meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. I declare open the High-Level Meeting on the Overall Review of the Implementation of the Outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society. This meeting is held in accordance with Assembly Resolution 70 Stroke 125 of December 16, 2015 and 79 Stroke 277 of March 25, 2025 and takes place under Agenda Item 15 entitled Information and Communications Technologies for Development.

The documentation under this item is listed in the Journal of the United Nations. I will now make a statement as the President of the General Assembly. Smartphone, laptop, smartwatch, I guess every morning we are kind of feeling the same.

If you cannot find your smartphone, we are panicking because for almost everybody from us, from email to virtual meetings, without these technological elements, we are almost incapable of working. In fact, some of us are so connected, we have to remind ourselves to put our devices down on occasions. In today’s world, connectivity is not just essential in big cities, at work, in our daily office.

It is also a lifeline for those in the most remote places. Imagine a midwife in a village, hours from the nearest hospital, who can, in these times, consult a specialist through telemedicine and save a newborn who would otherwise not survive the long journey. Or imagine a young woman with an idea for a business, but without an online identity, digital financial services or even the basic connectivity needed to apply for a loan.

With Internet access, that idea becomes a livelihood, not only for her, but for her community. And we all saw during COVID-19 that online education did more than keep children occupied. It saved the future of an entire generation.

Yet, those without connectivity were cut off from school entirely, widening learning gaps that many may never recover from. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I don’t need to tell this room full of experts and digital ministers why access to the Internet is so important. We agreed on this vision 20 years ago at the World Summit on the Information Society, and we reaffirmed it through the 20-year review process, including during the negotiations expertly guided by His Excellency Mr.

Ekitela Lokaale, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, and Her Excellency Ms. Suela Janina, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania. I extend my sincere appreciation for their leadership and stewardship throughout this important and challenging process.

But what we must acknowledge today, two decades later, is that our shared vision of people-centered, inclusive, and development-orientated information society remains unfinished, and in some areas increasingly at risk.

As we take stock of the WSIS agenda and its 11 action lines today, allow me to highlight three priority areas for action identified for this month-long process. First, the digital divide remains a digital canyon for too many. Undoubtedly, we have made progress over the past two decades, but deep inequalities remain.

While global Internet access stands at 67% in developing countries, it is just 35%. This gap is not only morally unacceptable, it is also processing practical barriers to lifting societies out of poverty, expanding opportunity, improving health outcomes, and unlocking humanity’s full potential.

Second, the digital gender divide continues to deny women and girls equal access to opportunity. Globally, men are still 21% more likely to have Internet access than women. On the other hand, closing this gap is not only a question of fairness, it is plain economic sense.

It is estimated that closing the gender digital divide could add over 100 trillion US dollars to the global economy by 2050, more than the combined GDP of the United States and China today. When women are online, societies grow stronger, more prosperous, and more resilient. Third finding, access alone is not enough.

We must ensure responsible governance of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence has immense potential to accelerate development gains, and these should be pursued. But in our haste to take use of new technology, we cannot ignore the red flags or risks, particularly when innovation outpaces regulation, oversight, and ethical safeguards, and as a result, amplifies gender bias online in an incredible dimension.

As many as 96%, so almost all, deepfake videos online are of women engaging in sexual acts. 96%, so this is no coincidence. It is systematic.

Without inclusive governance frameworks that keep the pace of technological advancements, such harms will only intensify. We must therefore harness AI’s potential, minimize this risk, and equalize its reach. Two decades after the World Summit on the Information Society, our work is far from finished.

Delivering meaningful, safe, and inclusive connectivity for all remains a defining challenge of our time. As we conclude the 20-year WSIS review process, we also open a new chapter of cooperation. This process has recognized that governments alone cannot deliver the digital future we need.

Instead, we have seen how partnership with the private sector and a strong civil society has created a truly participatory process, more than we have seen before, making our work, making our outcomes better.

This approach has strengthened trust, broadened ownership, and delivered an outcome that is both inclusive and transparent. And I encourage Member States to apply this model across other UN processes and high-level meetings to build a United Nation that is fit for purpose and fit for the realities of the digital age. I thank you.

In accordance with Rule 70 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, I now give the floor to the Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Mr. Guy Ryder, to make a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General.

Madam President of the General Assembly, Distinguished Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Twenty years ago, the World Summit on the Information Society set out a bold and hopeful vision, People-Centered, Inclusive and Sustainable Development-Oriented Information Society.

For this 20-year review of WSIS outcomes, I start by thanking the co-facilitators, Ambassador Suela Janina of Albania and Ambassador Ekitela Lokaale, of Kenya, for their inclusive consultation process.

They have engaged governments, academia, the private sector, civil society, and many others, reflecting the indispensable multi-stakeholder approach that has so well served the implementation of the WSIS action lines.

The outcome document would be a testament to their tireless work and to the efforts of all stakeholders, including in the UN system itself. All working together to deliver the inclusive, safe, and sustainable information society that the Tunis drafters envisioned. This WSIS Plus 20 review is therefore more than an anniversary.

