Welcome to Norway! – Building Digital Governance Together

Summary

This transcript captures the opening ceremony of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025, hosted by Norway in Lillestrøm, marking the 20th anniversary of this global multi-stakeholder platform for digital governance discussions. Norwegian officials, including Ministers Karianne Tung, Espen Barth Eide, and Sigrun Aasland, welcomed delegates by emphasizing Norway’s commitment to an open, inclusive, and safe internet that serves people rather than technology for its own sake. The ministers highlighted Norway’s position as one of the world’s most digitalized countries and announced significant investments, including one billion Norwegian kroner for six AI research centers and the inauguration of Olivia, Norway’s most powerful supercomputer.

A key focus throughout the ceremony was the critical importance of the multi-stakeholder model in internet governance, bringing together governments, civil society, private sector, academia, and technical communities. Expert panels featuring Carol Roach (IGF MAG Chair), Hans-Petter Holen (RIPE NCC CEO), Ambassador Thomas Schneider from Switzerland, and Elise Lindeberg (SkyGuard CEO) emphasized that balanced multi-stakeholder participation requires sustained effort and cannot happen by accident. Ministers from various countries, including Lesotho, Malaysia, and Japan, shared their perspectives on why inclusive platforms like IGF remain essential, particularly for smaller nations that risk being marginalized in closed-door decision-making processes.

Nicholas Brown from the UN Global Geospatial Statistics Centre presented a compelling scenario about the critical but often overlooked role of geodesy in maintaining satellite systems that underpin modern digital infrastructure. The ceremony concluded with a strong call to action emphasizing that digital governance challenges are too complex for any single group to solve alone, requiring genuine collaboration across all stakeholder groups to build a digital future that works for everyone.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **Multi-stakeholder governance model**: The critical importance of including all stakeholders (governments, civil society, private sector, technical community, academia, and youth) in internet governance decisions, rather than allowing top-down control by powerful actors alone

– **Digital infrastructure vulnerabilities and dependencies**: The hidden risks in our digital systems, particularly the critical role of geodesy in satellite systems and the catastrophic consequences if these foundational technologies fail

– **Digital divide and inclusion challenges**: The need to ensure smaller nations and less powerful actors have meaningful participation in digital governance, preventing “digital colonization” where a few powerful states and corporations dictate rules for everyone

– **Norway’s leadership in digital innovation**: The host country’s significant investments in AI research centers, supercomputing infrastructure, and commitment to responsible digitalization that serves people rather than technology for its own sake

– **Urgent need for action beyond dialogue**: Moving from conversations to concrete implementation, addressing real-world challenges like rural connectivity, cybersecurity, and ensuring internet governance serves the public interest

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion served as the opening ceremony for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025, celebrating the forum’s 20th anniversary while establishing the foundation for a week of collaborative dialogue on digital governance. The primary goal was to reinforce the continued relevance and necessity of the multi-stakeholder approach to internet governance in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

## Overall Tone:

The discussion maintained a consistently collaborative and optimistic tone throughout, characterized by diplomatic courtesy and shared commitment to inclusive governance. Speakers demonstrated mutual respect while acknowledging serious challenges. The tone became more urgent toward the end, particularly with Minister Moorosi’s call to move “beyond conversation” to concrete action, and Carol Roach’s emphasis that this represents “a call to action by all.” Despite addressing complex geopolitical tensions and technical vulnerabilities, the overall atmosphere remained constructive and forward-looking, emphasizing partnership over conflict.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Karianne Tung** – Minister of Digitalization and Public Governance, Norway

– **Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik** – Master of Ceremonies for IGF 2025

– **Espen Barth Eide** – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway

– **Nicholas Brown** – Head of Office at the United Nations Global Geospatial Statistics Centre, expert in geodesy

– **Sigrun Aasland** – Minister of Research and Higher Education, Norway

– **Carol Roach** – Chair of the IGF Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), decades of experience in public service

– **Hans Petter Holen** – CEO of RIPE NCC, long-time advocate for open internet infrastructure

– **Thomas Schneider** – Ambassador from Switzerland, leading voice on digital diplomacy and multilateral cooperation

– **Elise Lindeberg** – CEO of SkyGuard, extensive experience in internet governance including active role in ICANN

– **Nthati Moorosi** – Minister of Information, Communication, Science and Technology and Innovation, Lesotho

– **Teo Nie Ching** – Deputy Minister of Communications, Malaysia

– **Takuo Imagawa** – Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination, Ministry for Internal Affairs and Communication, Japan

– **Jorgen Vik** – Mayor of Lillestrøm, Norway

**Additional speakers:**

None – all speakers mentioned in the transcript are included in the provided speakers names list.

# Internet Governance Forum 2025 Opening Ceremony: Comprehensive Discussion Report

## Executive Summary

The opening ceremony of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025, held in Lillestrøm, Norway, marked the forum’s 20th anniversary with a celebration of achievements and a frank assessment of current challenges in digital governance. This Day Zero event brought together Norwegian government ministers, international ministerial representatives, and technical experts to reaffirm their commitment to the multi-stakeholder model while addressing urgent concerns about digital divides and infrastructure vulnerabilities.

The ceremony featured strong Norwegian leadership, with Ministers Karianne Tung, Espen Barth Eide, and Sigrun Aasland announcing significant investments including one billion Norwegian kroner for six AI research centres and the inauguration of Olivia, Norway’s most powerful supercomputer. However, the most striking moment came from Lesotho’s Minister Nthati Moorosi, who challenged the forum’s traditional approach by declaring: “I feel like we’ve talked enough. I feel like we’ve had too many dialogues. I think it’s about time we act.”

The discussions revealed both remarkable consensus on fundamental principles and emerging tensions about implementation approaches. While all speakers endorsed multi-stakeholder governance and inclusive participation, concerns about “digital colonisation” and infrastructure vulnerabilities highlighted the urgent need for concrete action alongside continued dialogue.

## Event Structure and Key Participants

The ceremony followed a structured format beginning with Norwegian ministerial welcomes, followed by an expert panel discussion, international ministerial perspectives, a video message from Mayor Jorgen Vik of Lillestrøm, and closing remarks. Master of Ceremonies Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik guided participants through discussions that balanced celebration with serious policy dialogue.

### Norwegian Government Leadership

**Karianne Tung**, Minister of Digitalization and Public Governance, opened by positioning Norway as “one of the most digitalized countries in the world” while emphasizing that “digitalization is really the tool we need to solve huge societal challenges.” She stressed the importance of including “every part of society for an open and free internet” and noted that “there is no difference really between the digital world and the physical world.”

**Espen Barth Eide**, Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided historical context by describing the internet as “the most important infrastructure of this planet” and “the most important machine, in quotation marks, that mankind has ever created.” He emphasized Norway’s commitment to maintaining an open, global internet while acknowledging geopolitical tensions that threaten this vision.

**Sigrun Aasland**, Minister of Research and Higher Education, announced Norway’s major AI investment: “one billion Norwegian kroner of funding for six research centers for AI” and introduced “Olivia, Norway’s newest, greenest and most powerful supercomputer.” She raised critical questions about educational adaptation, asking how to integrate AI into higher education while maintaining academic integrity.

### Expert Panel Insights

**Nicholas Brown** from the UN Global Geospatial Statistics Centre delivered perhaps the most sobering presentation, revealing critical vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure through his expertise in geodesy. He painted an apocalyptic scenario beginning at “7:43 in the morning” showing how GPS satellite failure would cascade through all digital systems: “If GPS goes down, the internet goes down. If the internet goes down, everything goes down.” His revelation that “modern society is powered by satellites. Therefore, modern society is powered by geodesy. But most people have never heard of it” highlighted dangerous gaps in public awareness of critical infrastructure.

**Carol Roach**, Chair of the IGF Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group, provided crucial statistical context by noting that “when we combine those who we label as small or less powerful, we are speaking of 85% of the world population and nearly 39% of the global GDP.” This reframing challenged narratives about inclusion being merely charitable rather than strategically essential.

**Hans Petter Holen**, CEO of RIPE NCC, emphasized that “balanced multi-stakeholder model doesn’t happen by accident” and requires sustained community building efforts.

**Thomas Schneider**, Ambassador from Switzerland, advocated for evidence-based decision-making through inclusive platforms that lead to “better balanced decisions based on facts and diverse experiences.”

**Elise Lindeberg**, CEO of SkyGuard, focused on maintaining accessibility, asking: “How do we ensure that the workshops remain open and inclusive to let new people in with their ideas?” She also noted the importance of multi-stakeholder dialogue in addressing complex challenges.

### International Ministerial Perspectives

**Nthati Moorosi**, Minister from Lesotho, provided the ceremony’s most provocative intervention by directly challenging traditional approaches: “I feel like we’ve talked enough. I feel like we’ve had too many dialogues. I think it’s about time we act.” Her frustration extended to practical governance challenges, particularly regarding global social media platforms during elections, asking: “How can we regulate global social media platforms when their policies often do not reflect national laws?”

