins of Francophonie as a shared linguistic commons and the current digital landscape, arguing that digital resources should remain accessible to all rather than being captured by large tech monopolies.

The discussion revealed significant challenges facing Francophone countries, including limited internet access for 2.6 billion people globally and the dominance of English-language content online. Professor Tchehouali introduced the concept of “discoverability,” explaining how French content, despite representing 6% of web content, struggles to be recommended by algorithms that favor English-language material. The participants identified data governance as a critical issue, with Seck noting that individual countries cannot effectively negotiate with tech giants like Google and Facebook alone.

The speakers agreed that regional cooperation through Francophonie is essential to address these challenges, with plans to continue discussions at an upcoming Geneva summit to develop concrete proposals for improving digital inclusion and preserving linguistic diversity in the AI era.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **Digital Inclusion and Infrastructure Challenges**: The discussion highlighted that 2.6 billion people still lack internet access, with particular focus on connecting rural territories in Francophone countries and ensuring meaningful connectivity beyond basic access. Speakers emphasized the need for shared infrastructure projects like regional fiber optic networks and data centers.

– **Language Diversity and Cultural Preservation in AI**: A central concern was how to preserve French and other Francophone languages (over 1,000-2,000 languages in the Francophone space) in the age of AI, which is predominantly trained on English data. The concept of “discoverability” was introduced – ensuring Francophone content can be found and recommended online despite representing only 6% of web content.

– **Data Governance and Digital Sovereignty**: Extensive discussion on the need for Francophone countries to control their own data rather than being dependent on major tech companies (GAFAM – Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft). Speakers called for regional cooperation to negotiate with tech giants and establish frameworks for data protection and value sharing.

– **Francophone Cooperation and Institutional Response**: Strong emphasis on the need for coordinated action among Francophone countries, moving beyond individual national efforts to collective regional approaches. The discussion called for ministers and governments to actively engage in international digital governance forums.

– **Capacity Building and Innovation**: Focus on training young people in AI and digital technologies, supporting local content creation, and digitizing existing cultural and governmental data that currently exists but isn’t digitized.

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion aimed to explore how Francophone countries can collectively address challenges in digital governance and artificial intelligence, particularly focusing on inclusion, cultural/linguistic diversity, and data sovereignty. It served as preparation for upcoming meetings in Geneva at the World Summit on Information Society.

## Overall Tone:

The tone was collaborative and urgent throughout, with speakers expressing both concern about being left behind in the digital revolution and optimism about the potential for Francophone cooperation. There was a consistent sense of urgency about the need to act collectively rather than individually, with speakers emphasizing that the Francophone space represents a significant global market (over 1 billion people, 15-16% of global GDP) that should have more influence in digital governance. The discussion maintained a constructive, solution-oriented approach while acknowledging serious challenges.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Moderator**: Session moderator for this French-speaking round table on digital governance and AI

– **Boukar Michel**: Minister of Telecommunications, Digital Transformation of Administration, and Digital Economy of the Republic of Chad

– **Henri Verdier**: Ambassador of Digital for France

– **IGF Central Africa representative** (Mactar Seck): Head of the technology and innovation section within the Economic Commission of the United Nations for Africa, based in Addis Ababa; Coordinator for IGF for Central Africa

– **Destiny Tchehouali**: Professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal, specialist on issues of diversity and discoverability (participating remotely from Montreal)

– **Audience**: Multiple audience members who asked questions during the session

**Additional speakers:**

– **Abdelgeril Bacharbon**: From Chad, coordinator of IGF Chad, president of House of Africa

– **Nicole Baibé-Kennedy**: From Chad, Director of Electronic Communications at the Ministry of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of the Public Administration

– **Sébastien Bachelet**: From France, representing European users

– **Sidi Kabubaka Nondishao**: From Alexandria at the University of Senghor, University of French Languages at the African Development Service

– **Emmanuel Empeta**: Member of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo

# Comprehensive Report: Francophone Digital Governance and AI Roundtable Discussion

## Executive Summary

This French-speaking roundtable discussion at the Internet Governance Forum brought together key stakeholders from across the Francophone world to address critical challenges in digital governance and artificial intelligence. The session, moderated by a representative from Francophonie, featured high-level participants including Chad’s Minister of Telecommunications Boukar Michel, French Digital Ambassador Henri Verdier, a representative from IGF Central Africa and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and Professor Destiny Tchehouali from the University of Quebec in Montreal (participating remotely), alongside several other experts and civil society representatives.

The discussion was framed around three main themes identified by the moderator: digital inclusion and infrastructure development, preservation of linguistic and cultural diversity in the AI era, and data governance and digital sovereignty. The session took place in the context of the upcoming World Digital Pact and the World Summit on Information Society beginning July 7th in Geneva. Participants demonstrated broad agreement on fundamental challenges whilst offering varied approaches to implementation, ultimately calling for concrete collective action through upcoming meetings in Geneva.

## Key Participants and Their Perspectives

### Government Representatives

**Minister Boukar Michel** of Chad emphasised the transformative potential of digital technologies for strengthening Francophone ties, drawing inspiration from historical leaders like Léopold Sédar Senghor. He highlighted Chad’s commitment to digital infrastructure development through programmes like Connect Africa, whilst candidly critiquing the frequent absence of Francophone ministers from crucial international digital conferences. His perspective combined optimism about AI’s potential for cultural preservation with practical concerns about creating effective French-language AI tools.

**Ambassador Henri Verdier** of France provided a philosophical framework for the discussion by drawing parallels between Francophonie’s historical success in making French a shared commons and the current need to protect digital resources from monopolisation. He advocated for frugal connectivity solutions and hybrid physical-digital services that can function with limited infrastructure, whilst emphasising the importance of keeping digital commons accessible to all.

### International Organisation Representatives

**The IGF Central Africa representative**, speaking for the UN Economic Commission for Africa, focused on the structural challenges facing the region, noting that individual countries cannot effectively negotiate with tech giants alone. They emphasised the need for shared infrastructure solutions, including regional optical fibre networks and data centres, whilst highlighting the diversity of languages (over 1,000-2,000) within the Francophone space that require protection and promotion.

### Academic Perspective

**Professor Destiny Tchehouali**, participating remotely from Montreal despite some technical difficulties, introduced the critical concept of “discoverability,” explaining how French content, despite representing 6% of web content, struggles to gain visibility through algorithms that favour English-language material. Her analysis revealed the sophisticated mechanisms through which cultural dominance operates in digital spaces, moving beyond simple content creation to the politics of algorithmic recommendation.

## Major Discussion Themes

### Digital Inclusion and Infrastructure Challenges

The discussion revealed the stark reality that 2.6 billion people globally still lack internet access, with particular challenges in connecting rural territories across Francophone countries. Participants agreed that meaningful digital inclusion requires far more than basic connectivity. Minister Michel outlined Chad’s Connect Africa programme, which aims to develop digital infrastructures and fibre optic networks to promote internet access in rural areas.

Ambassador Verdier emphasised that meaningful connectivity must enable emancipation, self-organisation, and local solidarity rather than merely providing technical access. He advocated for frugal connectivity solutions that can work with limited infrastructure, including hybrid physical-digital services that acknowledge real-world constraints.

The IGF Central Africa representative highlighted that infrastructure problems exist at country, regional, and population levels, requiring shared solutions such as regional optical fibre networks and data centres. Multiple speakers emphasised the critical importance of capacity building and training programmes, particularly targeting youth and women in digital technologies and AI.

Audience member Abdelgeril Bacharbon reinforced the importance of capacity building, emphasising that active participation rather than passive consumption should be the goal of digital inclusion efforts.

### Language Diversity and Cultural Preservation in AI

A central concern throughout the discussion was the preservation of French and other Francophone languages in an AI landscape dominated by English-language training data. Professor Tchehouali’s analysis revealed that whilst French represents 6% of internet content, the challenge extends beyond content creation to algorithmic bias in recommendation systems.

Minister Michel noted the practical implications of this bias, observing that voice recognition and AI systems work significantly better in English than in French or African languages. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle where AI systems become increasingly optimised for dominant languages whilst marginalising others.

The concept of “discoverability” emerged as a crucial framework for understanding these challenges. Professor Tchehouali explained that discoverability refers not only to the availability of content online but, more importantly, to the ability of that content to be recommended to users who may not have known of its existence beforehand. This transforms discoverability from a technical issue into what she termed “an eminently political issue, a cultural policy issue.”

Participants discussed various solutions, including the creation of Francophone linguistic databases to train more inclusive AI systems and support for local content creation in multiple languages as both a cultural preservation and job creation strategy. Ambassador Verdier briefly mentioned regulatory approaches, referencing requirements for platforms to invest in local content production.

### Data Governance and Digital Sovereignty

The discussion of data governance revealed sophisticated understanding of the complex challenges facing Francophone countries in the digital age. Minister Michel raised fundamental questions about sovereignty and citizens’ rights protection in the context of massive data collection by international tech companies.

Ambassador Verdier articulated a framework identifying three key aspects of data governance: privacy protection, keeping common knowledge common, and ensuring fair value sharing from data use. He highlighted the particular challenge facing African countries, where data is simultaneously under-exposed (limiting AI development that serves African needs) and at risk of capture by foreign entities.