It’s a moment of renewed commitment. The outcome document before you for consideration must reaffirm the WSIS vision, while providing clear direction for implementation in a digital landscape that has grown more complex, more powerful, and more consequential.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Meeting provides an opportunity to take stock of the incredible progress that has been made, but we must at the same time acknowledge that many challenges remain.

Since the General Assembly last reviewed WSIS outcomes ten years ago, the world has been in a state of crisis. has gone through considerable changes and, indeed, remarkable progress. Today, 93% of the global population lives within reach of a 4G signal.

But more than a quarter of the world’s people remain offline, and affordability remains a major barrier. And the barriers are widening digital divides. Rural communities lag far behind those of cities.

And 280 million more men than women have internet access worldwide. And these divides reinforce one another. Closing them within and between countries must remain our collective priority.

We would like to see this resolution help close these divides in line with the original WSIS vision for an inclusively governed, safe, and sustainable digital space. And to that end, your consideration to make the Internet Governance Forum, IGF, a permanent forum of the United Nations, would be a key achievement of this review. Since its inception, the IGF has embodied the spirit of this inclusive and collaborative approach to the internet.

Through close engagement across stakeholder groups, accelerated growth of the national and regional IGFs, the guidance of the multi-stakeholder advisory group, and coordination with technical entities, IGF has served as a durable global forum for internet governance dialogue.

Recognition is due here also to the work of DESA and the IGF Secretariat, whose sustained efforts are valued across the United Nations and throughout the digital governance ecosystem. The Secretary General welcomes a call for a strengthening of the IGF Secretariat. On a safe and secure information society, we are facing increased challenges.

Rising cyber attacks, including on critical infrastructure, coupled with the rapid spreading of miss and of disinformation online, is eroding confidence in the digital space. To combat these trends, we must strengthen international digital cooperation, support capacity building for cybersecurity skills, and sustain the sharing of best practices in digital governance. A safe and secure society will also seek to advance the protection of human rights in the digital sphere.

And it is encouraging to see such active engagement in the strengthening of human rights throughout the WSIS plus 20 consultations. We have a responsibility to prevent and to address digital harms, and to ensure that digital technologies uphold and advance the full enjoyment of human rights by all. On an information society that accelerates sustainable development, we need to accelerate our work to connect those who remain offline.

All stakeholders, including the private sector, share a responsibility to enhance financing mechanisms and incentives for connectivity. These initiatives, along with the call for resilient infrastructure, multilingual content, and enhancement of digital skills will be important accelerators for the achievement of the SDGs. And over the last 10 years, digital public infrastructure and digital public goods have become indispensable for the acceleration of sustainable development.

When governments and partners build shared digital foundations, such as digital identity, and payments, and data systems in ways that respect rights and promote inclusion, they transform how societies deliver services, offer opportunities, and engage citizens.

Digital public goods can help countries avoid social fragmentation, reduce costs, and adapt solutions to local needs. But we must also confront digitalization’s growing environmental footprint, including energy use, demand for critical minerals, and e-waste. A sustainable digital future requires global standards for sustainable digital products and greener infrastructure that lowers emission and protects ecosystems.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, as we look ahead, it is essential also to situate WSIS Plus 20 within the broader digital multilateral agenda. A key part of that is the Global Digital Compact. Adopted by the General Assembly last year, it offers a forward-looking framework to address emerging risks and opportunities of digital transformation grounded in human rights, international cooperation, and shared responsibility.

WSIS Plus 20 and the Global Digital Compact are complementary, and they are mutually reinforcing. WSIS provides the implementation, architecture, and development focus. The Global Digital Compact strengthens our collective capacity to govern digital technologies in an increasingly interconnected world.

They must be implemented together and in a coherent and coordinated manner if we are to deliver meaningful impact. And I’m confident that we are going to achieve that. We can harness this resolution to build an information society that is indeed inclusive, safe, secure, and driving sustainable development forward.

I thank you.

I thank the Undersecretary for Policy. I should now like to consult members with a view to giving the floor during this high-level meeting to representatives of the United Nations system, entities, and stakeholder organizations listed in my letter dated December 9, 2025, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Resolution 79-277.

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to invite the representatives of the United Nations system, entities, and stakeholder organizations listed in my letter dated December 9, 2025, to make a statement at this high-level meeting?

It is so decided. The Assembly will now hear statements in plenary in accordance with Resolution 79-277 before giving the floor to the first speaker on the list of speakers. Delegations are reminded that statements are limited to three minutes for individual delegations and five minutes for statements made on behalf of a group of states.

Given that this is a formal plenary meeting, the time limits will not be enforced automatically. However, you will hear little sound, and I would like to appeal to all speakers to deliver their statements in the time limit and at a reasonable pace so to facilitate interpretations into the six official languages.

I now give the floor to the first speaker, His Excellency Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of Kenya.

Madam President, it’s South Africa, not Kenya. Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to express my gratitude first to the International Telecommunications Union and the UN General Assembly to address you today as the chair of the WSIS Plus 20 high-level event which took place earlier this year in Geneva.