**Teo Nie Ching**, Deputy Minister from Malaysia, introduced the concept of “digital colonisation,” warning of “a new form of digital colonization where a handful of powerful states and corporations detect the rules, standards, and norms for the rest of the world.” She emphasized building “whole-of-society ecosystem where stakeholders are genuine partners” rather than token participants.

**Takuo Imagawa**, Vice-Minister from Japan, outlined four key priorities: internet governance, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and information integrity. He emphasized the need to “extend IGF mandate and secure its long-term continuity” while addressing challenges such as internet fragmentation.

## Areas of Strong Consensus

### Universal Support for Multi-Stakeholder Governance

All speakers endorsed the multi-stakeholder model as essential for effective internet governance. This consensus extended beyond diplomatic courtesy to include recognition that such governance requires sustained effort and community building. Speakers consistently emphasized that inclusive governance leads to better decisions based on diverse experiences and facts.

### Recognition of IGF’s Unique Value

There was universal acknowledgement of the IGF’s role as an essential platform for inclusive dialogue. Speakers described it as vital for preventing internet fragmentation and ensuring diverse voices remain part of global digital governance discussions. This consensus was particularly significant given the upcoming mandate review.

### Concerns About Digital Exclusion

Multiple speakers warned about the risks of losing inclusive platforms, with particular emphasis on preventing “digital colonisation” and ensuring developing nations retain influence over decisions affecting their digital sovereignty. Carol Roach’s statistics about excluded groups representing the majority of global population and significant economic power transformed inclusion arguments from moral imperatives to strategic necessities.

## Key Tensions and Disagreements

### Dialogue Versus Action

The most significant tension emerged around Minister Moorosi’s direct challenge to dialogue-focused approaches. Her call to move “beyond conversation” represented broader frustrations among developing nations about the effectiveness of discussion forums in addressing urgent digital development needs. This created productive tension throughout the ceremony, forcing speakers to articulate both the value of continued dialogue and the need for actionable outcomes.

### Implementation Approaches

While speakers agreed on broad principles, they differed in preferred implementation methods. Some emphasized formal cooperation structures and institutional mechanisms, while others focused on practical tools and capacity-building initiatives. The Norwegian emphasis on massive infrastructure investment contrasted with calls from developing nations for more immediate interventions in connectivity and digital literacy.

## Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

Nicholas Brown’s geodesy presentation revealed dangerous dependencies that most policymakers had never considered. His detailed scenario of cascading failures from GPS satellite breakdown highlighted the gap between technological dependence and public awareness. The discussion served as a metaphor for broader challenges where foundational technologies receive inadequate attention precisely because of their invisibility.

The broader recognition that “modern society is powered by satellites” underscored how local digital governance decisions must account for global infrastructure dependencies, complicating arguments about digital sovereignty.

## Investment and Innovation Strategies

Norway’s substantial AI investments provided a concrete example of national digital strategy implementation. The approach demonstrated how countries can maintain technological competitiveness while adhering to responsible governance principles. Minister Aasland’s emphasis on maintaining human-centered values while incorporating AI capabilities reflected broader tensions between technological advancement and social considerations.

## Global South Perspectives and Power Dynamics

The ceremony featured particularly strong contributions from Global South representatives who articulated concerns about power imbalances in digital governance. The concept of “digital colonisation” provided a framework for understanding how historical domination patterns might be replicated digitally.

These concerns extended to practical challenges, such as Minister Moorosi’s difficulties regulating global social media platforms during elections, exemplifying how smaller nations struggle to enforce national policies against global technology companies with different priorities and legal frameworks.

## Educational and Generational Challenges

The discussion of AI’s impact on education revealed complex challenges extending beyond technical implementation to fundamental questions about learning, assessment, and human development. Minister Aasland’s concerns about maintaining academic integrity while integrating AI capabilities reflected broader societal tensions about technological change.

## Future Directions and Unresolved Questions

### IGF Mandate Extension

The upcoming mandate review provided important context for ceremony discussions. Multiple speakers emphasized the need to secure long-term continuity while demonstrating continued relevance and effectiveness. The ceremony suggested that the IGF’s future may depend on evolving beyond pure dialogue toward more concrete outcomes while maintaining its inclusive character.

### Addressing Internet Fragmentation

Concerns about internet fragmentation highlighted tensions between national sovereignty and global connectivity. Speakers recognized that maintaining global interoperability requires active effort and cannot be taken for granted, suggesting future governance frameworks must accommodate diverse national needs while preserving the internet’s global character.

### Measuring Meaningful Inclusion

Questions remained about distinguishing between token participation and meaningful inclusion in governance processes. The challenge was particularly acute given power imbalances between stakeholder groups and the technical complexity of many digital governance issues.

## Conclusion

The IGF 2025 opening ceremony revealed both the strengths and limitations of current internet governance approaches. The remarkable consensus on fundamental principles provided a strong foundation for continued cooperation, while highlighting significant challenges requiring urgent attention.

The most significant outcome was recognition that digital governance has reached a critical juncture where traditional dialogue-focused approaches must evolve to incorporate concrete action while maintaining inclusive character. The tension between calls for immediate action and emphasis on careful multi-stakeholder processes suggested that future effectiveness depends on finding ways to accommodate both urgent decision-making and inclusive participation.

The ceremony also highlighted critical infrastructure vulnerabilities requiring immediate attention and the continued relevance of inclusive governance in an era of increasing digital fragmentation. The statistical evidence about the collective strength of smaller nations, combined with warnings about digital colonisation, suggested that exclusive governance approaches are strategically unsustainable.

As Mayor Jorgen Vik noted in his video message, the week ahead would continue these discussions through sessions on subsea cables, digital sustainability, and other critical topics. The opening ceremony successfully set the stage for deeper engagement with the urgent challenges facing global internet governance while celebrating the collaborative spirit that has made the IGF a unique platform for inclusive digital governance.

Karianne Tung: Excellencies, colleagues, dear delegates and friends. On behalf of the Norwegian government, it is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to Norway and to this Day Zero at Internet Governance Forum 2025. We are honored to host this important forum. A unique space for global dialogue. on how we govern and shape our digital world. Let me begin by congratulating IGF on its anniversary. Since 2006, the Forum has served as a vital platform for inclusive and transparent discussions on Internet governance. It has brought people together across sectors and borders to promote a digital future grounded in human rights, sustainability and cooperation. We are proud to host the 20th gathering in Norway. Hosting the IGF is deeply meaningful to us. We are one of the most digitalized countries in the world. Nearly all Norwegians are online and digital tools are central to how we work, how we learn and how we access public services. But digitalization is not just about infrastructure or technology. It is about people. We believe the Internet must be open, inclusive and safe for everyone, for the people. That is why values like freedom, participation and trust are at the heart of our digital policy. And that is also why we strongly believe in the multi-stakeholder cooperation. Norway is a long-standing supporter of the United Nations and multilateralism. We see the IGF as a key part of the UN role in promoting responsible, human-centric digital development. Now, more than ever, we need platforms, like the IGF, where representatives from governments, parliaments, private companies, international organizations, researchers, civil society and youth can come together to discuss how to manage the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. Over the next few days, you will address key questions and explore vital topics like artificial intelligence and cyber security to digital inclusion, online freedom and ethics. These are not just technical or political questions. They are questions about our lives and our common future. And to our youth participants, your ideas, your voices and your leadership is essential. The digital’s future is yours to shape. And we need your energy, your creativity and your insights more than ever before. So dear friends, let us use this IGF to reflect, connect and collaborate across sectors, across countries and across generations. Norway is proud to host the IGF 2025. We are ready to contribute and to stand together with you all in building a digital world that works for everyone. Dear friends, welcome to Norway and IGF. Thank you.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Ladies and gentlemen, dear guests, esteemed colleagues, It’s a pleasure to be here with you today. Esteemed colleagues, first of all, thank you to Minister Tung for that warm introduction. Thank you so much from our host for that wonderfully warm introductory talk. Good morning and welcome to the Internet Governance Forum 2025, right here in beautiful Norway. My name is Natalie and I’m honored to serve as your Master of Ceremonies as we begin a week that will shape the digital future that we are building together. It’s a great privilege to welcome all of you as well as our global guests who are joining from online, our government representatives, civil society, private sector, youth and technical experts from around the world to Norway and to IGF 2025. So let’s continue the journey together. This year’s theme, Building Digital Governance Together, reflects both our ambition and our responsibility. So let us begin this journey with open minds and a shared purpose. To open this important conversation, it is my pleasure to invite a longtime advocate for multilateralism and digital cooperation. And really to broaden our perspective on digital governance in today’s political climate, I’m pleased to introduce a key voice in international diplomacy and cooperation, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Espen Bart Eide. The floor is yours.