A particularly insightful contribution came through Ambassador Verdier’s reference to Ghana’s digital minister, who articulated the double bind facing African countries: concerns that insufficient data exposure means AI solutions won’t be developed for African needs, but also risks that opening up data could lead to theft and capture by foreign entities.

A crucial correction to assumptions about African data scarcity came from audience member Emmanuel Empeta, who noted that “Africa has data, but we have a serious problem. It is the low rate of digitisation of this data. State data, public data, cultural data.” This reframed the challenge from data creation to digitisation infrastructure and capacity.

Sébastien Bachelet contributed another perspective on digital sovereignty, highlighting domain name extensions as national digital assets that countries should actively manage and promote.

### Francophone Cooperation and Institutional Response

Throughout the discussion, participants demonstrated broad agreement that individual Francophone countries lack the power to effectively address digital governance challenges alone. The IGF Central Africa representative noted that the Francophone space represents significant global influence if properly coordinated.

Minister Michel provided a moment of candid self-reflection, directly challenging the Francophone community’s own commitment to digital governance: “Sometimes it’s us who pose problems in our Francophone space… I attend international conferences on digital sometimes. So, tell me Verdier, is the French minister in charge of digital always busy? He can come, he can attend these conferences where big decisions are made.” This honest assessment of internal coordination failures elevated the discussion’s realism about what collective action actually requires.

Ambassador Verdier’s historical perspective proved particularly influential, drawing parallels between the origins of Francophonie and current digital challenges. He noted how four major heads of state—Léopold Sédar Senghor, Habib Bourguiba, Hamani Diori, and Norodom Sihanouk—”imposed on France the idea that this French language does not belong to France, that it is something that we have in common.” This historical precedent provided a conceptual framework for approaching digital commons as shared resources rather than national assets.

## Areas of Agreement and Disagreement

### Strong Agreement Areas

The discussion revealed broad alignment across speakers from diverse backgrounds on several key points. All participants agreed that digital inclusion requires more than basic connectivity, necessitating meaningful access that enables empowerment and local innovation. There was general recognition that Francophone countries must work collectively to address digital governance challenges, as individual nations cannot effectively negotiate with major tech companies alone.

Participants also demonstrated strong agreement on the threat posed by AI bias toward English content and the importance of data governance for digital sovereignty. The agreement spanned technical, cultural, and political dimensions, suggesting a mature understanding of digital challenges in the Francophone space.

### Implementation Differences

Whilst participants agreed on fundamental goals, they offered different approaches to specific implementation strategies. The most notable disagreement emerged around ministerial engagement, with Minister Michel directly criticising the frequent absence of Francophone ministers from international digital forums, whilst Ambassador Verdier focused on practical engagement through local innovations rather than addressing the attendance issue directly.

Participants also offered different approaches to addressing AI bias: Minister Michel emphasised creating Francophone linguistic databases, Professor Tchehouali focused on discoverability measures and algorithmic fairness, whilst Ambassador Verdier pointed to regulatory obligations for platforms.

An important disagreement emerged regarding the nature of Africa’s data challenges, with some discussion suggesting Africa lacks sufficient data exposure and infrastructure, whilst audience member Emmanuel Empeta argued that Africa has abundant data but faces digitisation challenges. This disagreement has significant implications for resource allocation and development strategies.

## Thought-Provoking Insights

Several comments during the discussion provided particularly profound insights that shaped the conversation’s direction. Ambassador Verdier’s historical analysis connecting Francophonie’s success to digital commons protection offered a unifying conceptual framework that other speakers referenced. His observation that “we have protected, extended and brought to life a common” provided philosophical grounding for approaching digital governance challenges.

Professor Tchehouali’s introduction of the discoverability concept moved the discussion beyond simple content creation to the sophisticated mechanisms through which cultural dominance operates in digital spaces. Her insight that discoverability is “an eminently political issue, a cultural policy issue” connected technical infrastructure questions to cultural policy in ways that influenced subsequent discussions.

Minister Michel’s candid critique of Francophone coordination failures demonstrated authentic leadership and self-reflection, creating a moment of uncomfortable truth-telling that elevated the discussion’s honesty level. His direct questioning of French participation shifted focus from external challenges to internal accountability.

## Unresolved Challenges and Future Directions

Despite the broad agreement on major goals, several critical issues remain unresolved. Participants did not reach agreement on specific mechanisms for coordinating collective action among Francophone countries with different levels of digital development, nor on concrete funding mechanisms for shared digital infrastructure projects.

Questions remain about how to ensure fair value sharing from data generated in Francophone countries, how to recover and repatriate historical data and archives currently held in other countries, and how to balance digital sovereignty with the need for international cooperation and open standards.

The discussion also left unaddressed the challenge of brain drain of digital talent from Francophone developing countries and specific criteria for determining what constitutes diversified Francophone content for platform obligations.

Several speakers acknowledged limitations and expressed uncertainty about optimal approaches, reflecting the complexity of the challenges rather than presenting overly confident solutions.

## Action Items and Next Steps

The discussion concluded with concrete commitments for continued collaboration. Participants agreed to continue discussions at the upcoming Geneva meeting during the World Summit on Information Society beginning July 7th, with plans to develop strong recommendations on data governance for Francophone countries.

Specific action items identified include creating databases of Francophone linguistic data to train more inclusive AI systems, establishing regional data centres and shared digital infrastructure among Francophone countries, implementing capacity building programmes through initiatives like the OIF’s Déclic programme, and digitising existing cultural, state, and public data archives across Francophone Africa.

Participants also committed to increasing Francophone ministerial presence at international digital conferences and decision-making forums, and developing regulatory frameworks to promote Francophone and local content on digital platforms.

## Conclusion

This roundtable discussion demonstrated the Francophone community’s sophisticated understanding of digital governance challenges and its potential for coordinated response. The conversation successfully moved beyond technical issues to address fundamental questions of power, sovereignty, and collective action in the digital age.

The broad agreement on major challenges, combined with constructive differences on implementation strategies, suggests a foundation for future collaboration. The participants’ ability to engage in honest self-reflection about internal coordination failures, whilst maintaining optimism about collective potential, indicates a mature approach to addressing complex global challenges.

The discussion’s emphasis on historical precedents, particularly Francophonie’s success in creating shared cultural resources, provides a valuable framework for approaching contemporary digital challenges. As participants prepare for continued discussions in Geneva, they carry forward both a clear understanding of the challenges ahead and a demonstrated capacity for the kind of honest, sophisticated dialogue necessary to address them effectively.

The session ultimately reinforced that whilst individual Francophone countries may lack the power to shape global digital governance alone, their collective voice has the potential to meaningfully influence the development of more inclusive, culturally diverse digital futures, provided they can overcome internal coordination challenges and maintain consistent high-level engagement in international forums.

Moderator: … Ok. Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Theoretically, now it works, right? The headphones, you hear me. Welcome to this French-speaking session. Do not hesitate to sit here around the table, since, as you can see, this Studio 6 is one of those who have very large tables. It’s easier and more comfortable to be together. I see that some prefer to keep the distance, but really, do not hesitate. So, welcome to this round table organized by Francophonie, with the aim of exploring quickly the main issues that are related to the current context regarding the governance of digital and artificial intelligence. I think it is not necessary to repeat what has been played out around the World Digital Pact and what is now being discussed within the framework of the World Summit on Information Society which will begin in Geneva on July 7th with the prospect of making proposals, including proposals that will emanate directly from the IGF Forum on Internet Governance where we are now, to… try to make this governance evolve. There are specific issues for the francophone space and it is these issues that we want to evoke, that we want to explore today. Three main themes, the issue of digital inclusion, since as it was also repeated a lot during the various workshops of this IGF, 2.6 billion people today do not have access to the Internet. But beyond this figure, there are all kinds of fractures, forms of digital fractures. There is also an extremely important issue for the francophone space and it will be our second theme on the fact of being able to express oneself in one’s own language. And I’m not talking here only about French. You know that the francophone space includes a large number of languages, a large number of cultures. When artificial, generative intelligences develop, which rely on existing digital data, it is extremely important to know how we will also face this challenge. And finally, of course, the issue of data governance, since it is the raw material from which these artificial intelligences are built. We will address these three points successively. So we have around the table some of our speakers, others are still on their way. And I would like to particularly highlight the presence of His Excellency, Minister Boukar Michel , who is the Minister of Telecommunications. Be careful, I can’t be wrong. No, the Minister of Telecommunications. of the transformation of the administration and of the digital economy. It’s not in the right order, but it’s all there. From the Republic of Chad, who gives us the honor of his presence, to his right, His Excellency, Mr. Ambassador of Digital for France, Henri Verdier, and I think we also have next to us Mr. the coordinator for IGF for Central Africa. And online, he will intervene from Montreal, where he is, Professor Destiny Tchehouali, professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal and specialist on the issues of diversity and discoverability. Our colleague, Mactar Seck, but it’s Mactar who is here. Ah, sorry, I hadn’t seen, because Henri is hiding everyone. So, Mactar is here. No, it’s Michel who is missing, who will join us a little later. Well, let’s go, without further ado, and I will give the floor on this issue of digital inclusion, the challenge that today still represents the fact of being able to connect all our territories, including rural territories. The fact also of giving real access beyond connectivity, that is, to have people who are able to use the tools and develop them in their turn. I will start by giving the floor to Mr. Minister Michel Boukhar, because it is the main project that you are currently carrying out in Chad, isn’t it, Mr. Minister?