The high-level event was an opportunity for over 11,000 participants from over 160 countries to collectively reflect on the impact of the WSIS over the past two decades and to engage on what is needed for WSIS to remain relevant in a world that is increasingly reliant on the information society.

What was abundantly clear from our engagements is that there remains widespread support for the continuation of the work of the WSIS architecture beyond 2025, provided that the process and the way we work together and the way we work evolves with changing times.

And I firmly believe that inclusivity must be the guiding principle in the new era of the WSIS process. The chair’s summit reflects thus a call for deeper and more practical inclusion. Participants reminded us that access alone is not enough.

And as we move forward, we must close all the remaining digital device, address affordability and equip people with the skills and capabilities to participate meaningfully in the information society, especially vulnerable groups like women, young people, people living with disabilities and communities in the global South.

We also had a strong message that WSIS must remain the primary and UN-anchored implementation framework for a people-centered digital future that respects human rights, even as the digital future evolves to respond to new realities, such as artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

The WSIS action lines remain relevant, but they must be applied in ways that are more agile, more measurable and more responsive to country context. At the same time, we must use our resources wisely. The global digital compact should be a complimentary process and reinforce the WSIS and not duplicate it.

Our task is to improve coordination across UN processes, avoid parallel tracks and. the multi-stakeholder character that has made the WISEs a trusted space for dialogue and cooperation. The high-level event underlined that implementation happens where people live.

Local and regional governments, civil society, small enterprises are on the front lines of delivery. And therefore, strengthening their capabilities and investing in secure, resilient, and sustainable digital infrastructure services will determine whether our commitments translate into real change. And as the chair of the WISEs Plus 20 high-level, it is my great privilege to have submitted the chair’s report, the chair’s summary, to the General Assembly with the hope that it will inform your review on the broader WISEs mission and negotiations on the global digital compact.

I urge all the member states to use this moment to renew and modernize the WISEs framework so that together we can shape the next 20 years of digital global cooperation and achieve true, meaningful connectivity.

WISEs has been a compass for South Africa’s digital journey. In 2005, like many other countries, we faced fewer people. More specifically, one in ten South Africans were online.

Today, almost eight in ten are connected. 4G coverage is almost universal at 99%. 5G is available to half the population.

And more than a million kilometers of fiber meet our country. And while we are modernizing our legal framework, running out e-government services from text to civil registration, and aligning spectrum data and AI policies with a shared global vision. But our biggest shift, however, has been from isolated projects into building a digital public infrastructure.

And earlier this year, we launched the Digital Transformation Roadmap for Government, which is the clearest expression of our progress. But like many countries, our progress is still incomplete. 13 South Africans remain offline.

Devices, like in many other parts of the world, remain too expensive for many. And we used our G20 presidency to champion a people-centered approach to the digital public infrastructure that serves the global South. And we want Africa to move from adoption to contribution.

We therefore support the continuation of the WISEs work, and we stand ready to work with all partners so that the next phase of the WISEs helps every country to turn digital opportunity into real public value, and ensures that ultimately no one in any part of the world is left behind.

Thank you very much.

I thank the Minister of Communication and Digital Technology of South Africa. Very sorry for the mistakes on the speaking list. Speaking also on behalf of the International Telecommunications Union member states.

I give the floor to His Excellency Bernard Maissen, State Secretary for the Federal Office of Communications of Switzerland.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we warmly congratulate the co-facilitators for the constructive spirit that they’ve shown throughout this process. And we thank the many delegations ready to join the consensus. We also encourage all the other delegations to join the compromise text, which allowed for a consensus-based final document.

This is a crucial stage for all of us, which preserves the foundations of WISEs while recognizing the deep-seated changes that have reshaped the digital landscape since 2005. As we reflect on our achievements, we also need to recognize the challenges that remain. The digital divide remains a significant reality, but so do disinformation, artificial intelligence, data governments, and their impact on sustainability.

This all requires urgent attention. The process that we’ve undertaken here with the review of WISEs Plus 20 is therefore not only a celebration of progress achieved, but it is also a call to action to guarantee that digital technologies serve all of humanity and allow us to tackle new challenges that are emerging.

Switzerland welcomes, in particular, the reaffirmation that the digital space needs to remain open, free, globally connected, interoperable, inclusive, development-centered, and deeply rooted in human rights.

The challenge is now to ensure that the commitments contained in the final document are rapidly put into action and resolutely put into action. Switzerland stands ready to support these measures agreed upon in close cooperation with all of its partners. Over the next 10 years before the next review, it will be vital to keep the promises of digital technologies to ensure they benefit humanity while leaving no one behind.

We need an effective, efficient, open, and inclusive architecture for digital governance, and we cannot achieve this alone. We are eagerly awaiting the implementation of the vision of the WSIS Plus architecture that is strengthened and adapted to its goal, including a forum on internet governance, which is permanent and better financed.