Espen Barth Eide: Thank you, Natalie. And let me join my dear colleague, Minister Karianne Tung, in welcoming you. I give you all a warm welcome to Norway and to the Internet Governance Forum 2025. It’s the 20th edition of this meeting. It has its roots, as you all know, back in the World Summit on the Information Society, which decided that we need such a multi-stakeholder platform to discuss how we jointly manage, govern the Internet, how we make sure that it remains open, inclusive and safe, and how we see this as a global public good, a global common in many ways. It is an incredible, incredible story. I think everyone here knows better than most people here and online, because we have very many online followers of this opening event, knows how what began as ARPANET, as a military research project in the US, then in the 80s turned into what we know is Internet. Then came the World Wide Web and eventually we have grown into see something never ever seen by mankind, in many ways the most important infrastructure of this planet. The most important machine, in quotation marks, that mankind has ever created. And today it is a part of everything. Whether you think of it or not, it is a part of everything. It’s the backbone, it’s the fundament of almost all the new technologies we speak about. Much of it is in the private sector today and clearly in the future. The cloud is not literally in the clouds. The cloud is data centers, it is fiber optical cables, it’s telecommunications companies, it’s information management, it is cyber security, it’s everything. It is such a fundamental platform for our modern lives. As Minister Tung said, as a fellow Norwegian with her, I cannot really imagine what life was before everything was connected. If somebody showed me a Norwegian coin or paper money, I don’t think I would recognize it because I haven’t seen one for many years. Apparently they still exist. I haven’t seen them. Everything is digital in this country and in so many countries. That makes us more efficient, that opens a hoist of new opportunities, but of course it also makes us vulnerable, which is also an important element of understanding why we need a solid internet that works, that delivers, that is open, that is… safe and that is inclusive, because it is such an important part of everything else. It’s important in itself and in everything else. We very much believe that this governance initiative needs exactly what this forum provides, a multi-stakeholder approach, because there are so many actors in the private sector, in governments, in academia and in research, in civil society, youth, as we particularly highlight which will live all their life, I after all remember life before the internet, they don’t if you’re properly youth, they will live their whole life in an internet dominated world and we see these endless opportunities which is also what Kofi Annan spoke about when he was the Secretary General of the UN when all this was shaped 20 years ago and I think we still see the endless opportunities to overcome the digital divide, to clearly bring more people into development, modernity, to be more efficient, to be smarter, to optimize, to deal with common challenges in ways that we have not even imagined only a few decades ago. But we also learned about the pitfalls, the challenges, the problems. We also learned about the risk of manipulation, the risk of polarization through social media, obviously the risk of data theft, the risk of threats to our security and as a foreign minister I very much see the internet and everything digital also part of how we govern the world as such. I see the same competition for resources, the same competition for technology, the same competition for influence, the same shifts of power that I can see in the more physical world is also definitely represented in the digital world. So all these are themes that we will discuss here. So, my main message as I end this welcoming intervention is that this is incredibly high on the agenda, as it should be. We should keep the Internet open, inclusive and safe. And we should make sure that we maintain a solid multi-stakeholder participation. This is not something that can be dealt with like people like me, like governments alone. We’re way beyond that point. We have to engage with all those actors that in the real physical world are actually defining the future of the Internet. I wish you very, very good conversations. I am really happy that they take place here. I should, of course, say that this is the largest UN conference of its kind in Norway, the first in this field, and we are incredibly proud to be hosts. I hope you will find us as good hosts, and we look forward to learning the outcomes of all your deliberations. Thank you for the attention.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you to Minister Bart Eide, and thank you to Mr. Fedorov for reminding us what is at stake, and also what is possible when technology serves people in times of crises, and of the importance of cooperation and preparedness. And to our next topic, our dependence on satellite and spatial systems. What happens if they fail? To help us understand the hidden systems that support our digital world, and the often the crucial but often invisible role of geodesy in our modern lives. Please welcome our next speaker, Nicholas Brown, Head of Office at the United Nations Global Geospatial Statistics Centre. Nicholas, the stage is yours.

Nicholas Brown: Hi, my name’s Nick and I work with the United Nations. I work with people from all around the world on a subject called geodesy. It’s the most amazing science that you’ve probably never heard of. As geodesists, we measure the Earth. We measure the shape of the Earth, its orientation, its gravity field, and how it changes with its speed of rotation. It’s important that we continuously measure the Earth because the Earth isn’t as stable as it seems. The Earth actually spins like a spinning top and it wobbles. And as the Earth spins, it also wobbles. Weather and natural hazards like earthquakes cause air, land, water, and ice to move from place to place, which makes the Earth wobble over time. Thanks to geodesy, we can measure this wobble. We can measure the wobbles of our planet over time and we need to because satellites depend on it. For example, for GPS and internet satellites to help us and provide us with accurate and reliable information, we need to know their exact position at all times with respect to the Earth. So imagine that. Imagine for a moment a world without accurate and reliable satellite information. I want you to imagine a scenario. It’s the year 2029. there’s been no significant investment in geodesy ground stations that are measuring the wobble of the earth. Furthermore universities and scientific institutions that have been we’ve been relying on to perform the critical analysis that guide the satellites over time no longer have the funding or the expertise to perform these functions. So with that in mind imagine this at 743 seven o’clock in the morning 743 and your alarm didn’t wake you up at seven o’clock when you when you were meant to wake up. You then turn on your TV and you realize that you can’t get a signal and you think that’s strange and there’s no signal on your phone either. The reason for this is because GPS satellites have stopped working and they were providing precise timing synchronization information through through telephone connections which were allowing you to get that information. By 903 if you had friends that were due to arrive on a flight but when GPS and telecommunications satellites stopped working land, sea and air travel has stopped. The pilots, drivers and captains already on route have had to switch to analog devices. Messages are trying to be sent via HF radio for vessels to return to port. Tens of thousands of people in the planes are oblivious to the challenges the pilots are having trying to talk to the air traffic control. But passengers soon realize the problems are worse because when they land they’re stuck there. By 1018 for people driving they notice that traffic light systems are very erratic or have stopped. This is because traffic light systems just like mobile phone towers rely on precise timing information from GPS satellites. Accidents start happening everywhere but the emergency services can’t be notified because mobile phone towers aren’t working. Furthermore the emergency services sector are struggling to reach people because the lack of central traffic management route planning, and block streets from the chaos. By 1147, all stock exchanges around the world have stopped operating, because the loss of precise timing information from satellites means it’s impossible to have trades that are being traded with integrity. By 1234, there’s a panic on the street and a run on the banks as people are trying to withdraw cash. However, automatic telemachines aren’t working, and banks don’t stock enough cash to meet the demand. By 202, in a bunker somewhere in Europe, a pilot has lost contact with armed drones that were flying in a test exercise. The failure of secure satellite systems has left soldiers, ships, and aircraft cut off from commanders and vulnerable to attack. Without satellites, world leaders are struggling to talk to each other to defuse global mounting tensions. By 512, when the satellites stop, there are some backup systems that kick in using ground-based clocks and ground-based technology. However, within a few hours, these different ground-based systems don’t have the synchronization, so although the timing might work locally, it’s not gonna work globally. This causes problems that start to occur. Cloud services begin to fail. Internet speeds get slower and slower, until finally they stop altogether. Power cuts come next as suppliers are unable to regulate demand. By 1130, within a day, most countries reliant on satellites for their economies and critical infrastructure announced they’re in a state of emergency, and there is no clear way out given the lack of backup options. By 1158, communications, transport, power, and computer systems have all been severely disrupted. Global business has ground to a halt, and governments are struggling to cope. Politicians have been warned that food supply chains will soon break down. and now they fear a breakdown in public order. Modern society is powered by satellites. Therefore, modern society is powered by geodesy. But most people have never heard of it. Politicians definitely don’t know what it is, and as a result, it’s severely under-resourced worldwide. Without geodesy, the accuracy and reliability of satellite services will degrade and ultimately fail. I would like you to take away three things from this. Firstly, geodesy is now the most amazing science you have heard of. Secondly, when you return to your countries, find out who’s working on geodesy. And thirdly, support these people as best you can. The future of modern society, the internet, and probably your job depends on it. Thank you very much.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Okay, hope you enjoyed the film. It really sets the tone, I would say. It sets the tone for our next speaker as research is a very important part in developing new innovations. Thank you Mr. Brown for highlighting. A risk that we often overlook, and now we move from hidden risks to bold ambitions. To get there, we need research and education and the system around it. So without further ado, please join me in welcoming Norway’s Minister of Research and Higher Education, Miss Sigrun Aasland, to share a vision for how Norway is investing in artificial intelligence responsibly and inclusively. A warm round of applause.