Boukar Michel: Thank you, Mr. Henri. Mr. Ambassador in charge of digital, thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about the theme that was sent to me, towards an evolution of international governance of digital and AI. What are the challenges for the countries of the French-speaking space, inclusion, cultural diversity, linguistics and data governance? I think it’s a very good theme, but the reformulation that I wanted to put at your disposal is towards an evolution of international governance of digital and AI. Challenges for the French-speaking space. What is Francophonie? We need to talk a little about that, which is quite interesting. Around the 1970s, when most African countries began to gain independence, it was a question of maintaining a cultural link with France. This is what led to the creation of the OEF in the 1970s, with the arrival of President Pompidou, who started the creation of the OEF, which is the former cultural and technical cooperation agency. At that time, cooperation was based on culture, education and political relations. But today, the era of digital and AI opens up new perspectives to strengthen these links, while posing new challenges. As Leopold Sedar-Senghor said, Francophonie is not a legacy, it is an adventure to be built. Digital and AI can be powerful tools for this adventure. They are no longer in this world, but we think they have still left us with something interesting that we have to rely on. So, what are the new challenges of digital and artificial intelligence? We are talking about digital inclusion. Despite the progress of many French-speaking countries that still suffer from limited access to the digital, especially in Africa, the OIF has set up a whole arsenal to accompany this country. The Connect Africa program, which is supported by the OIF, aims to develop digital infrastructures, fiber optic networks, internet networks, fiber optics, to promote access to the Internet in rural areas. Access to the Internet is the first condition for populations to benefit from the digital and artificial intelligence. And global access to culture. Today, thanks to the Internet, we can access works of culture from all over the world in a few clicks. Concrete examples. We have on YouTube. You can listen to Congolese music. Watch Senegalese short films. You can discover traditional dances in Vietnam. These contents are often produced locally and find an interesting audience internationally. Social networks such as Instagram or TikTok allow young people to value their culture. We see, for example, African creators using local languages in their videos, which contributes to their recognition. From a cultural-linguistic point of view, what is going to happen? What can the Internet and AI bring us? There are digital technologies, especially AI, which are often developed. in an anglophone context, which threatens cultural and linguistic diversity. A concrete example, vocal recognition works much better in English than in French or in African. What can the OEF do to create a platform that can engage or correct this? The OEF encourages the development of content and digital tools adapted to local and francophone languages, such as Wolof, Bambara, or the Arabic dialect, Otyat, which thus preserves cultural riches. So, what can we do and what can we think of the OEF regarding projects? It is necessary to create a database of francophone linguistic data to train more inclusive AI. This can result in practical examples. Young people in Burkina Faso create, for example, the podcast in French and in Moré to talk about their daily life, their customs, or to discuss social issues. This content is in Africa, but also in France and Canada. It is a revolution. It does not depend on big publishing houses or young people. Everyone can create and publish. The OEF, which is our common space, can work to create this synergy. Regarding the governance of data and digital sovereignty, the massive collection of data raises questions of sovereignty and respect for citizens’ rights. Chad and other francophone countries adopt legislation to protect personal data. Where does the OEF stand? The OEF can fight for an international governance of data that takes into account cultural specificities. and respect for diversity. Finally, we need to talk about international governance, digital and AI, a space to co-construct. The role of international institutions such as the IEF or UNESCO is to promote a more balanced governance that respects all cultures. As a concrete example, the IEF has launched the D2Click program, which trains young French-speakers in digital so that they can become creators of cultural content. But I think the IEF needs to think about this project so that it can reach many French-speaking countries that are not included in this project. For example, in my country, Chad. We need it because this project hasn’t happened yet and I might have the opportunity in Geneva to try to talk to the people in charge so that if you want our space to grow, it can have a significant impact on our French-speaking space, which is totally different from our communities because the origin was first of African countries. The founding father, Oufed Bouyi, Leopold Sedar Senghor and Amani Djouri, were the ones who brought this torch so that we could reach this French-speaking space. But what do we say to the IEF today? We realize that we are a little behind. With the arrival of digital artificial intelligence, we can, through the IEF, regenerate this system that has remained in the bureaucracy with very concrete projects, the IEF with its key-aid program. If we manage them well, we will be able to reach this space. Thank you.

Moderator: Well, at the same time, I let our speakers give their point of view. Once again, the idea is also in the debate that will follow that we can formulate the proposals and expectations that we have for each other in relation to what we can do in common. You said it, Mr. Minister, the Francophones will meet next week in Geneva just before the 20th meeting of the World Summit on Information Society to precisely focus on these issues. But it starts here, it starts now. The debate is on. Mr. Ambassador, you have the floor.

Henri Verdier: Yes, but I’m going to refuse your rule of the game, because Mr. Minister made me want to go back to your words, Mr. Minister. I would say a very small word about inclusivity at the end. I think you are right, infinitely right, to go back to the history of Francophonie and to the Cultural and Technical Cooperation Agency of 1970. And I think you were very kind to quote President Pompidou, because the truth is that four huge heads of state, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Habib Bourguiba, Amani Diori and Norodam Sianouk, imposed on France the idea that this French language does not belong to France, that it is something that we have in common. It is a common, in the sense that we are going to talk about a moment of digital common, that is, everyone has the right to use it, and everyone who uses it has the right to modify it, and it will live from that. And I think that this gesture saved the French language from a certain point of view, because it has enriched itself with its nuances, its creolities. Yesterday, I took a taxi with my Norwegian team, and the driver said to me, « Oh, you are French, Aya Nakamura ! » And he congratulated me on this great French singer, who is Aya Nakamura, here in Norway. This is the world that has been authorized by Francophonie. And I often wondered what should be the main note of digital francophonie, and it might be to remember this story where we have protected, extended and brought to life a common. Because finally, this digital in which we live, which is a bearer of many benefits, it was born as a common. It was born with large transatlantic cables that were co-financed but that belonged to no one. It was born with open standards, the TCPIP protocol, the web. It was born with free content. It was born in a logic of cooperation and extraordinary contribution. And today, it is threatened. It is threatened from all sides. It is threatened from… In English, we say weaponization. I have never found the perfect translation of weaponization. It is threatened… It is turned away from confrontation by a certain number of state powers. It is a privileged playground for some malicious actors. And above all, it is captured by gigantic industrial monopolies. And I think, I say it, that no state, even the United States by the way, is ready to regulate companies that weigh a thousand billion dollars and who now consider themselves as private political actors and who consider that they have the right to weigh on the geopolitical order of the world. We are not ready, conceptually and methodologically. We are progressing and we are progressing fast. But we have never had to face this, except maybe a long time ago with the North Indian Company who tried to control the spice road with the power we know. And besides, the only way the Queen Victoria managed to control the Indian Company was by suppressing the Indian Company. States never succeeded in controlling it. They ended up banning it. And so, I want to leave what you just said, Mr. Minister, and to say that maybe this is our… our origin and our common destiny. There are things that are common and we want them to remain common. Everyone has the right to use them and everyone has the right to contribute. And it’s quite simple in the end because it will serve as a compass on many of the subjects we are going to deal with today. And if I come to inclusivity, first of all, it is unethical to leave almost 2 billion people out of this digital revolution and therefore accessibility in the simplest sense of the term must remain a fundamental priority. We can perhaps enrich this observation with a few ideas because it is not enough to have an optical fiber in your living room. First of all, we can also take a culture of reflection and a somewhat frugal connectivity. I was talking yesterday with my Indian friends who have designed the digital public infrastructures and they told me that we also have to plan physical paths that can hybridize physical and digital so that we can use a digital service with a phone even if we don’t have a connection. It’s possible, we flash something and then we wait to be in front of Wi-Fi to be able to use it. We can put things in the design that take into account the fact that perfect connectivity will not be there tomorrow morning. So people have rights today. To reproduce this culture of frugality we can say that it is not enough to have fiber but that there is a kind of digital infrastructure things like identity, payment on which we need to have a look if we want both people to benefit but also that it is not private property of one or two gigantic companies. So the idea that we need digital public infrastructures, a small layer of public service to be part of a project of connectivity and then of course I often heard about in English but often in the OIF environment meaningful connectivity a connectivity that makes sense. Because it is not enough to be a passive consumer who receives content. This connectivity must be used for emancipation, for self-organization, for local solidarity. And for that, we still need programs to encourage innovators, to support communities, to share capabilities that go with the arrival of Internet access. But I think, and I finish, I say it again, you are right to remember where we come from, and it can really serve as a compass in the fight against digitalization.

Moderator: Thank you very much, dear Henri. And we continue this first round table by giving the floor to Mr. Matarsek, who is the head of the technology and innovation section within the Economic Commission of the United Nations for Africa, based in Addis Ababa, who has a long experience of these issues, who has followed the evolution of the governance model and of each of the priorities that have been mentioned here for a long time, who knows the actors well. So you, in relation to the turning point, so it may be a turning point that is not always perceived, but which, it seems to me, is effective with the adoption of the digital pact, which still means a new role, a slightly different role from that of the States in a process that is specifically intergovernmental. At the same time, a reflection within the multi-actor system here, in particular to see how to adapt to this. How do you see these specific challenges for the French-speaking space?