We need a commission for science and technology for development, which is strengthened, a WSIS forum that is more targeted, and a set of guidelines for WSIS that are updated and made more dynamic. We’re also waiting for a United Nations system that functions as a whole and tackles the numerous challenges that we face, from connectivity to human rights to freedom online, including the establishment of AI governance for the service of humanity and strengthening the significant participation of all stakeholders for all citizens to ensure that they can reap the benefits of the present and the future of the digital sphere.

Thus, Switzerland is pleased to be hosting in Geneva a unique and dynamic ecosystem on digital cooperation. This ecosystem, for a long time, has supported the WSIS process, and we will continue to promote inclusive, human-centered, and rights-based digital governance. I’ll conclude by saying that we’re pleased to join this consensus, and we stand ready to actively participate in the next stages of the process in all of the multilateral platforms and all of the multi-stakeholder fora that are relevant.

Thank you.

I thank the State Secretary for the Federal Office of Communications of Switzerland. I give the floor to His Excellency Karsten Wildberger, Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernization of Germany.

Madam President of the General Assembly, Mr. Under-Secretary General, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the Albanian and Kenyan co-facilitators for guiding us through the inclusive consultation process and bringing us to consensus.

Thank you. Germany wishes to add the following remarks in our national capacity. We are here to reaffirm our commitment to the free, open, and interoperable global Internet.

Its greatest strength is openness, connecting people across borders, enabling innovation, and expanding access to knowledge. An open Internet underpins modern societies, and is essential for prosperity and sustainable human-centered development. Its strength comes from a decentralization and cooperation amongst governments, civil society, business, academia, the technical community, and users.

This is a global endeavor. Open Internet infrastructure is built and maintained by contributors worldwide, often on a voluntary basis. Germany is committed to these open principles and supports the people behind the code.

Our sovereign tech agency maintains key open source components that underpin security, stability, competitiveness, and innovation. By strengthening essential elements of global digital infrastructure, we aim to improve security and resilience. Germany values the WSIS resolution because it is clear Internet governance is multi-stakeholder and rooted in international human rights law.

The resolution reaffirms this global consensus. It also makes the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum permanent. The IGF is the United Nations’ central platform for shaping the digital future.

It is where the world comes together. Nowhere else can we discuss such a range of issues so openly. The IGF continues to evolve.

To increase its impact, it must communicate its value and contribution more clearly. Germany will contribute one million euros to strengthen the IGF and its mission. WSIS asks us to choose a digital world shaped by a shared vision or by none.

Germany is clear. The Internet is strongest when it is shared, shaped, and safeguarded by all. WSIS is the right framework, and the IGF is the right venue.

I encourage all of us to be pragmatic and seek consensus. Let us choose cooperation for economic prosperity. and for sustainable development.

Thank you.

I thank the Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernization of Germany. I give the floor to Her Excellency Nthati Moorosi, Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation of Lesotho.

Madam President, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Kingdom of Lesotho extends its profound appreciation to the core facilitators for guiding this pivotal WSIS Plus 20 review. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the Geneva Declaration and Tunis Agenda as the enduring blueprints for an equitable information society. As a landlocked, least developed country, we celebrate two decades of collective strides in bridging digital divides, fostering innovation and empowering communities worldwide.

These outcomes have illuminated pathways for nations like ours to harness ICTs for enduring progress and shared prosperity. Lesotho fully endorses the WSIS Plus 20 review outcome document, recognizing its comprehensive reaffirmation of the WSIS vision and the value of multi-stakeholder cooperation. We particularly welcome the document’s focus on the persistent and critical digital divides between and within countries, which continue to constrain the achievements of WSIS goals.

Renewed impetus to close these divides, particularly for developing countries and marginalized groups, is essential for truly realizing the people-centered information society. We commend the outcome document’s strong emphasis on closing digital divides, which acknowledges the disparities in Internet access and use, which directly addresses the needs of remote communities in countries like Lesotho.

Capacity development, which stresses the importance of digital skills and literacy for all ages and backgrounds, as a lack of capacity remains a major barrier. And building confidence and security in ICT use, reaffirming this as a crucial driver for innovation and sustainable development consistent with international human rights law. Strengthened international cooperation, calling for enhanced collaboration, including north-south, south-south, and triangular cooperation, which are vital for investment in infrastructure in developing nations.

The Kingdom of Lesotho is proud to highlight its own contributions, exemplifying the WSIS action lines in practice. Information and communication infrastructure, which is C2, we have achieved over 95% mobile coverage across mountainous terrain, including early rollout of 5G in major towns. We have also integrated non-geostationary orbit satellite services, such as recent Starlink deployments, to extend high-speed broadband and enhance resilience in hard-to-reach areas.

Capacity building, which is C4, our ongoing digital skills development programs, including a community digital inclusive model, continue to build essential human capital. Building confidence and security in ICT use, which is C5, we recently established the Lesotho communication sector computer security incidents response team, CSET, as a national hub for proactive threat management and sector-wide protection.

Looking forward, Lesotho is leveraging its unique high-altitude location, natural quietness, and cool climate to attract investments in energy and data centers, and is expanding broadband connectivity to all schools and establishing satellite earth stations for environmental monitoring.