Sigrun Aasland: Excellencies, colleagues and friends, I am so happy to see you here. Very proud to be part of this great event and so glad that you could join us here in Norway for the IGF. The digital shift is progressing rapidly, providing unforeseen and quite magnificent opportunities, but also new vulnerabilities. And as policymakers, it is our job to embrace these opportunities, but also to make sure that we use our resources to the benefit of people. And it should never be technology for the sake of technology, always technology for the sake of making people’s lives better. And we do have some big tasks ahead of us. Demographic change, resource scarcity, climate and energy transition, geopolitical tensions, and against this backdrop, the accelerating technological shift. My colleague, Minister of Digitalization and Public Governance, Karianne Tung, spoke earlier about digitalization really being about people. And to that end, I want to address three lines of work where we work very hard to ensure that both artificial intelligence and the broader… digitalization is making people’s lives better and that we can manage it responsibly. Let me start with knowledge. Norwegian researchers have worked with AI for many years, as have scientists from the rest of the world. Faced, however, with the extremely rapid developments of this field during the last few years, we saw and recognized that we needed to step up. And so two weeks ago, Prime Minister Jonas Garstøre and I announced one billion Norwegian kroner of funding for six research centers for AI. These centers are powerhouses for cutting-edge AI technology in Norway, from universities, research centers, public sector and business. They will work on developing and understanding AI as a technology, but also on implementing solutions, on commercializing solutions and on making them work for the best of society, strengthening research, public sector and business, and ensuring that we can build a society of trust, of good decision-making and of opportunities for all using artificial intelligence. And to make use of AI across society, in navigation, in defense, in health services and in education, we need to also make sure that the education system incorporates the necessary digital competence, and also, more importantly, that we, when using AI, do never forget to use the human intelligence even more. This means building an education system that uses technology rights at the right stages, at the right ages, in the right ways, and we are currently looking into how to adapt our higher education system to face the new realities of AI, in exams, in evaluations, to make use of AI. while ensuring true learning and accountability and the integrity of our degrees. We are gearing our education system to embody the future of AI. Our second task is infrastructure. Last week I had the great pleasure of inaugurating Olivia, Norway’s newest, greenest and most powerful supercomputer. She represents a 17-fold of the Norwegian capacity for computing. She will be used, among other things, for the development and training of advanced language models for Norwegian, Sámi and other European languages. Third, technology needs governance, policy and international collaboration. And our third task, therefore, is regulation and governance, which needs to happen through international collaboration, as we are embarking on in this important week together. International cooperation is an important aspect of every part of the digitalization efforts. All our national centers for AI, like all great research, are fundamentally internationally oriented with talented people from all over the world involved. This is why your presence here is so important and highly welcome. I want to wish you great discussions, great collaboration and look forward to a few days here of mutual learning for the best of our common digital future. Thank you so much for the attention. Thank you so much.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you. Thank you, Minister Aasland. As we have heard, digital governance must be collaborative, very, very important. Now it gives me great pleasure to introduce… a panel of experts who have travelled here from far and wide to be here today and partake in this very important conversation for you, our audience, and for you, our global audience. We’re so happy to have you here today as well. Now, I’m going to introduce them, our four experts, and they’re going to reflect, really, on the internet, on why the Internet Governance Forum is central to the effort of collaboration when it comes to digital governance. Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce Ms. Carol Roach, Chair of the IGF MAG. Carol brings decades of experience in public service. Currently, she’s the leading global stakeholder engagement chair, or rather, she is leading the global stakeholder engagement as Chair of the IGF Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group. Then we have Mr. Hans-Petter Holen, CEO of RIPE MCC, long-time advocate for open internet infrastructure, serves as CEO of RIPE MCC, a key player in managing Europe’s internet resources. We also have Mr. Thomas Schneider. He’s an ambassador from Switzerland, one of Europe’s leading voices on digital diplomacy and multilateral cooperation. Then we have Ms. Elise Lindeberg, CEO of SkyGuard, and Elise is the CEO of SkyGuard, bringing extensive experience from internet governance, also including her active role in ICANN and a long-standing contribution to digital policy and regulation, all of which we’re going to be talking about here today. So, please, a warm round of applause as they join us on stage. Thank you. Thank you so much to our esteemed panel for joining us today. It is great to have you all here, coming from different parts of the world to be part of this conversation, IGF 2025, for our host country, Norway. So without further ado, we’ll get straight into it. The panel today is exploring the role of Internet Governance Forum, and we are talking about why it continues to matter. So why is the IGF an important part of global digital governance? I know you’ve all got 60 seconds to answer. So, Carol, you first.

Carol Roach: Right. So, great question. Digital technology is ever-present, and it’s inescapable. It influences how we live, work, and socially interact with each other. Don’t be panicked when we cannot find our phones. It’s our connection to family, work, banking, government services, healthcare, and education. As technology continues to advance and become more intricately entwined, the challenges we face also grow more complex. The blurred lines of data privacy, protection identity, digital rights, and security. The IGF is that open, safe space for dialogue, and the development of policies and best practices on global digital governance. It’s more than a forum. It is a community and network of stakeholders that have the common interest of a safe, secure, and sustainable digital future. It’s why we are still here after 20 years.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you, Carol. Hans-Petter, over to you.

Hans Petter Holen: Yeah, the IGF plays a critical role because it brings all stakeholder groups to the same table. Governments, civil society, businesses, academia, and the technical community. In a time of fast-moving technologies and geopolitical shifts, we need more dialogue, not less. At the RIPE NCC, we see IGF as a space where technical expertise and operational insight can inform global governance. discussions on public policy, regulation, digital trust and infrastructure, and resilience. The decisions made in this space are not abstract, they affect the architecture of the Internet. And when all stakeholders are heard, we can avoid fragmentation and ensure the Internet remains open, secure and interoperable. That’s what makes IGF not just relevant, but essential.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Hans-Petter, thank you so much. Thomas Schneider, Ambassador, over to you to answer the question.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you and good morning, basically much as has already been said. If you want to take decisions on how to use digital tools in a way that they benefit all, then you need to have everyone at the table, you need to discuss together, understand the dependencies of one decision on people that you may not necessarily think of, and the more inclusive such a platform is, the better the decisions, the more balanced. This is why it is necessary, again, to have platforms like the IGF, to talk to each other, although we are unfortunately currently living in a time where people think they can take top-down decisions over the heads of others and don’t have to integrate their people, not build their decisions on facts. But I think we should not be too impressed by this and just stick to our beliefs and values and continue to have a dialogue and hope that times will change and people will listen to each other more in the future. Thank you.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you. Thank you, Ambassador. Elise Lindeberg, what is your answer to this question?

Elise Lindeberg: Thank you and good morning, and I’m so proud that the IGF is in Norway, just to say that at first. Now, being a participant for IGF for almost 15 years, you know, I’ve seen how it develops and more people are diving in, more interests and more perspectives are coming to the stage and to the workshops. It’s really great. So IGF, you know, is a key part of the global movement. stakeholder community and discussions. It has grown to become that. It is open, it is inclusive. We work on that all the time to keep it open and inclusive. That’s very important. And actually this is about securing, you know, the ongoing dialogue on how internet function and how it actually can make our lives better. You know, internet is going to be for the public interest. That’s what we’re here for. You know, it’s going to give us better lives. So internet is the foundational layer of how we govern the society today. Thank you. And just growing challenges that we see. Let’s unite to make a change for those.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Elise, thank you so much. These panelists are doing fantastically well in the time frame we have. So I’ll move to our next question. I want to ask you, how do we ensure then, because multi-stakeholder approach and perspective is so important, how do we ensure a balanced multi-stakeholder perspective? Carol.

Carol Roach: Stakeholders are those who have a vested interest or concern in something. They may have the ability or the authority to influence or make decisions. Each stakeholder has a different perspective. That is, they have their objectives and earlier we heard about having their own values. So it is important to understand and respect the needs and requirements of each stakeholder. To achieve balance, it is critical to aim for win-win consensus outcome. This means developing and maintaining an environment that respects diversity and equity, forces trust and recognizes as the case of digital governance, that moving forward together for the common good is a shared common goal.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you Carol. Hans Petter, over to you.

Hans Petter Holen: So a balanced multi-stakeholder model doesn’t happen by accident. It must be cultivated through sustained effort. At RIPE NCC we invest in this model daily, from our bottom-up policy process to our active support for national and regional IGFs across our service region. We also build communities and trust through action. We have signed MOUs and joint declarations with governments and with the ITU to support IPv6 and routing security to promote capacity building and multi-stakeholder Internet governance. Ensuring balance means providing space, support and shared responsibility, especially for underrepresented voices. It’s crucial to have all stakeholder groups at all levels, local, regional and global, to achieve a truly balanced perspective.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much for that input. Ambassador Schneider.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you. Well, as somebody working for a government, of course, I can assure you that the government per se always takes balanced decision because it’s more or less democratically elected. So we don’t really need the multi-stakeholder approach because the government is already multi-stakeholder. And of course, that is unfortunately not true. So the more people, the more experience, the more facts you have at the table, that’s step one. So these facts need to be there. The impacts need to be heard. The visions and the values of the people need to be heard because there may need to be some dialogue to get a consensus on the values. And then you need mechanisms to hold decision makers, be it from government or be it from industry or elsewhere, accountable. And this is why it is so important to have an inclusive multi-stakeholder forum like the IGF. And last year, we were, some of us in San Paolo, where we agreed on the San Paolo multi-stakeholder guidelines, which give some incentives and give some concrete tools, how you can actually measure the accountability and transparency of multi-stakeholder processes to balancedness, to inclusivity and elsewhere.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much. What is your take on it, Elise?