IGF Central Africa representative: Thank you very much. It is with great pleasure that I participate in this important discussion. on the French-speaking space. How digital, and in particular artificial intelligence, can revolutionize the world of French-speaking, in light of the adoption of the digital pact you just mentioned. And also the role of different actors, international organizations, at the level of the implementation of this digital pact, and especially the role of French-speaking in this space. I remind you that the French-speaking space is a large market, more than a billion people. And I think the GDP represents 16 to 15% of the world GDP, which is extremely important. But we have been confronted for decades with many problems by our French-speaking countries, by the majority of French-speaking countries, in the adaptation and adoption of these digital technologies. First, we mentioned the question of infrastructure. The problem of infrastructure is not only at the country level, but also at the level of the regions, and also at the level of the population. So this problem has existed for a long time. With the objective of the digital pact, to promote connectivity, I think that organizations like Francophonie can work with other organizations to see how to extend the infrastructure at the level of the rural world and at the level of French-speaking countries. This can be done in several ways. I think there is a deficit in optical fiber. Why not group countries together, or regional organizations, to put in place shared optical fiber? Also, the question of data is very important. If French-speaking countries want to master this AI, there is the battle of data, by setting up adequate data centers. And there is also a lack at the level of certain French-speaking countries, and as the Minister said, I think there is room for coordination between French-speaking countries so that we can have regional data centers or data centers for French-speaking countries. And also, the question of infrastructure is not only related to physical infrastructure, there is also the question of electricity, which must not be forgotten. Well, there are different initiatives undertaken by French-speaking countries in this area, but it is also an important problem in these member states. Another point that is needed is regulation, because we need a new form of regulation at the level of this digital technology. And this is where I think that French-speaking countries have an important role with their digital strategies that they have adopted to see how we can help French-speaking countries to take inspiration from practical cases and success stories in other countries to arrive at an adequate regulation of these new technologies, especially AI, blockchain and other emerging technologies. And this leads to a new form of development through the definition of regulation centered on specific approaches. How can we promote innovation? With that, regulation is a point on which I think French-speaking countries have a lot of assets. Another point on which I think it is important is at the level of inclusion. How can these technologies help inclusion at the level of the French-speaking space? It is a space where there are several languages, more than 1,000 languages. Some even say 2,000 languages, but I can give you some examples. For example, take the country of RDC, they have 250 local languages. Countries like Cameroon have 200 languages. Countries like Senegal and the Ivory Coast have between 10 and 15 languages. So it’s a great asset for the continent and for inclusion as well. How can we make use of these local languages, thanks to the IAEA, as a tool for development in the French-speaking space? In terms of content development, Francophonie is making a lot of effort to support the development of local content. And I think that the IAEA is a way for Francophonie to achieve this local content development, which will not only create added value for the population, but also create jobs. Because in these countries, the number of young people is extremely high, thanks to these technologies, we can create a lot of jobs for these young people. Research and development. It is very important that we support research and development. This is the missing piece. And so that we can make our own IAEA tools in French-speaking Africa, people need to be able to promote research and development. And I think that Francophonie has an important role to play, given your progress in countries like France, Belgium, and Canada. We need to help promote this research and development in the French-speaking space, so that the majority of French-speakers can develop their own IAEA tools. And also the skills. There are a lot of initiatives at the level of Francophonie on the development of free software. But with the era of information technology, we need to train more young people in these new technologies, in the IAEA. And this is where Francophonie has an important role to play. Of course, Francophonie cannot do everything. So we will have to work with multilateral and bilateral organizations to see how we can contribute, to make aids so that the aid can have more impact in these French-speaking countries. For the moment, I will stop there, and I think that the problem of inclusion in the language is extremely important. We have seen in the IGF that the French-speaking presence is not high, and we need to do something. ELIA is here to help. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you, thank you very much. We will come back to this, indeed, but let’s continue on the question of language and diversity. And now I will switch briefly to English, because we are going to invite our colleague Destiny, and it’s in order that the technics can know that they have to connect him. So, we are going to cross the Atlantic to go and meet Professor Destiny Tchehouali. Destiny, can you hear me?

Destiny Tchehouali: Yes, Mr. Ambassador, I can hear you perfectly. We can see you, but we can’t hear you. Ah, we can hear you, we can hear you in the headphones, of course. Of course. OK, great. Welcome. Thank you, thank you very much for being among us. It is still early in Montreal, but I can see you bravely there. So, you heard that this issue of diversity, of this excellent, brilliant heritage, and at the same time, perhaps overwhelming, in relation to the issue of artificial intelligence, arises. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you, Your Excellency, Mr. Ambassador Henry. Hello to everyone. Your Excellency, Mr. Minister, Your Excellency, Ambassador, distinguished panelists and participants. I regret not being with you in person, but I feel very privileged to be able to take part in this discussion, in this consultation, I would say, which is very precious for Francophonie. So, in relation to all the previous exchanges and to the question you are asking me, dear Henry, I would simply like to bounce back on the fact that we are all concerned about the very rapid evolution of digital technologies, which are literally disrupting the way we access our French-speaking content online, our cultures, our languages, in the digital environment. And if until now we were happy with the fact that French is still the fourth language on the Internet, with about 6% of content behind English, which is about 30% or so, Chinese, Spanish, we can still continue to worry about a certain urgency to act, because we realize that the web, the digital environment, the cyberspace, do not spontaneously generate diversity. And access to diversity is ultimately due to an issue that we had named here in Quebec an issue of discoverability. which, by the way, has already been well re-appropriated elsewhere in the Francophonie. And discoverability, what does it refer to? It ultimately refers to the availability of our content in their online presence, but above all, to the ability to be recommended this content, especially when we did not know its existence beforehand. Basically, it just comes down to the question of knowing, and I admit that it is also a question of inclusion, it is to know, but a content that I did not know, what is the probability that I can discover it, access it, among these 6% of Francophone content available online, for example. And this is where we emphasize the importance of activating levers of governance, because discoverability is an eminently political issue, a cultural policy issue, and it is important to be able to work together, both public decision-makers, politicians, but also platform owners, civil society, digital actors as a whole, to find adequate solutions to optimize this discoverability. Because the threat currently, and Ambassador Henri Verdier highlighted it, there is a threat. The threat today is precisely that of everything we have considered as acquired over the past few years, acquired as a result of long battles in terms of promotion and preservation of cultural and linguistic diversity, but which are today totally threatened because we have algorithms, for example, of recommendation of digital platforms, which tend to promote, to put more forward and to make more visible content other than Francophone. I will simply finish in this first part, and to reconnect with the dimension of inclusion and accessibility. on the need, more than ever, to be able to put in place measures, rules. It is very important to be able to agree, as a Francophone, on the criteria necessary to determine what constitutes or not diversified French-speaking content, so in different languages that characterize Francophonie, to know in what proportion, as a government, we would like platforms to put forward what quantity, what proportion of national content they could put forward when they offer distribution and distribution services on our territories, and, of course, to reduce bias and discrimination, which are both linguistic but also a lot technological, by improving these automated recommendation systems, especially in the era of artificial intelligence. That’s it. I’ll stop there, and I’m sure we’ll go deeper into other considerations, always in line with these questions. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you very much. Thank you, Destiny. We’ll come back to you in a moment, but I would like, for my part, to go a little bit deeper into the question of data governance, because we’ve talked about inclusion, diversity, you’ve talked about it in your respective introductions, but the issue of data governance remains a subject that is still very poorly defined. The actor and producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who spoke at the opening of this IGF on Tuesday morning, said, but we have entered a situation where we are used to the fact that companies, these digital minotaurs, feed off our data, and it seems almost impossible today to change the rules. It seems almost impossible to tell them, but listen, these are our data, they can only be used on certain conditions, with remuneration, they cannot be used in certain cases, and these data are fundamental in relation to all the elements you have mentioned. to be able to manage them, we still find ourselves in a situation of dependence and a difficulty in building a digital offering, because that is still the issue. For my part, I am used to explaining, and I know that we share this point of view with Henri Verdier, to explain to my European colleagues that they do not realize that they are today actors colonized by other digital actors, and that it is essential to have a mastery of data. Do you think that this can be changed? And do you think that in the context where we are now, both the geopolitical context but also the decision-making framework that is being announced, with notably a debate within the General Assembly of the United Nations on the dialogue for the IAEA and on the architecture of the governance model, in December, is there something to do? Are the Francophones, and perhaps others, the Hispanophones, the Lusophones, others, still mobilizing on this issue of data governance? I will perhaps give the floor to Ambassador Verdier, and then we will go to Mr. Seck, who will finish with Mr. Minister and Destiny.