As we chart our way forward, Lesotho represents the interests of LDCs and LLDCs, raising a vital concern. While non-binding agreements foster creativity, the current architecture risks allowing technology concentration to remain unchecked, fueling an emerging AI and data divide. The non-binding nature of certain processes means smaller nations risk being sidelined, endangering our collective achievement.

The next decades depends on effective multi-stakeholder engagement that delivers on the principles of intelligence, investment, and inclusion. Our advocacy is a firm call to support the multilateral nature of WSIS, aiming to secure right-based digital inclusion, access, and uptake. To address this, Lesotho is advocating for a complementary strengthening of state-led mechanisms through a robust collaborative approach across the UN system.

We propose a joint mandate empowering the core WSIS facilitating agencies, the ITU, UNESCO, and UNDP, to spearhead the analytical and preparatory work required for a more recent and equitable digital architecture.

Madame President, Lesotho calls on all member states to embrace this balanced evolution. We support the permanence of IGF while advocating for the ITU-UNESCO-UNDP collaboration to undertake preparatory work for future treaties in critical areas like cybersecurity, digital rights, ethical AI, and fair allocation of global digital resources.

Together, let us forge frameworks that deliver not fleeting gains but enduring, equity and collective resilience. Lesotho stands ready to collaborate, drawing on our experiences to contribute to a truly universal digital future. I thank you.

I thank the Minister of Information, Communication, Science, Technology, and Innovation of Lesotho. May I remind again of the speaking time of three minutes. The next speaker is Her Excellency Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Economy and Innovation of Albania.

Madame President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, 20 years after the World Summit on Information Society, the question before us is no longer whether digital transformation matters. It clearly does. The question is how it is governed, who benefits from it, and who risks from being left behind.

WSIS Plus 20 therefore represents not only a review of past commitments but a test of our collective ability to adapt multilateral cooperation to a rapidly evolving digital reality. Throughout this review process, one message has been clear and consistent. While progress in connectivity and access is undeniable, digital inequality still persists, and it is increasingly in complex forms.

Today’s divides are shaped by infrastructure, by skills, affordability, trust, safety, and institutional capacity. Addressing them requires more than a national effort alone. It requires coordinated and effective international action.

For Albania, these issues are not abstract. As a country that has undergone rapid digital transformation over the past decade, we have seen firsthand both the opportunities and challenges that digitalization brings. Investment in e-governance and digital public services have improved efficiency, transparency, and access.

At the same time, they have underscored the importance of digital skills, institutional resilience, and public trust in digital systems. It is from this perspective that Albania believes that the outcome of WSIS Plus 20 must be guided by three essential principles. First, people and rights must remain at the center of digital transformation.

As emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, accelerate change, our collective response must ensure the protection of human rights, data privacy, and democratic values. For countries like Albania, safeguarding trust in digital public services depends on ensuring that innovation strengthens accountability and inclusion. Innovation must serve people, not the other way around.

Second, digital inclusion must be treated as core development objectives. Albania’s experience has shown that access alone is not enough. Sustained investment in digital literacy, education, and capacity building, particularly for women, youth, and marginalized communities, is essential to ensure the digital transformation becomes a driver of opportunity rather than a source of inequalities.

Third, strong multilateral and multistakeholder cooperation is of core importance. No country, regardless of size or level of development, can access today’s digital challenges in isolation. For Albania, multilateral cooperation has been central to advancing national digital priorities while aligning them with international reform norms.

The WSIS principles are openness, inclusiveness, and partnership that must therefore continue to guide future digital governance frameworks. Madam President, WSIS plus 20 should not result in a declaratory outcome. It should provide clear strategic direction, linking WSIS principles with the implementation of the digital compact.

and future UN digital processes in a coherent and complementary manner. It is as a role of co-facilitator that Albania engaged transparently and constructively with all delegation and stakeholders with the objective of delivering an outcome that reflects consensus, ambition and shared responsibility.

The discussions we make today and decisions we make today will define opportunities and inequalities for decades to come. That’s why they are very important. Our shared task is to ensure that this future remains inclusive, rights-based and firmly grounded into multi-stakeholder cooperation.

Thank you.

I thank the Minister of Economy and Innovation of Albania. I give the floor to His Excellency Samuel Samuel Migaľ, Minister of Investment, Regional Development and Information of Slovakia.

Madam President of the General Assembly, distinguished guests, the Slovak Republic fully aligns itself with the EU Statement, which will be delivered later today. In our national capacity, I would like to point out the following. We are honored to be part of this historic moment.

Twenty years ago, when the world embraced the principles of the World Summit on the Information Society, the digital revolution was just beginning. Today, in 2025, digital technologies are no longer peripheral. They are the heart and mind of our development.

Slovakia understands that digital transformation is not merely a technological challenge. It is imperative to ensure that digital opportunities reach everyone, regardless of where they live, of their social, economic status. The digital divide depends on inequalities.

Digital connectivity overcomes them. At this gathering, guided by the spirit of WSIS Plus 20, we must ask ourselves three fundamental questions. First, how do we bridge the digital divide?