Elise Lindeberg: Well, first of all, it’s an effort year after year to keep it open and keep it inclusive and to look at ourselves and see if we get new people in to join the discussion. And of course, you know, it’s about regional representation, gender, age, transparency and also transparency of the system. IGF can be. some difficult, you know to look into and to manage and to maneuver and Hopefully if we are Progressive enough to keep and to let new people in I think we can have a lot of new and interesting discussions because we have new challenges So we have to keep it open and to be sure that the workshops That we that we open up and who can dive in and who can come with their ideas that we’re open for that. Yeah

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much for this great input these are such great points that all of you are making that can lead to further discussion and we’re setting such a good foundation for the conversations to follow now You have I’d like to have a short call of action from you Once again 60 seconds to government or the next panel. So Hans Petter

Hans Petter Holen: Yeah to our government colleagues Digital Governance must be built on strong foundations. The foundation is the Internet itself. You have a unique responsibility I’m making this personal now But also a powerful opportunity to lead through collaboration Work with the technical community not only when crisis arise, but continuously involve us early invest in capacity building and And Defend the legitimacy of multi-stakeholder spaces like the IGF the Internet strengths lies in its shared ownership If we want a digital future that serves all we must build it together with openness trust and cooperation at the core Together we shape the future of the Internet.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much. That’s a call to action over to you ambassador Schneider

Thomas Schneider: Thank you Well as somebody who lives in a country where normally not the government or the Parliament have the last word but the people because they Can vote on anything and say yes or no My experience is that in most of the cases the results are better if you have a participatory not just decision shaping like the IGF but also in the end decision-making and mechanisms, because people are forced to take sides, they’re forced to be interested. They also know that they will face the consequences, whatever they ask for, they may actually get it. And I can only encourage all decision-makers and government leaders to use the wisdom of the people locally, nationally, internationally, involve them in a discussion, try and come up with balanced solutions that are more sustainable normally.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you, Ambassador. Elise, in your 60 seconds, what is your call to action?

Elise Lindeberg: No, I think that, you know, the multi-stakeholder dialogue, you know, government has a very important role for facilitating and so on, but also now, through IGF and other multi-stakeholder dialogue, the government doesn’t only have to speak, they can also listen, you know, and get advice. Thomas. And it’s a space where policies can be tested, you know, challenged, improved, and IGF can also be used to bring national experiences from each country and for governments out, you know, in the world, and to share, as we’re supposed to do, and we do today also on stage.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much, Elise. I would like to say a huge thank you to our expert panel. Thank you, Hans Bethe, thank you, Ambassador Snider, thank you, Elise, and thank you to you, Carol, as well. We’re going to ask you to stay on stage, Carol, but a warm round of applause for our esteemed panel. Thank you so much for your contributions and for setting the tone and the foundation. Thank you. We’re now moving to our second panel, where ministers from around the world will reflect on the continued relevance of the multi-stakeholder model. So now, I would like to just frame this in the growing geopolitical, or rather, growing geopolitical tensions that we see in the world around us, accelerating technological change. We are going to invite government representatives up on stage to engage in a dialogue on the continued relevance of the multi-stakeholder model in global internet governance. So I’m going to introduce them, and then they’re going to join us on stage, and I’m going to ask you to give them a warm welcome. rousing applause this morning. And we welcome back on stage our Minister for Digitalization and Public Governance of Norway, Karianne Tung. We have the Minister of Information, Communication, Science and Technology and Innovation from Lesotho and Nthati Moorosi. We have the Deputy Minister of Communications from Malaysia, Ms. Ching. And we have Mr. Imagawa, the Vice-Ministry for Policy Coordination, Ministry for Internal Affairs and Communication from Japan. Please welcome on stage and a warm round of applause. And of course, Carol Roach. Welcome. Thank you, ministers. Ministers, thank you so much for joining us. We are going to be discussing why the multi-stakeholder model remains relevant. This is the topic of this panel and also more crucial than ever amidst the digital and the geopolitical shifts that we have mentioned. The discussion will start with questions and we’re going to ask for your responses. Starting with you, Minister Tung, I would like to ask how can governments really ensure that civil society and the technical community are meaningfully included and not merely present?

Karianne Tung: Thank you. And thank you for the question. I believe in the multi-stakeholder model because it is important to include every part of society, the civil society, the governments, the business sectors, and the meaning of an open and free internet where every part of society is involved. It’s also important to make sure that the actors are gathered together to be able to discuss and meet up in a more and more complex world and a more and more complex internet as well. And then we believe it’s not enough with the multilateral processes, we need the multi-stakeholder model and platforms to meet as well. So it’s important for us that we have the civil society and the business sector here as well.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much. Then I would like to really look at the question, what is at stake if the IGF as a platform loses political traction and legitimacy among states? Nthati Moorosi, Minister of Information, Communication, Science, Technology and Innovation in Lesotho, over to you.

Nthati Moorosi: Thank you very much, Moderator. I am honoured to be speaking here on behalf of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Just as Honourable Minister from Norway said, Lesotho is also committed to the multi-stakeholder model. For us, it is not just a matter of principle. For us, it’s a matter of necessity. Inclusive governance ensures that the digital future is not shaped only by the powerful, but through dialogue that reflects realities and the needs of all of us. If the IGF loses political traction, the consequences for small states like Lesotho will be significant. The IGF is one of the few truly inclusive platforms where we can engage global actors on our terms, raising issues such as rural connectivity, digital literacy, cyber security and digital trust. Without it, we run the risk of being sidelined. by models that prioritizes commercial or geopolitical power over equity and development. So we have really seen that multi-stakeholder dialogue is important. I would like to give an example of the time when we were going through the elections. It was hard to regulate global social media platforms at the time because the policies often do not reflect national laws. In Lesotho, we faced challenges of enforcing fair play during elections, especially during campaign blackouts, when content on these platforms continues unchecked. Some states have actually resorted to closing them out, which is something that we don’t really favor. Instead, we look for forums like IGF to foster rights-respecting solutions.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you, Minister. Thank you. Thank you so much, Minister. And then thank you also for our esteemed panel for staying within our three-minute time frame. We truly appreciate that. These are big questions that we are answering, so we really appreciate your meaningful contributions here in the space that we have. And then I would like to go over to Ms. Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications in Malaysia. Could you also share with us and reflect on the country’s approach to the multi-stakeholder model, your country’s approach? What is at stake if we lose political support for the IGF? In your three minutes, please. Thank you.

Teo Nie Ching: Thank you, Moderator, for your questions. For Malaysia, a multicultural and developing country committed in building a vibrant digital economy, the multi-stakeholder model is not just a theoretical concept. It is a practical operational necessity that guides our actions every day. We believe that this approach is now more crucial than ever to navigate the complexity of digital governance and ensure the progress is made. inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. This directly addresses the question of what is at stake if platforms like IGF lost their legitimacy. From the perspective of nations in the global south, the greatest risk we face is a slide towards a new form of digital colonization where a handful of powerful states and corporations detect the rules, standards, and norms for the rest of the world. If inclusive platforms like this lost their standing, we lost the great equalizer, the one arena where the voices of smaller nations can engage on the level playing field with global powers like what we are having here today. So the success of Malaysia National Digital Blueprint, MyDigital, depends on a global environment governed by a principle we all had a hand in shaping. And the consequences of a factual system would be severe. Our local digital economies will struggle to compete, and our digital sovereignty would be fundamentally undermined as well. And therefore, the legitimacy of IGF is not just about its own survival, it is our collective insurance policy against a fermented internet. It is also our commitment to ensuring that all nations can move from being mere consumers of technology to becoming co-creator of our shared digital future.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much, Ms. Ching. Dr. Takuo Imagawa, Vice Minister for Policy Coordination, may I ask you, in your three minutes, what is your reflection on this? What is at stake if we lose political support for the IGF from your country’s perspective?

Sigrun Aasland: Thank you, Chair. Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s a great honor for me to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Norway, the UN IGF Secretariat, and all stakeholders for organizing this. remarkable event. I represent MIT Japan in international collaboration and negotiation within the digital domain. Our work centers around four key priorities. Number one, internet governance, including the global AI governance initiatives such as advancing the Hiroshima AI process. Number two, digital infrastructure, encompassing 5G mobile networks, subsea cables, data centers, and all photonics networks. Number three, cybersecurity, with a strong focus on promoting capacity building programs in developing countries. Number four, information integrity, addressing challenges such as mis- and disinformation, and the protection of children online. Needless to say, Japan places great importance on the multi-stakeholder approach to the internet governance. The IGF stands as a powerful symbol of this approach in action, demonstrating how inclusive dialogue can shape meaningful outcomes. The Global Digital Compact also recognizes the IGF as the foremost multi-stakeholder platform for discussion in internet governance. Japan had the honor of hosting the IGF 2023 in Kyoto, which welcomed over 11,000 registered participants from 178 countries and regions. Of these, more than 6,000 attended in person, a significant milestone in the IGF’s history. I also had the privilege of participating in the IGF 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where I attended several sessions alongside distinguished guests from the government, industry academia, civil society, and tech community. These experiences affirmed for me the profound value and effectiveness of the multi-stakeholder approach to internet governance. This year is particularly important as we engage in discussions on extending the IGF’s mandate in the context of the OASIS Plus 20 review. The current trend towards a fragmented internet, often referred to as the sprinter net, poses a serious challenge. to the principles of openness and global connectivity.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you, Mr. Iwagawa. Thank you so much for your kind contribution. I apologize for jumping in there, but we will come back to you with the next question as well. So I would just like to also say to Minister Tung that I jumped ahead with the question on how governments can ensure civil society and technical community are meaningfully included. Is there any, that’s the question we’re going to go to next. Is there anything that you want to add just briefly? What is at stake if the IGF loses political support?