Henri Verdier: I will be very brief, because in the end we are largely consensual, so I will be content to push some additional ideas, knowing that we agree on the heart. I stay for a moment on the discoverability, just to say that the speech was eloquent. We have also heard that the Francophone content makes up 6% of the web content. We have a problem, it is that there is both a problem of discoverability, but also a problem of offer, and a problem of accessibility, and they are linked. And I think we have to work together. The more people will access the web, the more requests will be in French, the more content in French, the more we will find them, and the more we will fight for discoverability. All this can make a virtuous circle. I was checking there. In France, for example, only three years ago, it’s late, we took our responsibilities and we decided that Netflix was an audiovisual service like the others and that they had obligations to produce in French. And so now Netflix is obliged by law to invest in the production of cinema in French. And televisions already had these obligations. It was normal to extend the obligation and everyone is fine with it, including Netflix, by the way. On your question on data, yes, it’s very important. The problem, first of all, is that there are many places where we talk about data governance without always specifying it very well. So I want to share with you the idea that for me there are three issues in data governance. First of all, of course, there is the protection of private life and, moreover, we could say of all legal secrets. Because private life is a legal secret, but industrial property is another, national security is a third. There are a number of secrets that we have decided to protect by law and that must remain protected in the digital world. The second is what I said in the introduction, what was common must remain common. We still see that there are movements to capture the knowledge that we had in common in humanity. So artificial intelligence, since we are talking about it, it’s not that they steal our data, but if they build the only highway to access the data and if we don’t have open artificial intelligence or in French and we have to take the little mountain path, it’s as if there had been capture of knowledge. So this idea that we have the obligation to be certain that there will be an equality in access to knowledge and information, it is very important and it is also a subject of data governance. And then the third is the sharing of value. Because in fact we are told, the more you circulate data, the more value will be created. Which is true. One in the other, the more people are looking to do things with data, the more value will be created. But the question is, where will the value be created? And will it be? create, for example, or will it fall back in the countries where the data comes from? This is a real question. And on that, I finish with that. You know that we had, a few months ago, the summit for action on AI in Paris, and we had the privilege to set up a small dialogue session with a dozen African digital ministers, but you were not there, Mr. Minister, and with a dozen start-ups. And I heard something extremely important. It was Mr. Sam George, the digital minister of Ghana, who said that Africa has a double problem. As you can see, it’s not just Francophonie. We have a double problem. First of all, our data is not enough exposed, and so we are not sure that the people who develop solutions with AI will find solutions for us. But secondly, if we manufacture the data and if we open them up, there is also a risk that we will be stolen and captured, and that we will dominate our economy. And he said, in fact, we should design the African infrastructure for exposing African data. So find a way to have large public infrastructures by saying that African data is there. Come, it’s easy, you can use it, you can innovate, but you can’t capture them and privatize them for your profit, because it’s a public infrastructure, and continental and intergovernmental, and so there are rules of the game, and you can question these databases, but you can’t steal them. I think it’s a path that really deserves to be explored, and that the French-speaking space should mobilize to contribute with Smart Africa and others to this reflection.

Moderator: Thank you very much. Yes, Jovan Kurbalija, who many of you know, the director of the Diplo Foundation, explained yesterday that for him, the issue, indeed, is far beyond the data today, it is the issue of knowledge. Until then, knowledge was a public monopoly, it was the object of considerable public investment, and of a work that put in the foreground infrastructures and public research, and today, It is a field that is largely captured by the private sector through the digital industry. Is this also your point of view, Mr. Sec?

IGF Central Africa representative: Yes, he is perfectly right. And I also agree with Ambassador on his reflection on data. Because data goes beyond sovereignty. It is also linked to digital sovereignty. Without data, without the mastery of your data, you do not have digital sovereignty in the current world. And the majority of the Francophone countries in Africa face these difficulties of data governance and above all of data creation. Because in general, we don’t have a lot of data on the continent. We can’t go and get the data. You can take an example. You go to any country and you ask for a data. Compared to three institutions, it is not the same thing. It is not the same number they give you. On the population, someone gives you a number, another gives you a different number. On the GDP, the same thing. On inflation. In fact, it is the same in France. There are three ministries that have three… When you ask them how many there are municipalities in France, they have three different answers. And if you don’t have the right data, you can’t build a policy. You can’t build an adequate and sustainable development plan. So we need first of all the battle to have correct data. That’s one. Two, we will have to be able to master our data and govern the data. This is extremely important. Who needs data? What data is public? What data is not public? How will people use our data? Especially in terms of privacy protection. This is extremely important. Unfortunately, this is not the case in several countries. In Francophonie in Africa, there is a problem with privacy data protection. The second point, when we manage to do good governance, is how we are going to do the data market. How to structure this data market? How can these data help to create added value, to create more jobs, especially for the younger generation? How can these data allow the government to set up development policies in the future with adequate data? And this is where I think that Francophonie has an important role to play in terms of data governance in the Francophone space. A single country cannot do data governance because we are in an open space. We need regional assemblies and blocs like Francophonie to develop a framework for data governance where everyone will see their interest. Because the data is on Facebook, it’s on Amazon, it’s on Google. Not a single country can negotiate with Google. It’s not possible. Francophonie will have to play this role, with other organizations of course, to be able to help Francophone countries to discuss, to have the necessary level of information. We don’t have it yet.

Moderator: I will go again to Montreal in order to have Destiny’s view on this question. And then, Mr. Minister, I would also like to ask you to give your point of view. Because when Mr. Sec tells us that it is important for Francophonie and other organizations to act, these organizations are intergovernmental. So it is the will of the States that must manifest itself through it. And so we also need, of course, collectively, that our governments, that our ministers, get involved in this direction. Is Destiny here? Ok, go ahead my dear Destiny.

Destiny Tchehouali: Thank you. Indeed, the issue of data governance is just as crucial when we talk about digital sovereignty, data sovereignty, but also cultural sovereignty. You know, data governance today is a major geopolitical issue that is redefining the power relations between states and technological companies, technological giants. And particularly in the context of the development of AI, what is worrying is to see the effects at the level of training models. We know that the centrality of data, for example, in the AI ecosystem sometimes induces bias because it is the raw material, it is the input, it is the raw material necessary for the operation of models. And if they are not well accompanied, if they are not mastered, sometimes also depending on the location issues of these data, and obviously it has an impact on the exploitation of all the potential. And training data, when we talk about AI, these are works on which we focus at the level of our research of Quebec on AI and French-speaking digital. They are very important to take into account when we talk about machine learning, to learn from the algorithm, to learn and to detect models or to predict, for example, results, to recommend content when it comes to discoverability. All this is done on the basis of data that are etiquetted, on the basis of metadata, of reference processes, etc. And which ultimately also creates links between these different layers of data. And where there are risks today, if I take the example of the field of automatic translation, we realize that AI models are often trained mainly on Anglophone data or Anglophone corpus. And so the languages ​​said to have low resources are not taken into account enough. There are unequal performances at the level of the results of these models and these processes, for example, of automatic translation. And so, once again, it challenges the need to have regulatory and strategic answers. And once again, these answers must not be isolated. Of course, the issue of sovereignty can be national, but clearly, in relation to AI, to the world giants of AI, the regulatory frameworks to be built must also be made, especially on the issue of data governance, for example, on a much more multilateral scale, in particular.

Moderator: Merci, merci beaucoup Destiny. Comme promis, Monsieur le Ministre, je reviens vers vous. Alors, sur cette question de la gouvernance des données, peut-on envisager une initiative commune de ou des ministres, on peut rêver, de l’ensemble des ministres de l’espace francophone, pour porter le dossier et pour attendre, bien sûr, de votre organisation, de l’OIF, mais aussi des organisations internationales concernées, qu’elles portent vraiment le sujet.

Boukar Michel: Merci beaucoup. Moi, je vais sauter un peu sur les dites de l’ambassadeur Verdier et de Seck. Quelquefois, c’est nous-mêmes qui posons problème dans notre espace francophone. Je crois que la francophonie, comme disait, je citais le Paul Sédar, Senghor, la francophonie c’est pas un héritage, mais c’est une aventure. Et cette aventure tombe à pic avec l’arrivée de l’internet et de numérique et de l’intelligence artificielle. Donc, on doit saisir cette aventure-là pour faire de la francophonie un espace solide. J’assiste quelquefois à des conférences internationales sur le numérique. Alors, dites-moi Verdier, est-ce que le ministre en charge du numérique de la France est toujours occupé ? Il peut venir, il peut assister quand même à ces conférences où il y a des grandes décisions qui se prennent. Par exemple, sur le pacte numérique, ils sont toujours absents. In 2030, I think that the countries that speak French will have about 600 million inhabitants. You can’t imagine this international language of communication, which makes us rich, which is a culture for us. We are always absent. We are proud to be Francophones. And the arrival of digital and artificial intelligence is an opportunity for this space. But to succeed, we need a solid consultation. Leaving politics aside, that’s something else. But it is still this privileged Francophone space that can lead us to go further. We can’t go and steal data from GAFT, Google and others without a solid consultation. Sometimes that can lead us to arbitrariness. And to go to arbitrariness, we still need to put in place all these countries in charge of the Francophone space, which manages the digital to defend the file. Data-based governance is also a culture. And this culture requires a really dense consultation in our spaces to move forward. So how do we do it? That’s where it seems to be interesting. In some countries, they have datacenters that already host data. In other countries, they are building. How do we make sure that in each country or in each area of Francophonie, we can host data? The United States has how many? They have about 2,500 datacenters. How many countries are there in Africa? China, Europe, France. How many are there? I don’t know, about 250 or 300 datacenters. But how can we build trust in the francophone space? Because it’s about data. And when it comes to data, there is cultural data, there is protection data that is needed. Today, the arrival of AI can lead us to think about something extraordinary. Do you think it’s normal that our politicians, thanks to artificial intelligence, find their data imaged on the internet? What should we do? What should we decide? We can already start thinking about our francophone space to be a little bit ahead. Because the anglophones are very advanced, and we are not. We leave aside everything we want to decide together. We are here on small battles. And then, now that there is something interesting, we must also say to ourselves, our founding fathers had a vision. They gave us a heritage, but this heritage is shrinking. We have to start thinking about how to consolidate it. I have finished. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you, Mr. Minister. It gives us a great desire to continue the debate next week, since we will have two full days in Geneva on this discussion, this specifically francophone discussion, in the presence of all the speakers who participate in this debate, including Professor Chewaly, who will also be in Geneva, and many others. So, if you are not yet registered in this forum, you have 24 hours to do so. You can follow it online if you do not come to the World Summit on the Society of Information, if you are not in Geneva at this time. I now give the floor to the room. If you have questions, questions, comments, do not hesitate, you know how it works here in Oslo. You have to go to the microphone that is there on your left, near the screen. Maybe there is one on the right. Yes, I see one on the right too, perfect. Go ahead, sir.