Infrastructure alone is not enough. We need digital skills, security and trust. The ITU and its Partner to Connect Coalition show us the way through multitasker-holder collaboration involving business, civil society and communities.

Slovakia firmly supports this collaborative model. Second, how do we govern artificial intelligence for the benefit of all? AI for good is not just a slogan.

It is an imperative of our time. AI can help us solve global challenges from climate change to health to equality. But only if it is secured, trustworthy and sustainable.

Slovakia is proud to participate in this initiative. Third, what will our digital society look like in 2035? That is being decided now.

The United Nations General Assembly meeting in the coming days will conduct the WSIS review after 20 years. This is a moment for ambitious decisions. Decisions to support an inclusive human-centered and rights-respecting digital future.

Digital transformation is not about technology. It is about the people. It is about ensuring everyone can participate in the digital economy and society.

It is about ensuring no one is left behind. Thank you and let us together build a digital future for all.

I thank the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Information of Slovakia. I give the floor to His Excellency Abdullah Amer Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia.

In the name of God, most compassionate, most merciful. I give you greetings of peace. The greetings of Islam.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. In the past 20 years, together, at the Global Summit, we celebrated a number of achievements. And we noted a few challenges.

In the past 20 years, we’ve linked more than 6 billion people to the Internet. And this number increased from 800 million users. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in the ITU’s ICT Development Index.

At the social level, globally, women’s digital empowerment rose from 5% to a global average of 28%. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrated the fact that it became the first success story worldwide in the digital empowerment of women, with a digital empowerment of 36%. However, this is insufficient today.

2 billion, 200 million people are still disconnected. Therefore, we must put mankind first. And we must focus on the segment of society that has been left behind.

Lack of access to the Internet worldwide is something we need to address. And this is what we’ve based our work on in healthcare and other sectors. This gap must be bridged if we wish to move forward towards AI society or AI-based society.

This is something we must work on as member states. And this can only be done if we work together collectively to bridge the AI divide. Lack of access to AI means lack of access to job opportunities, to digital education, and to a prosperous future and economy.

We must work together with concerted action. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince, looks forward to working with you to bridge the three main gaps of our world today.

The computing gap. Today, our world requires an additional 63 gigawatts. And we’ve employed our investments and capacities to provide 3 gigawatts at the cost of 11 cents for each 1 million token to protect mankind and the planet.

As for the algorithm gap, this, or rather misinformation, was identified by the SG as the greatest risk globally. And most recently, Professor Omar Yaghi, the Saudi American national, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for carbon sequestration and its employment for the protection of the planet and mankind. As for the data gap, more than 90% of language models today are trained in one language.

It is not the first nor the second language worldwide, but the third. Therefore, we’ve established the model Alam to provide access to more than 400 million users in the Arab world. Today, we must place mankind first.

We must bridge the digital gaps. We must work decisively, first and foremost, to concert our efforts and to unite to bridge the AI gaps to ensure that we place mankind first. And so that everyone can benefit from new job opportunities and the opportunities of this new economy for a prosperous future.

May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon you.

I thank the Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Jitin Prasad, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology of India. Sorry, there’s another mistake.

Sorry. I give the floor now to His Excellency Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations of Ghana. I have the floor, sir.

Sorry about the mistake.

Mr. President. Chairperson, Secretary General of the ITU, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates.

On behalf of the government and people of Ghana, I extend warm greetings and our appreciation to the United Nations and the host authorities for convening this high-level meeting of the WSIS Plus 20 Review.

The World Summit on the Information Society established a shared vision of a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. Twenty years on, Ghana reaffirms its commitment to this vision and the principles that underpin it. Guided by the WSIS Action Lines, Ghana has implemented a comprehensive national digitalization agenda.

Significant investments in fiber infrastructure, expanded 4G coverage, and the deployment of rural telephony sites have extended meaningful connectivity to previously unserved citizens. These efforts reflect our conviction that universal access is fundamental to sustainable development. Ghana continues to advance digital public infrastructure, including the Ghana.gov platform, the Ghana Electronic Procurement System, the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System, the National Health Information Exchange, and the Ghana Health Information Management System.

These initiatives promote efficiency, transparency, and equitable access to public services. To foster trust in the digital ecosystem, Ghana has strengthened its cybersecurity and data protection frameworks and operationalized national and sectoral computer emergency response teams. We are modernizing legislation governing the digital economy as well.

We have equally adopted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy to guide the ethical and responsible use of AI across government. We’re developing frameworks to deal with myths and disinformation while respecting the rights of free speech online. Digital inclusion remains a center pillar of our efforts.

Through nationwide digital literacy campaigns, community information centers, the One Million Coders Program, and the Girls in ICT Initiative, Ghana is expanding digital skills and empowering women, youth, and underserved communities to participate effectively in the digital economy.