Karianne Tung: I think it was said in the previous panel that the multistakeholder model does not happen by accident. We have to work hard to keep it as a multistakeholder model. And we can see that the model is under pressure and we can see fragmentation, safety issues, but also weak coordination between different global processes that risks weakening the IGF role. So it’s important for Norway to work keeping the multistakeholder model in the years to come. And I really believe that this model builds trust with different actors that don’t have many other platforms to meet up and to discuss together. So we want the multistakeholder model to continue and hosting the IGF here in Norway and in Oslo in 2025, we want to give our contributions to make sure that that is to continue.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much for your contribution there, Minister. Thank you for your answer. And then on the question continuing, how can governments ensure that civil society, technical community are meaningfully included and not just merely present? I’m going to go over to you, Ms. Ching, in the two minutes that we have. Thank you.

Teo Nie Ching: Thank you. I think the complex challenges of this digital age from governing AI to ensure online safety are too large for a single group to solve it alone. Governments can’t do it alone, the private sector can’t do it alone, and of course the civil society can’t do it alone as well. So, from Malaysia, to ensure meaningful inclusions, we go beyond just inviting stakeholders to the meeting. It’s about building a whole-of-society ecosystem where there are genuine partners. We do this through several approaches. For example, we want to empower our general public and also civil societies. We set up a portal. It’s called subananya.my. Subananya is in my national language. In English, it actually means actually. So, it’s actually.my, whereby people can go there. It’s a fact-checking portal. So since 2017, we have roughly now 2.2 million hits monthly. At the same time, early this year, we also launched AIFA. That is our own AI fact-check assistant, available online and also on WhatsApp. So in just five months, we have responded to over 113,000 user queries. So, other than that, at the same time, we are also heavily engaged with the civil society when we do our law reviews and also come up with the content regulations and guidelines. One of the bills we passed in the parliament early this year is the Malaysian Media Council. And I will proudly say here, more than 90% or at least 85% of the content actually comes from the civil society itself. We believe this is what we meant, meaningful inclusion.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much, Ms. Ching. And then back to you, Dr. Imagawa. Can we ask you the same question in terms of how can governments really ensure that civil society and the technical community are meaningfully included and not merely present?

Takuo Imagawa: Thank you, Chair. Effective internet governance cannot be achieved through a top-down approach alone. It requires robust multistakeholder cooperation, bringing together government, industry, academia, civil society, and the tech community. The multistakeholder platform must continue to evolve in response to the changing demands of our time and to foster greater inclusiveness. A notable example is the introduction of YouthTrack. in last year’s IGEF, a valuable initiative that strengthens civil society engagement with a special focus on empowering younger participants. I recognize it as an effective framework for promoting the inclusion of civil society across generations. In the field of Internet technology, ICANN and IETF have played a pivotal role in establishing governance frameworks that support a free and open Internet. In these activities, a wide range of Japanese stakeholders, including researchers, scientists, and engineers have actively participated. Moreover, those stakeholders are often invited to contribute to the policy-making process within our ministry, such as through study groups or expert panels. By enhancing these interactions, we hope that civil society and the tech community will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of Internet governance. Thank you.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much, Mr. Imagawa. Now, I would like to pose this question to members of our panel. What do you believe are the risks for smaller and less powerful actors if we lose inclusive arenas for dialogue and consensus building? Over to you, Ms. Nthati Moorosi, Minister of Information, Communication, Science, and Technology.

Nicholas Brown: Thank you again, Moderator. I think, first of all, we need to acknowledge that IGEF remains one of the few platforms where we collaborate with the most powerful countries, with the biggest players in the industry. And we believe that for smaller and less powerful actors, the loss of inclusive platforms like the IGEF is more than symbolic. For us, it is strategic. When decision-making is confined to closed doors, whether in state-dominated or commercially-driven spaces, countries like Lesotho will feel left out without influence or even visibility. So inclusive arenas allow us not only to speak, but to be heard. They allow us to learn, to build coalitions. and ensure that rules reflect our contexts on digital inclusion, data governance, cyber security, and platform accountability. They are not abstract concerns. They affect everything, from resilience of our education system to the integrity of our elections. If we lose this space, we risk a future where governance structures are built without our input, potentially misaligned with our laws, our cultures, and our aspirations. We also risk growing digital divides that are turning into geopolitical rifts. This is why consensus building must remain core to digital governance. Without it, there is no trust, there is no legitimacy, there is no stability, and for nations like ours, there would be no place to stand. Thank you.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Minister. Now, Carol, coming to you, what do you believe are the risks for smaller and less powerful actors if we lose inclusive arenas for dialogue and consensus building?

Carol Roach: I think the Honorable Minister wrapped it up, so I’m gonna give you a very short answer to that. If we lose inclusive arenas such as the IGF, we fail to meaningfully engage all stakeholders equitably, we run a high risk of failure. When we combine those who we label as small or less powerful, we are speaking of 85% of the world population and nearly 39% of the global GDP. So let’s do the math. So we affect the outcomes of the SDGs, the GDC, and the digital future won’t be for all.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: That’s a powerful statement. That is a very powerful statement. Thank you so much for your message. We’ve been exceptionally good with time. And what I’m going to do is just ask the panel to give a. final word, if there’s a reflection for you to share that you haven’t shared, that you feel you want to say and just add to your message. We’re going to give you a minute and a couple of seconds to say that, just to round off. Minister Tung.

Karianne Tung: Thank you. I believe that digitalization is really the tool we need to solve huge societal challenges, but also to to take part in new possibilities. And the Internet is a crucial part of that. And that is why there is no difference really between the digital world and the physical world. So what we want for the physical world, we would also want it for the digital world to be inclusive, to make sure that everyone can attend, that it’s for everyone, that it’s not fragmented, that it’s safe and that it’s secure. That is that is really the development that we need in the years to come to make sure digitalization is a good thing and not a bad thing.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much. And then I’m going to go over to you, Minister Moorosi.

Nthati Moorosi: Thank you very much. My last reflection is that really I feel like we’ve talked enough. I feel like we’ve had too many dialogues. I think it’s about time we act. We have been to several platforms where we express our aspirations, our needs with the powerful nations, with the powerful players in the industry. It is time to act. The digital divide is still existing in a big way in our countries. And if we are talking about closing the gap, we really have to be very intentional about it. So my plea is that we should go beyond conversation. Thank you.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much, Ms Ching.

Takuo Imagawa: In Malaysia, we definitely do not see the conflict between government leadership and stakeholder participations. We see two sides of the coin. And our experience has shown that while the multistakeholders process can be very challenging, can be very very time-consuming, however it is definitely more resilient, inclusive and ultimately delivers more sustainable outcomes. So I think it’s very very important that our collective commitment must be to strengthen this inclusive platform like IGF, ensuring that they remain the premium space for this vital conversation to take place. Let us continue to work together to ensure the Internet’s future is shaped by the many and for the benefit of all. For the Malaysia perspective, as a representative of the Global South, I think the risks are immense if we lose the inclusive arenas for LIDAR like the IGF.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much Ms. Ching. Mr. Imagawa.

Sigrun Aasland: Thank you, Chair. To safeguard and advance a free and open Internet, I’d like to express again that the multi-stakeholder approach is essential, enabling the collective wisdom of diverse participants to address complex issues. Therefore, I strongly believe that we must not only pursue the extension of this IGF mandate, but also our work towards securing its long-term continuity. Thank you.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Thank you so much. Carol Roach, Minister.

Carol Roach: So, you know, it’s a complexity that has many layers, you know. I think it’s a whole bag of onions to tell you the truth. So, therefore, no group or state has the complete or exclusive answer. So, it’s very important that it’s a call to action by all. A call to action by all.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: Wonderful parting words, a powerful message to, as I said, the government, the panels, the next speakers, those who followed this session, and to our audience and those of us watching online. Powerful call to action. We thank you so much to our panel for your wonderful contributions. Thank you, Ministers. We thank you, and a warm round of applause for our wonderful panel. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, Carol. We go, we are going to hear from the Minister, or rather the Mayor, when you’re in the company of Ministers, it’s the M, and then the, you know, the Minister, who knows. maybe the minister one day, but the mayor for now of Lillestrøm, the city that is proud to host this event. He’s standing outside of the second place in the world that was connected to internet in Norway, the research area. So this is a bit of a full circle moment. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the film.