Audience: OK, thank you very much. I am Mr. Abdelgeril Bacharbon. I am from Chad, coordinator of IJF Chad, at the same time president of House of Africa. So we thank you above all for these high-level panels, including high personalities with different perspectives. We thank you for this opportunity and also to the IJF for the organization. As a member of the community, here in the room, I see a lot of elders who are here. Sébastien here. We have been in the ecosystem for a long time, so we learn a lot from them. They have been coaching us, pushing us, even if before, the Francophone was not there. And there was a great void, whether at the level of the IJF ecosystem, whether at the level of ICANN, whether at the level of the IJF here, that now the Francophone is back. Before, it was with Emmanuel, the representative of the IJF at the level of Latin America, who did a great job with the call of the Francophone government, with the reinforcement of capacities at the level of Africa. If the Francophonie was there, we would not have arrived where there are problems in Africa too, because there was a community behind it. So thank you again for your return. My suggestion is much more the reinforcement of capacities. I think the ministers have spoken here. It is very important to train our new generation on artificial intelligence, and above all to push the start-upers. to create, to support them. Because, as we say in Africa, they cannot applaud. But when we are together, as you said here, we are almost at 1 billion, let’s say 500, 600 million. So I think it is very important to push and especially the content, the creation of content. So when we see them, everything is in English here. So we have a lot of difficulties. There are certain sessions that we go to, we don’t even remember. So I think we are there, presence, but there is no active presence. To be there and not to be active is not good. And especially with the new trend, it is the WSIS, all these topics. And I think we are promoting Francophonie and we would like that on the national level too, that there will be these topics, these discussions, so that we go up. So for me, it is the strengthening of the capacities, especially of women’s youth, and it is very important that we are involved in this global Internet governance. So I thank you.

Moderator: Thank you very much. Another question over there. We will take all the questions, at least a reasonable number, and then give the floor to our speakers so that they can answer. I beg you, sir.

Audience: You receive me, yes. I am Nicole Baibé-Kennedy. I am from Chad. I am the Director of Electronic Communications at the Ministry of Telecommunications, Digital Economy and Digitalization of the Public Administration. So, the subject and theme that is really worth thinking about today and laying the foundations for the development of IA, whether it is global, regional or sub-regional. Specifically, we are on a platform of Francophonie. So I congratulate the panelists for being up to the standards that we all here are trying to live up to. My question is about AI. This is a very new field and it requires us to change our traditional ways in order to adapt and go towards digital inclusion so that the entire terrestrial population can be at the same level. This is where culture must pave the way. I would like to ask a question. Why is it that, generally speaking, books are often translated into English, especially French-language documents? Why do we let them be translated? What is the motivation and how can we frame this system? Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you. There is another question in the room to my left. If there are other questions in the room, thank you for speaking up right away. There is also a question online. So this question in the room, the online question, and then the floor to the speakers. Please, sir.

Audience: Thank you very much, Sébastien Bachelet from France, representing the European users. First of all, thank you for having a session in French. I think that when we are in an international structure like the IGF, there should be a lot more possibilities to exchange in different languages. and that there is only one room, it’s a bit of a shame. I wanted to support what my friend Abdejadir Bacharbong from Chad said. The return of Francophonie here, as he said, is absolutely important and essential. We need you, we need you in structures like here, like ICANN, because without you it’s difficult to make the voice of the French language be heard. And not the voice of France, but the voice of the French language. And I would like you to think about something around the digital, is that you have a treasure in each of your countries. And the treasure is the extension, the domain name, the country code, as they say in English, so the extension of your country. And I think there are things to do around that, which would allow to develop, on the one hand, the uses, and also the control, in quotes, of the data in your country, in your countries. And so I think it would be worth it to have a reflection around that. There is an international college at AFNI that manages the .fr, which can be a good place for this discussion to take place. And if you need a reflection on this subject, I am also at your disposal. Thank you very much.

Moderator: Okay, and now I go to the technics, because we have someone online, it seems. Question online. Does it work? Yes, it works. Bonjour. Okay, bonjour. On l’entend.

Audience: Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Hello, Ambassador Emoso. I am Sidi Kabubaka Nondishao, from Alexandria at the University of Senghor, University of French Languages at the African Development Service, direct operator of Francophonie. And I would like, by the way, to convey my greetings to the Rector, Professor Thierry Verdel, who should also be connected, but due to agenda issues, he could not be here. It is very interesting, everything I heard this afternoon, and I would like to congratulate the various speakers. And I would like to point out that a lot of calls have been made on digital governance. And I would like that, following this great dialogue that we will have in a few days, that we can really take action in the respective countries of Francophonie. Earlier, a colleague spoke of capacity enhancement. I would like to remind you that Francophonie, through the direction of Francophonie économique et numérique, has launched a large initiative of training on Internet governance through the Déclic program. And the University of Senghor in Alexandria had the chance to be able to pilot this training for the benefit of French-speaking diplomats, as well as members of the National Assembly. And we would like and we think that this kind of training should continue in the entire French-speaking space. And today, the University of Senghor has the privilege of hosting what is called the Diplomatic Class of the University of Senghor, which has been organized since early 2021. We are in the fourth edition. And during this Diplomatic Class, we have brought together several French-speaking diplomats from different countries to participate in the issues of Francophonie and on the occasion of this Diplomatic Class. We are going to come back to the issues of digital governance and the issues of artificial intelligence. To tell you that the OIF, through all its organs, is putting the plug in to allow all French-speaking citizens to do better. to be able to learn more about digital governance. And I would like to finish my speech by inviting all French-speaking countries to take action, because there are a lot of facts that often seem to be announcements that have been made in different forums. And it is time today that we can take action, that we can synergize our energies, our resources, so that we can, as French-speakers, really weigh all our weight in the governance of the Internet and digital. I hope to be among you here in July, if I have my visa to come. Thank you very much.

Moderator: Thank you, thank you very much. So, we have very, very little time. We have two minutes left. So, I’ll give you, sir, the floor quickly, but really in 10 seconds, if you like, 15 seconds, to still give each of the speakers 30 seconds for one last word. But we understood that the conclusion was a rendezvous in Geneva. I beg you.

Audience: May I speak? Yes, yes, go ahead. Thank you very much. I am Emmanuel Empeta, member of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I heard here that Africa has a problem with data. I can say yes and no. No. Why? Because I think that Africa has data. We have data, but we have a serious problem. It is the low rate of digitization of this data. State data, public data, cultural data. Africa has a lot of data and is facing a serious problem of digitization. And I would take this opportunity to ask Francophonie to be able to help African Francophones to be able to digitize the data. Today, the infrastructure is there and we are invaded, we are invaded, as it has been said here, by anglophone data. And my plea would be to ask Francophonie to be able to see to what extent we can help Africa to be able to digitize these data. That was my contribution. Thank you.

Moderator: Very important contribution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I will quickly, but very quickly, you only have a handful of seconds each, or at least those who wish to say a word, if you wish. Mr. Minister, Mr. Verdier, Mr. Seck. Yes, who? Go ahead. Mr. Seck.

Boukar Michel: Thank you very much. I think that, as you said, the meeting will be in Paris and I think that we will come out with a very strong recommendation, especially at the level of data governance for the Francophone countries. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you. In Geneva, I think. OK, Henri.

Henri Verdier: So, yes, the data exists, but we need the information systems, and therefore the digital transformation of the State is a major issue to make them interoperable, exploitable, etc. Yes, the Union is doing its best, and Europe has taken it to its limits because it took European texts to impose rules on men and women, and otherwise it was able to boycott France, Spain or Germany. It was not big enough to get them to step back. And thirdly, yes, there is a subject of innovation in the French language, and I would like to emphasize the fact that we can also engage in the battle with small innovations, to solve real problems in one’s country, for one’s agriculture, for one’s hospital system. It is also a way of entering and weighing in the digital revolution.