Chairperson, as the global community charts the next phase of the WSIS process, Ghana underscores the need for enhanced international cooperation. We call for strengthened commitments to universal connectivity, robust digital public infrastructure, equitable AI governance, and increased capacity-building support for developing countries. Under the leadership of His Excellency President John Germani-Mahama, Ghana stands ready to collaborate with member states, the private sector, civil society, and development partners to build an inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital future aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and aspiration of all people.

I thank you.

I thank the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation of Ghana, and now, yes, I give the floor to His Excellency Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology of India.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I have the honor to deliver India’s national statement at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on Information Society.

Twenty years ago, WSIS was founded on a powerful idea that digital technologies, when guided by shared values, can advance development, inclusion, and human dignity. As my Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, has reminded us, global challenges demand that global action must be met by global ambition. For India, digital transformation has been a lived experience at population scale.

Over the past decade, we have built digital public infrastructure as a public good, open, interoperable, secure, and affordable by design. Digital identity, instant payments, digital documentation, telemedicine, online education, and grievance redressal today serve people across geographies, languages, and income levels. This journey is not about numbers alone.

It is about ensuring that technology reaches the last mile and empowers the last person. When digital systems are built as public goods, technology becomes an equalizer rather than a divider. This principle guided India’s launch of the Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository during our G20 presidency.

Many countries are adapting to this digital public goods to their own national contexts, and India remains committed to sharing capacity, tools, and knowledge, guided by our ethos of one earth, one family, and one future.

Artificial intelligence now stands at the center of the next phase of sustainable development. Through the India AI mission, India is investing in responsible AI ecosystems, expanding national compute capacity, creating repositories of reusable data sets, which we call the AI Kosh, and building Bhashani, which is an AI natural language processing enabled real-time translation tool to make the content available in various languages spoken in our country.

Our focus is clear, AI must be inclusive, trustworthy, and oriented towards public purpose. In this spirit, India has proposed a global repository of AI applications to accelerate AI for social good. India also recognizes that the resilient semiconductor and electronic supply chains are functional to digital transformation and AI at scale.

We are strengthening domestic capabilities while deepening international partnerships to enhance global technology resilience. As we shape the WSIS plus 20 outcomes, India reaffirms its strong support for the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance, except on matters of national security, strengthening the Internet Governance Forum, advancing universal acceptance, multilingual access, open standards, DNS compatibility, and ensuring meaningful participation of the global south must remain central to our collective efforts.

Trust must be the bedrock of our digital future, balance innovation with safety, privacy, human rights, and sustainability. In this context, I warmly invite all member states to the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026, guided by the principle, quote, meaning, welfare for all and happiness for all. I also take the opportunity to appreciate Mr.

Ekitela Lokaale, permanent representative of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations, and Ms. Suela Janina, permanent representative of the Republic of Albania, for their stewardship in delivering to us the WSIS plus 20 outcome document that we will hopefully adopt tomorrow. WSIS plus 20 offers a defining moment to ensure that digital processes, digital progress bridges divides, empowers societies, and reinforces human dignity.

India stands ready to work with all nations to build a future together where no one is left behind. Thank you.

I thank the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology of India, and now I give the floor to His Excellency Mambetaliev Mirbek, Minister of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan.

You have the floor, sir.

Mr. President, distinguished delegations, at the outset, allow me to thank the organizers for convening today’s meeting and for the opportunity to share the practical experience of the Kyrgyz Republic in terms of the digital transformation.

The last two decades have clearly illustrated that information and communications technologies have become an integral part of socioeconomic development. For Kyrgyzstan, this path was not easy. However, we consistently moved forward, broadening access to the Internet, developing electronic state services, and bolstering digital infrastructure.

Today we view digitalization not as an end in itself, but rather as an instrument for sustainable development, economic growth, and improving the quality of life of our citizens. Precisely this application is what underpins the national digital policy of the Kyrgyz Republic. In that regard, an important step was the adoption of a digital codex, which systematized the digital legislation, cleared away legal barriers, and formed a transparent normative basis for developing digital services, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence.

The codex also strengthens the protection of the digital rights of citizens, and it fosters the harmonization of national governance with international standards. Right now, 98 percent of the cities in Kyrgyzstan have 3G networks, and 99 percent have 4G networks. That includes remote and mountainous regions.

An important role in this was played by the CASA project, that’s C-A-S-A, more than 3,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables were laid. That’s 60,000 kilometers throughout the country. That laid the groundwork for the development of our digital state and for our economy, the data economy.

This infrastructure is already working for citizens. The Tunduk system for the 11 months of 2025 has already developed more than 2.5 billion electronic transactions, ensuring real interaction between the state, business, and society. Over 2.7 million citizens are using digital services through a unified identification system.

We’re going to separately draw your attention to artificial intelligence. And in order to develop the digital codex, there’s also a normative basis being developed in order to ensure safe and ethical use of AI. In Bishkek, there was a forum of Turkic states on artificial intelligence.

That was in October of 2024, and that was an important step to implement these goals. At the same time, we’re aware that the digital divide is a key issue and a priority. Kyrgyzstan stands ready to constructively engage in intergovernmental processes to develop a coordinated outcome document.