Jorgen Vik: Norway was the second country in the world to connect to the internet and it was in this building here in Lillestrøm, just outside the capital of Norway, Oslo. We still have good and exciting expertise in these areas. That the world community meets both physically and digitally in this arena to discuss the future of the internet makes me proud. As the mayor of Lillestrøm it’s a great honor to welcome the whole world, several thousand participants to IGF Norway 2025 here in Lillestrøm.

Natalie Bridgette Becker-Aakervik: So thank you so much to the mayor of Lillestrøm and thank you also to our wonderful panelists who participated in this opening plenary session hosted by or presented by the host country Norway for IGF 2025. And with that our official welcome truly comes to a close. Thank you for joining us our audience here and online. The foundation as we said has now been laid for good conversations throughout the week. We hope you will be participating but the day and the week has only just begun ladies and gentlemen. We invite you to explore this rich and diverse program of sessions not only today but for the rest of the week. Come back to this plenary hall we’d love to see you here. We’re going to cover from AI to sustainability to digital inclusion and anti-fraud efforts. Don’t forget to visit also the open village which is just outside the hall where inspiring inspirations and initiatives and innovations are on display for you to take inspiration from. Make sure you drop by the open stage as well where conversations are continuing throughout the day. Also if you haven’t done so already remember to download the app and use the IGF app. It’ll show you around and show you what’s happening. And coming up next in this plenary hall Join us right here at 11.30. We will dive into securing subsea cables. At the same time, in the conference hall, you can explore a dedicated session on digital sustainability. For everything else, which is panels, networking opportunities, please check the IGF 2025 app for latest updates. On behalf of the organising team and the host country here, Norway, we wish you a rewarding and inspiring and a thought-provoking week of dialogue, of insight and collaboration. Thank you. Let’s continue to build digital governance together. Thank you so much.

Agreement points

IGF serves as essential inclusive platform for multi-stakeholder digital governance

Speakers

– Karianne Tung
– Carol Roach
– Hans Petter Holen
– Thomas Schneider
– Elise Lindeberg
– Takuo Imagawa

Arguments

IGF serves as vital platform for inclusive dialogue on digital governance bringing together diverse stakeholders

IGF is essential community and network with common interest in safe, secure, sustainable digital future

IGF brings all stakeholder groups to same table preventing internet fragmentation

IGF provides inclusive platform where balanced decisions can be made through dialogue

IGF secures ongoing dialogue on how internet functions for public interest

IGF stands as powerful symbol of multi-stakeholder approach demonstrating inclusive dialogue

Summary

All speakers strongly agree that the IGF is a vital, unique platform that brings together diverse stakeholders for inclusive digital governance discussions, serving as more than just a forum but as a community working toward common digital governance goals.

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development | Human rights

Multi-stakeholder approach is essential and requires sustained effort to maintain

Speakers

– Karianne Tung
– Hans Petter Holen
– Thomas Schneider
– Elise Lindeberg
– Teo Nie Ching
– Takuo Imagawa

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder model requires including every part of society for open and free internet

Multi-stakeholder model must be cultivated through sustained effort and community building

More inclusive platforms lead to better balanced decisions based on facts and diverse experiences

Multi-stakeholder approach requires keeping forums open and progressive for new participants

Meaningful inclusion means building whole-of-society ecosystem where stakeholders are genuine partners

Effective internet governance requires robust cooperation between government, industry, academia, and civil society

Summary

Speakers unanimously agree that the multi-stakeholder model is not automatic but requires deliberate, sustained effort to maintain inclusivity and balance across all sectors of society.

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights | Sociocultural

Small states and less powerful actors face significant risks without inclusive governance platforms

Speakers

– Carol Roach
– Nthati Moorosi
– Teo Nie Ching

Arguments

Losing inclusive arenas means 85% of world population and 39% of global GDP would be excluded

Loss of IGF would risk sidelined small states being excluded from digital governance decisions

Without inclusive platforms, risk of digital colonization where powerful states dictate rules for others

Summary

There is strong consensus that losing inclusive platforms like IGF would disproportionately harm smaller nations and less powerful actors, potentially leading to digital colonization and exclusion of the majority of the world’s population from governance decisions.

Topics

Development | Economic | Human rights

Technology should serve people and make lives better

Speakers

– Karianne Tung
– Sigrun Aasland
– Elise Lindeberg

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder model requires including every part of society for open and free internet

Technology should always serve people and make lives better, not technology for its own sake

IGF secures ongoing dialogue on how internet functions for public interest

Summary

Speakers agree on the fundamental principle that technology and digital governance should prioritize human benefit and public interest rather than technology for its own sake.

Topics

Human rights | Development

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the need to move from discussion to concrete action, with Roach noting the complexity requires collective solutions and Moorosi calling for intentional action to close the digital divide.

Speakers

– Carol Roach
– Nthati Moorosi

Arguments

Digital governance requires collective action as no single group has complete answers

Time to move beyond dialogue to concrete action on closing digital divide

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Both speakers emphasize that effective multi-stakeholder governance requires deliberate cultivation and that inclusive processes lead to better, more sustainable outcomes.

Speakers

– Hans Petter Holen
– Thomas Schneider

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder model must be cultivated through sustained effort and community building

More inclusive platforms lead to better balanced decisions based on facts and diverse experiences

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Both speakers advocate for comprehensive multi-stakeholder cooperation that goes beyond token participation to genuine partnership across all sectors of society.

Speakers

– Teo Nie Ching
– Takuo Imagawa

Arguments

Meaningful inclusion means building whole-of-society ecosystem where stakeholders are genuine partners

Effective internet governance requires robust cooperation between government, industry, academia, and civil society

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Sociocultural

Unexpected consensus

Critical importance of technical infrastructure dependencies

Speakers

– Nicholas Brown
– Espen Barth Eide

Arguments

Modern society is powered by satellites which depend on geodesy for accurate positioning

Internet has become fundamental infrastructure and most important machine mankind has created

Explanation

The unexpected consensus emerges around the critical vulnerability of digital society to technical infrastructure failures. Both speakers, from different perspectives, emphasize how dependent modern society has become on digital infrastructure, with Brown providing a detailed catastrophic scenario and Eide describing the internet as the most important infrastructure ever created.

Topics

Infrastructure | Cybersecurity

Need for immediate action rather than continued dialogue

Speakers

– Nthati Moorosi
– Carol Roach

Arguments

Time to move beyond dialogue to concrete action on closing digital divide

Digital governance requires collective action as no single group has complete answers

Explanation

Unexpectedly, speakers from both developing nations and established governance structures agree that the time for discussion has passed and concrete action is needed. This represents a shift from the traditional IGF focus on dialogue to demands for implementation.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

There is remarkably strong consensus among all speakers on the fundamental importance of the IGF as an inclusive multi-stakeholder platform, the necessity of sustained effort to maintain this inclusivity, the risks faced by smaller nations without such platforms, and the principle that technology should serve human interests. The consensus spans across different regions, sectors, and levels of development.

Consensus level

Very high level of consensus with no significant disagreements identified. The implications are positive for IGF’s continued relevance and mandate extension, as speakers from diverse backgrounds unanimously support its mission. However, there is growing pressure to move from dialogue to concrete action, suggesting the IGF may need to evolve its approach to maintain legitimacy and effectiveness.

Different viewpoints

Approach to action versus continued dialogue

Speakers

– Nthati Moorosi
– Other speakers

Arguments

Time to move beyond dialogue to concrete action on closing digital divide

IGF serves as vital platform for inclusive dialogue on digital governance bringing together diverse stakeholders

Summary

Moorosi expresses frustration with continued dialogue and calls for immediate action, stating ‘I feel like we’ve talked enough. I feel like we’ve had too many dialogues. I think it’s about time we act.’ This contrasts with other speakers who emphasize the continued importance of dialogue platforms like IGF.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Unexpected differences

Urgency of moving from dialogue to action

Speakers

– Nthati Moorosi
– Other ministerial speakers

Arguments

Time to move beyond dialogue to concrete action on closing digital divide

IGF serves as vital platform for inclusive dialogue on digital governance bringing together diverse stakeholders

Explanation

It’s unexpected that a government minister would express such direct frustration with the dialogue-focused nature of IGF at the opening of IGF itself. While other speakers celebrate the forum’s role in facilitating ongoing dialogue, Moorosi calls for moving beyond conversation to action, creating tension with the forum’s fundamental purpose.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The transcript reveals remarkably high consensus among speakers on core principles of multi-stakeholder governance, with only one significant disagreement on the balance between dialogue and action

Disagreement level

Low level of disagreement with high implications. While speakers largely agree on principles, Moorosi’s call for action over dialogue challenges the fundamental premise of IGF as a discussion forum. This suggests potential tension between developing nations seeking immediate results and the IGF’s consensus-building approach, which could impact the forum’s legitimacy and effectiveness if not addressed.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the need to move from discussion to concrete action, with Roach noting the complexity requires collective solutions and Moorosi calling for intentional action to close the digital divide.