Moderator: Mr. Minister.

IGF Central Africa representative: Well, I would just like to link myself to the others. I think that David Dubité has spoken. We have a lot of data, with the arrival of AI and the Internet. Numeracy is not artificial intelligence, so I think that Francophonie can already start to think about how to accompany our states to digitize first all the documents, the archives. And then there are some countries that have gone through a lot of time in the war. How to recover this data? There are some data that are also in France. How to recover them to bring them to France or Africa? These data must be released. My father already had his bank, we called it the Mathelem bank, which is housed in France. So how do we bring all this back to think about other things? Very quickly, Kennedy talked about why books are so hard. I always write my books in French. Francophonie has never paid me. I always write my books in French, but given the importance of the documents, my books are automatically translated into English. I don’t even ask for them. Thank you.

Agreement points

Digital inclusion requires more than basic connectivity – meaningful access and capacity building are essential

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Henri Verdier
– IGF Central Africa representative
– Audience

Arguments

Connect Africa program aims to develop digital infrastructures and fiber optic networks to promote internet access in rural areas

Meaningful connectivity requires more than just access – it must enable emancipation, self-organization, and local solidarity

Infrastructure problems exist at country, regional, and population levels, requiring shared solutions like regional optical fiber and data centers

Capacity building and training programs are essential, particularly for youth and women in digital technologies and AI

Summary

All speakers agree that digital inclusion goes beyond simply providing internet access and requires comprehensive infrastructure development, meaningful connectivity that empowers users, and extensive capacity building programs

Topics

Development | Human rights | Infrastructure

Francophone countries must work collectively to address digital governance challenges and cannot succeed individually

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Henri Verdier
– IGF Central Africa representative
– Audience

Arguments

Need for solid consultation among Francophone countries to defend digital interests collectively

Individual countries cannot negotiate effectively with tech giants – need collective Francophone action

Francophone countries need to move from announcements to concrete action and resource synergy

Summary

There is strong consensus that individual Francophone countries lack the power to effectively negotiate with major tech companies and address digital governance challenges alone, requiring coordinated collective action

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Economic | Sociocultural

AI systems exhibit significant bias toward English/Anglophone content, threatening linguistic and cultural diversity

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Destiny Tchehouali
– IGF Central Africa representative

Arguments

Voice recognition and AI systems work much better in English than in French or African languages

French represents only 6% of internet content, with threats from AI systems predominantly trained on English data

AI poses risks to privacy and cultural representation, requiring new forms of regulation

Summary

All speakers acknowledge that current AI systems demonstrate clear bias toward English language content and Anglophone data, creating unequal performance and threatening the preservation of Francophone linguistic and cultural diversity

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory

Data governance is crucial for digital sovereignty and requires protection of both privacy and cultural heritage

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Henri Verdier
– IGF Central Africa representative
– Audience

Arguments

Massive data collection raises questions of sovereignty and citizens’ rights protection

Three key aspects: privacy protection, keeping common knowledge common, and ensuring fair value sharing

African data is both under-exposed and at risk of capture by foreign entities

Africa has abundant data but faces serious digitization challenges for state, public, and cultural data

Summary

There is unanimous agreement that data governance is fundamental to digital sovereignty, requiring protection of privacy rights, prevention of data capture by foreign entities, and ensuring that data benefits originating communities

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights | Development

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers draw on the historical success of Francophonie in creating shared cultural resources and argue that this model should be applied to digital technologies and AI to preserve and strengthen cultural diversity

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Henri Verdier

Arguments

AI can be a powerful tool for cultural preservation and development if properly managed

Digital commons must remain common, drawing from Francophonie’s historical success in making French a shared language

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory

Both emphasize the critical importance of building local technical capacity and research capabilities to enable Francophone countries to develop their own digital solutions rather than remaining dependent on foreign technologies

Speakers

– IGF Central Africa representative
– Audience

Arguments

Research and development support is crucial for Francophone countries to develop their own AI tools

Capacity building and training programs are essential, particularly for youth and women in digital technologies and AI

Topics

Development | Economic

Both speakers advocate for regulatory measures that require digital platforms to actively promote and make discoverable local and diverse content, rather than allowing algorithmic bias to favor dominant languages

Speakers

– Henri Verdier
– Destiny Tchehouali

Arguments

Digital platforms should have obligations to promote national and diverse content, similar to Netflix’s French production requirements

Need for discoverability measures to ensure Francophone content can be found and recommended online

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory

Unexpected consensus

The need for frugal and hybrid digital solutions that work with limited infrastructure

Speakers

– Henri Verdier
– IGF Central Africa representative

Arguments

Need for frugal connectivity solutions that can work with limited infrastructure, including hybrid physical-digital services

Infrastructure problems exist at country, regional, and population levels, requiring shared solutions like regional optical fiber and data centers

Explanation

It’s unexpected that a French ambassador and an African regional representative would both emphasize the importance of designing digital solutions that accommodate infrastructure limitations rather than waiting for perfect connectivity. This pragmatic approach shows consensus on realistic, adaptive technology deployment strategies

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

The historical parallel between Francophonie’s success and digital commons protection

Speakers

– Henri Verdier
– Boukar Michel

Arguments

Digital commons must remain common, drawing from Francophonie’s historical success in making French a shared language

AI can be a powerful tool for cultural preservation and development if properly managed

Explanation

The unexpected consensus lies in both speakers independently drawing on the same historical reference point – how Francophonie succeeded by making French a shared common resource – and applying this model to digital governance. This shows remarkable alignment in their conceptual framework despite their different roles

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion reveals strong consensus across all speakers on four main areas: the need for meaningful digital inclusion beyond basic connectivity, the necessity of collective Francophone action in digital governance, the threat posed by AI bias toward English content, and the critical importance of data governance for digital sovereignty

Consensus level

High level of consensus with remarkable alignment across speakers from different backgrounds (government ministers, diplomats, academics, civil society). The consensus suggests a mature understanding of digital challenges in the Francophone space and points toward concrete collaborative actions, particularly the upcoming Geneva meetings. The agreement spans technical, cultural, and political dimensions, indicating potential for effective coordinated policy responses

Different viewpoints

Presence and engagement of Francophone ministers at international digital forums

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Henri Verdier

Arguments

Francophone ministers should be more present at international digital conferences and decision-making forums

Small innovations solving local problems can be an entry point into the digital revolution

Summary

Minister Michel directly criticizes the frequent absence of Francophone ministers (particularly mentioning France’s digital minister) at crucial international conferences, while Ambassador Verdier focuses on practical engagement through local innovations rather than addressing the attendance issue

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Sociocultural

Unexpected differences

Nature of Africa’s data problem

Speakers

– IGF Central Africa representative
– Audience

Arguments

Individual countries cannot negotiate effectively with tech giants – need collective Francophone action

Africa has abundant data but faces serious digitization challenges for state, public, and cultural data

Explanation

This disagreement is unexpected because both speakers are advocating for African digital development, but they fundamentally disagree on the root problem. The IGF representative suggests Africa lacks sufficient data exposure and infrastructure, while the audience member argues Africa has plenty of data but lacks digitization capabilities. This disagreement has significant implications for resource allocation and development strategies

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows remarkable consensus on major goals (digital inclusion, cultural preservation, collective action) with disagreements primarily on implementation strategies and problem diagnosis. The main areas of disagreement involve: ministerial engagement levels, specific technical solutions for data governance, and the fundamental nature of Africa’s data challenges

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level. The speakers share common objectives but differ on tactical approaches and problem identification. This suggests a strong foundation for collaboration with need for more detailed coordination on implementation strategies. The disagreements are constructive and focus on ‘how’ rather than ‘whether’ to address the challenges, which is positive for future cooperation in Francophone digital governance

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers draw on the historical success of Francophonie in creating shared cultural resources and argue that this model should be applied to digital technologies and AI to preserve and strengthen cultural diversity

Speakers

– Boukar Michel
– Henri Verdier

Arguments

AI can be a powerful tool for cultural preservation and development if properly managed

Digital commons must remain common, drawing from Francophonie’s historical success in making French a shared language

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory

Both emphasize the critical importance of building local technical capacity and research capabilities to enable Francophone countries to develop their own digital solutions rather than remaining dependent on foreign technologies

Speakers

– IGF Central Africa representative
– Audience

Arguments

Research and development support is crucial for Francophone countries to develop their own AI tools

Capacity building and training programs are essential, particularly for youth and women in digital technologies and AI

Topics

Development | Economic

Both speakers advocate for regulatory measures that require digital platforms to actively promote and make discoverable local and diverse content, rather than allowing algorithmic bias to favor dominant languages

Speakers

– Henri Verdier
– Destiny Tchehouali

Arguments

Digital platforms should have obligations to promote national and diverse content, similar to Netflix’s French production requirements

Need for discoverability measures to ensure Francophone content can be found and recommended online

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory

Key takeaways

The Francophone space represents over 1 billion people and 15-16% of global GDP, giving it significant potential influence in digital governance if properly coordinated