Speakers

– Carol Roach
– Nthati Moorosi

Arguments

Digital governance requires collective action as no single group has complete answers

Time to move beyond dialogue to concrete action on closing digital divide

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Both speakers emphasize that effective multi-stakeholder governance requires deliberate cultivation and that inclusive processes lead to better, more sustainable outcomes.

Speakers

– Hans Petter Holen
– Thomas Schneider

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder model must be cultivated through sustained effort and community building

More inclusive platforms lead to better balanced decisions based on facts and diverse experiences

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Both speakers advocate for comprehensive multi-stakeholder cooperation that goes beyond token participation to genuine partnership across all sectors of society.

Speakers

– Teo Nie Ching
– Takuo Imagawa

Arguments

Meaningful inclusion means building whole-of-society ecosystem where stakeholders are genuine partners

Effective internet governance requires robust cooperation between government, industry, academia, and civil society

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Sociocultural

Key takeaways

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves as a vital multi-stakeholder platform that brings together governments, civil society, private sector, academia, and technical communities to shape digital governance collaboratively

The multi-stakeholder model is essential for preventing internet fragmentation and ensuring inclusive decision-making, but it requires sustained effort and intentional cultivation to remain effective

Small and developing nations face significant risks if inclusive digital governance platforms are lost, as they could be excluded from critical decisions affecting their digital sovereignty and development

Digital infrastructure, particularly satellite systems dependent on geodesy, forms the backbone of modern society, and its failure would cause complete breakdown of digital systems

There is growing recognition that dialogue must transition to concrete action, particularly in addressing the digital divide and ensuring equitable access to digital opportunities

National investments in AI and digital infrastructure must be coupled with responsible governance frameworks that prioritize human-centric development and maintain democratic values

Resolutions and action items

Extension of IGF mandate in the context of OASIS Plus 20 review to ensure long-term continuity of the platform

Implementation of capacity building programs, particularly for developing countries in areas like cybersecurity and digital governance

Strengthening of multi-stakeholder processes through mechanisms like the São Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines for accountability and transparency

Continued investment in geodesy ground stations and scientific institutions to maintain satellite infrastructure reliability

Development of national digital frameworks that incorporate multi-stakeholder input, such as Malaysia’s MyDigital blueprint

Enhanced youth participation through initiatives like YouthTrack to ensure intergenerational representation in digital governance

Unresolved issues

How to effectively measure and ensure meaningful inclusion versus mere presence of stakeholders in governance processes

Addressing the growing fragmentation of the internet and preventing the emergence of a ‘splinternet’

Balancing national sovereignty with global digital governance needs, particularly for smaller nations

Managing the tension between rapid technological advancement and the time-consuming nature of inclusive multi-stakeholder processes

Ensuring adequate funding and political support for critical but invisible infrastructure like geodesy systems

Developing effective mechanisms to hold decision-makers accountable across different stakeholder groups

Bridging the gap between policy dialogue and concrete implementation to address persistent digital divides

Suggested compromises

Recognition that both government leadership and stakeholder participation are complementary rather than conflicting approaches to digital governance

Acceptance that multi-stakeholder processes, while time-consuming and challenging, ultimately deliver more resilient and sustainable outcomes

Acknowledgment that no single group or state has complete answers, requiring collaborative approaches that leverage collective wisdom

Balance between maintaining open, inclusive platforms while ensuring they remain effective and action-oriented

Integration of both multilateral and multi-stakeholder processes to address the complexity of modern digital governance challenges

Modern society is powered by satellites. Therefore, modern society is powered by geodesy. But most people have never heard of it. Politicians definitely don’t know what it is, and as a result, it’s severely under-resourced worldwide.

Speaker

Nicholas Brown

Reason

This comment is profoundly insightful because it reveals a critical vulnerability in our digital infrastructure that is completely invisible to most people, including decision-makers. Brown’s apocalyptic scenario of what happens when GPS satellites fail demonstrates how our entire digital civilization depends on a science that receives little attention or funding. This highlights the dangerous gap between technological dependence and public awareness.

Impact

This comment fundamentally shifted the discussion from abstract governance principles to concrete infrastructure vulnerabilities. It introduced a sobering reality check about hidden dependencies in our digital world, setting a more urgent tone for subsequent discussions about digital governance and the need for comprehensive understanding of digital infrastructure.

I feel like we’ve talked enough. I feel like we’ve had too many dialogues. I think it’s about time we act… So my plea is that we should go beyond conversation.

Speaker

Nthati Moorosi (Minister from Lesotho)

Reason

This comment cuts through the diplomatic pleasantries to voice a frustration shared by many developing nations. It challenges the very premise of endless dialogue forums and demands concrete action on digital divides. Coming from a representative of a small African nation, it carries particular weight in highlighting the gap between global discussions and local realities.

Impact

This comment created a pivotal moment that challenged the entire IGF model. It forced other participants to defend not just the value of dialogue but to acknowledge the need for actionable outcomes. It shifted the conversation from celebrating multi-stakeholder processes to questioning their effectiveness and demanding accountability.

When we combine those who we label as small or less powerful, we are speaking of 85% of the world population and nearly 39% of the global GDP. So let’s do the math.

Speaker

Carol Roach

Reason

This statistical reframing is brilliant because it completely inverts the power dynamic narrative. By quantifying the collective strength of ‘smaller’ actors, Roach demonstrates that exclusion of these voices isn’t just morally wrong—it’s strategically foolish. The phrase ‘let’s do the math’ delivers this insight with compelling directness.

Impact

This comment reframed the entire discussion about inclusion from a moral imperative to a practical necessity. It provided concrete data to support arguments about multi-stakeholder governance and gave smaller nations a powerful talking point about their collective influence, strengthening subsequent arguments about the risks of losing inclusive platforms.

The greatest risk we face is a slide towards a new form of digital colonization where a handful of powerful states and corporations detect the rules, standards, and norms for the rest of the world.

Speaker

Teo Nie Ching (Deputy Minister from Malaysia)

Reason

This comment is particularly thought-provoking because it frames digital governance in post-colonial terms, connecting historical patterns of domination to contemporary technological power structures. The term ‘digital colonization’ provides a powerful conceptual framework for understanding current geopolitical tensions in cyberspace.

Impact

This comment elevated the discussion from technical governance issues to fundamental questions of global power and sovereignty. It provided a unifying framework for developing nations to understand their shared interests and added urgency to arguments about maintaining inclusive governance platforms.

There is no difference really between the digital world and the physical world. So what we want for the physical world, we would also want it for the digital world to be inclusive, to make sure that everyone can attend, that it’s not fragmented, that it’s safe and that it’s secure.

Speaker

Karianne Tung (Norwegian Minister)

Reason

This comment is insightful because it dissolves the artificial boundary between digital and physical governance, suggesting that the same principles of justice, inclusion, and security should apply to both domains. It’s a simple but profound observation that reframes digital governance as an extension of fundamental human values rather than a separate technical domain.

Impact

This comment provided a philosophical foundation that unified various technical and political discussions throughout the forum. It helped participants connect digital governance challenges to broader human rights and social justice frameworks, making the technical discussions more accessible and morally grounded.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by introducing three critical tensions: the gap between technological dependence and public awareness (Brown), the frustration with dialogue without action (Moorosi), and the power dynamics inherent in digital governance (Roach and Ching). Together, they transformed what could have been a routine diplomatic gathering into a more urgent and honest conversation about the real challenges facing global digital governance. The comments created a progression from technical vulnerabilities to political frustrations to systemic power imbalances, ultimately demanding that participants move beyond comfortable abstractions to confront difficult realities about digital inequality and the need for concrete action.

How do we ensure that the workshops remain open and inclusive to let new people in with their ideas?

Speaker

Elise Lindeberg

Explanation

This addresses the ongoing challenge of maintaining accessibility and inclusivity in IGF processes as new participants and perspectives emerge

How to adapt higher education systems to face the new realities of AI in exams and evaluations while ensuring true learning and accountability?

Speaker

Sigrun Aasland

Explanation

This highlights the need for educational reform to integrate AI appropriately while maintaining academic integrity

How can we regulate global social media platforms when their policies often do not reflect national laws?

Speaker

Nthati Moorosi

Explanation

This addresses the challenge faced by countries like Lesotho in enforcing national regulations on global platforms, particularly during sensitive periods like elections

Who is working on geodesy in each country and how can we support these people?

Speaker

Nicholas Brown

Explanation

This is critical because geodesy is severely under-resourced worldwide despite being fundamental to satellite services and modern society

How can we move beyond conversation to concrete action on closing the digital divide?

Speaker

Nthati Moorosi

Explanation

This emphasizes the need to transition from dialogue to implementation, particularly for addressing digital inequalities in developing countries

How can we secure the long-term continuity and extension of the IGF mandate in the context of the OASIS Plus 20 review?

Speaker

Takuo Imagawa

Explanation

This addresses the institutional sustainability of the IGF as a platform for multi-stakeholder internet governance

How can we address the trend towards internet fragmentation (splinternet) while maintaining principles of openness and global connectivity?

Speaker

Takuo Imagawa

Explanation

This addresses a fundamental challenge to the unified, open internet model that underpins current governance approaches