Digital inclusion requires more than just connectivity – it needs meaningful access that enables emancipation, local innovation, and cultural preservation

French content represents only 6% of internet content, and AI systems are predominantly trained on English data, threatening Francophone cultural and linguistic diversity

Individual Francophone countries cannot effectively negotiate with tech giants alone – collective action through organizations like OIF is essential

Data governance involves three key aspects: privacy protection, keeping common knowledge accessible, and ensuring fair value sharing from data use

Africa has abundant data but faces serious digitization challenges, particularly for state, public, and cultural archives

The digital commons must remain common, drawing lessons from Francophonie’s historical success in making French a shared rather than exclusively French language

Capacity building and training programs, especially for youth and women, are crucial for meaningful participation in the digital economy

Resolutions and action items

Continue discussions at the upcoming Geneva meeting during the World Summit on Information Society (July 7th)

Develop strong recommendations on data governance for Francophone countries at the Geneva meeting

Create databases of Francophone linguistic data to train more inclusive AI systems

Establish regional data centers and shared digital infrastructure among Francophone countries

Implement capacity building programs through initiatives like the OIF’s Déclic program

Digitize existing cultural, state, and public data archives across Francophone Africa

Increase Francophone ministerial presence at international digital conferences and decision-making forums

Develop regulatory frameworks requiring digital platforms to promote Francophone and local content

Unresolved issues

How to effectively coordinate collective action among Francophone countries with different levels of digital development

Specific mechanisms for ensuring fair value sharing from data generated in Francophone countries

How to recover and repatriate historical data and archives currently held in other countries

Concrete funding mechanisms for shared digital infrastructure projects

How to balance digital sovereignty with the need for international cooperation and open standards

Specific criteria for determining what constitutes diversified Francophone content for platform obligations

How to address the brain drain of digital talent from Francophone developing countries

Suggested compromises

Hybrid physical-digital service models that can function with limited connectivity infrastructure

Regional rather than purely national approaches to data centers and digital infrastructure

Graduated obligations for digital platforms based on market size and presence

Public-private partnerships for digital infrastructure development while maintaining public oversight

Multilateral regulatory frameworks that respect national sovereignty while enabling collective bargaining power

Frugal innovation approaches that solve local problems as entry points to broader digital participation

I think you are right, infinitely right, to go back to the history of Francophonie… four huge heads of state, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Habib Bourguiba, Amani Diori and Norodam Sianouk, imposed on France the idea that this French language does not belong to France, that it is something that we have in common. It is a common, in the sense that we are going to talk about a moment of digital common… And I often wondered what should be the main note of digital francophonie, and it might be to remember this story where we have protected, extended and brought to life a common.

Speaker

Henri Verdier

Reason

This comment is profoundly insightful because it reframes the entire discussion by connecting historical Francophonie principles to contemporary digital challenges. Verdier draws a powerful parallel between how French language was transformed from French property to a shared commons, and how digital infrastructure should remain a commons rather than be captured by monopolies.

Impact

This comment fundamentally shifted the discussion’s framework from technical issues to philosophical foundations. It provided a unifying conceptual lens that other speakers referenced throughout, establishing ‘commons’ as the central organizing principle for Francophone digital governance.

Africa has a double problem. First of all, our data is not enough exposed, and so we are not sure that the people who develop solutions with AI will find solutions for us. But secondly, if we manufacture the data and if we open them up, there is also a risk that we will be stolen and captured… we should design the African infrastructure for exposing African data… you can question these databases, but you can’t steal them.

Speaker

Henri Verdier (quoting Sam George, Ghana’s digital minister)

Reason

This captures the fundamental paradox facing developing nations in the AI era – the need to participate in data sharing for AI development while avoiding digital colonialism. It articulates a sophisticated understanding of how data exposure can be both empowering and exploitative.

Impact

This comment introduced nuanced thinking about data sovereignty that moved beyond simple ‘protect vs. share’ binaries. It sparked discussion about regional data infrastructure and influenced subsequent speakers to think more strategically about collective approaches to data governance.

Sometimes it’s us who pose problems in our Francophone space… I attend international conferences on digital sometimes. So, tell me Verdier, is the French minister in charge of digital always busy? He can come, he can attend these conferences where big decisions are made. For example, on the digital pact, they are always absent… We can’t go and steal data from GAFT, Google and others without solid consultation.

Speaker

Boukar Michel

Reason

This is a remarkably candid critique that challenges the Francophone community’s own commitment to digital governance. The Minister’s direct questioning of French participation and his blunt assessment of internal coordination failures demonstrates authentic leadership and self-reflection.

Impact

This comment created a moment of uncomfortable truth-telling that elevated the discussion’s honesty level. It shifted focus from external challenges to internal accountability, prompting more realistic assessments of what collective action actually requires.

Discoverability… refers to the availability of our content in their online presence, but above all, to the ability to be recommended this content, especially when we did not know its existence beforehand… discoverability is an eminently political issue, a cultural policy issue.

Speaker

Destiny Tchehouali

Reason

This comment introduces a sophisticated concept that goes beyond simple content creation to the politics of algorithmic recommendation. It reveals how cultural diversity is threatened not just by lack of content, but by the invisible mechanisms that determine what content gets seen.

Impact

This introduced a new analytical framework that helped other participants understand how cultural dominance operates through recommendation algorithms. It connected technical infrastructure questions to cultural policy in ways that influenced subsequent discussions about platform regulation.

Africa has data, but we have a serious problem. It is the low rate of digitization of this data. State data, public data, cultural data. Africa has a lot of data and is facing a serious problem of digitization… we are invaded by anglophone data.

Speaker

Emmanuel Empeta

Reason

This comment reframes the ‘data deficit’ narrative by distinguishing between data existence and digital accessibility. It challenges assumptions about African data poverty while highlighting the structural barriers to digital participation.

Impact

This intervention corrected a fundamental misunderstanding in the discussion and redirected attention from data creation to digitization infrastructure. It influenced the final recommendations toward supporting digitization rather than just data collection.

Overall assessment

These key comments transformed what could have been a technical discussion about digital infrastructure into a sophisticated analysis of power, sovereignty, and collective action. Verdier’s ‘commons’ framework provided philosophical grounding, while Minister Michel’s candid self-criticism introduced necessary realism about Francophone coordination challenges. Tchehouali’s ‘discoverability’ concept and Empeta’s digitization distinction added analytical precision that elevated the discussion’s sophistication. Together, these interventions created a conversation that moved fluidly between historical context, contemporary challenges, and future possibilities, ultimately producing a more nuanced understanding of how cultural communities can maintain agency in an increasingly centralized digital landscape.

How can francophone countries create shared optical fiber infrastructure at regional level?

Speaker

IGF Central Africa representative

Explanation

This addresses the infrastructure deficit problem that has existed for decades in francophone countries and could promote connectivity as outlined in the digital pact

How can francophone countries establish regional data centers or shared data centers?

Speaker

IGF Central Africa representative

Explanation

This is essential for francophone countries to master AI technology and address the battle for data governance

How can the OIF expand the D2Click program to reach more francophone countries like Chad that are not currently included?

Speaker

Boukar Michel

Explanation

The minister specifically mentioned Chad needs this program for training young French-speakers in digital content creation

What are the specific criteria needed to determine what constitutes diversified French-speaking content across different francophone languages?

Speaker

Destiny Tchehouali

Explanation

This is crucial for establishing rules and measures to ensure platforms promote francophone content diversity

What proportion of national content should governments require platforms to promote when offering distribution services on francophone territories?

Speaker

Destiny Tchehouali

Explanation

This relates to discoverability and ensuring francophone content gets adequate visibility on digital platforms

How can African infrastructure be designed for exposing African data while preventing capture and privatization?

Speaker

Henri Verdier

Explanation

This addresses the double problem of data exposure for AI development while maintaining sovereignty over African data

How can francophone countries develop adequate regulation for new technologies like AI and blockchain?

Speaker

IGF Central Africa representative

Explanation

New forms of regulation are needed for digital technologies, and francophone countries need to learn from practical cases and success stories

How can local languages (over 1000-2000 languages in francophone space) be utilized through AI as tools for development?

Speaker

IGF Central Africa representative

Explanation

This addresses inclusion and the potential for AI to support local content development and job creation

How can francophone countries promote research and development to create their own AI tools?

Speaker

IGF Central Africa representative

Explanation

This is identified as the missing piece for francophone Africa to develop indigenous AI capabilities

Why are books often translated from French into English, and how can this system be better framed?

Speaker

Nicole Baibé-Kennedy

Explanation

This relates to cultural preservation and the dominance of English in digital content translation

How can francophone countries leverage their country code domain extensions for digital development and data control?

Speaker

Sébastien Bachelet

Explanation

Country domain extensions are identified as a treasure that could help develop digital uses and maintain data control

How can francophone countries improve digitization of existing data (state, public, cultural data)?

Speaker

Emmanuel Empeta

Explanation

Africa has data but faces serious problems with low digitization rates, and this needs francophone support

How can historical data and archives housed in France be recovered and brought back to African francophone countries?

Speaker

IGF Central Africa representative

Explanation

Some countries have lost data through wars, and historical archives stored in France need to be repatriated for digitization efforts