It is our conviction that only through international cooperation, solidarity, and joint action that we can craft an inclusive, human-centered, and sustainable information society for everyone. Kyrgyzstan is open for international cooperation and stands ready to jointly form the digital future. I thank you for your attention.

I thank the Minister of Culture, Information, and Youth, Policy of Kyrgyzstan, and now I give the floor to His Excellency, Rafal Rosiński, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs of Poland.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Poland aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and would like to offer the following remarks in national capacity. I am honored to share Poland’s vision for the WSIS Plus 20 review and the future of the global information society. But first, please let me thank the co-facilitators and the secretaries for the outstanding work on the outcome document, which reflects countless inputs of a wide range of stakeholders.

First and foremost, transparency and inclusiveness must be at the heart of this process. WSIS should stay open and participatory as it is, involving all stakeholders with special attention given to the developing countries. Together, we must prevent internet fragmentation and leverage emerging technologies to advance sustainable development and to leave no one behind.

At the same time, we believe in evolution, not revolution. Our approach supports gradual updates to the existing WSIS action lines. Any changes should align with the sustainable development goals and the post-2030 development agenda, ensuring continuity and stability.

Equally important is the defense of an open, stable, free, inclusive, equal, safe, global, reliable, secure, and environmentally sustainable internet. Governance of digital space must be rooted in human rights and driven by the multi-stakeholder collaboration. We oppose centralized control by any single state and advocate for collective mechanisms to address new technological challenges as they arise.

Looking ahead, we see a stronger internet governance forum as essential. After 2025, it should have sustainable funding and play a central role in the global digital dialogue. IGF must be more representative, particularly including voices from developing countries, youth, and marginalized communities, so that the forum reflects the diversity of the global digital space.

Crucially, human rights must remain at the center of all WSIS frameworks. Protecting privacy, combating censorship, and safeguarding children online are not negotiable priorities. Finally, we support multi-stakeholder approaches to digital governance within the UN.

This approach should be based on equality, cooperation, and inclusivity, engaging all stakeholders, especially from the global south. The principle of WSIS plus 20 should guide our work, ensuring a global, fair, and sustainable digital ecosystem. In conclusion, only through collaboration, inclusiveness, respect for human rights, and a human-centric approach to new and emerging technology can we build a secure, open, and sustainable information society that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Thank you.

I thank the Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs of Poland and now give the floor to his Excellency Taurimas Valys, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, 20 years ago, WSIS set a vision for a people-centered and exclusive society of information. Today, as we mark WSIS plus 20, Lithuania affirms that this vision remains vital, not only for digital transformation, but also achieving the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. Digital technologies must boost education, health, climate action, and economic growth, but before they must serve humanity, not damage it.

First, Lithuania strongly supports multistakeholderism as the centerpiece of global digital governance. This approach ensures transparency, innovation, and trust. Attempts to impose centralized and state-controlled approaches create a risk of fragmenting the Internet and damaging democratic values.

We must resist such trends and keep governance an open and inclusive space for cooperation. Having such an approach can help countries achieve digital transformation. Lithuania exemplifies this perfectly.

We have digitalized public services through platforms such as e-Government Gateway, enabling citizens to get an access to more than 1,000 services without leaving their apartments. Our GovTech Lab fosters innovation by connecting startups with public sector challenges. Efforts like these demonstrate how technology can strengthen democracy and efficiency.

However, in turbulent times, when democratic values are at high risk, security and resilience are of utmost importance. Lithuania invests heavily in cybersecurity, operating a national cybersecurity center. We also lead initiatives to counter disinformation to safeguard democratic processes.

Cybersecurity has become extremely important in the age of artificial intelligence. Although AI brings vast opportunities, it also allows significant risks to emerge. Lithuania reminds that the AI governance must be human-centric and human-rights-based, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Lithuania should balance innovation with human rights. Finally, we must all make great efforts to eliminate any digital divide. Lithuania is making sure that no one is left behind, offering digital skills programs for seniors and other vulnerable groups.

To ensure the execution for all these ideas, it is vital to have a unique platform for dialogue. A perfect example is the Internet Governance Forum. Lithuania supports strengthening IGF’s resources to ensure its sustainability and relevance.

IGF demonstrates that work for the digital community, openness, diversity, and shared responsibility. Dear colleagues, this is the moment when we move beyond declarations to concrete action. Lithuania calls for stronger integration of WSIS action lines with SDGS, continued commitment to digital inclusion, and reaffirmation that human rights online are not negotiable.

Lithuania stands ready to work with like-minded partners to ensure that digital transformation strengthens peace, prosperity, and trust. Thank you.

I thank the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, and now I give the floor to His Excellency Jarno Syrjälä, Vice Minister for Internal Trade of Finland.

President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. pleasure to deliver remarks on behalf of the government of Finland. Finland aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union and its member states.

Technology has emerged as a key question for global development. The digital transformation represents us with the wealth of opportunities that we need to grasp. At the same time, it presents us new risks that we need to act on.

The UN will have a key role in making sure we have the tools to manage this process in years ahead. Finland’s government sees technology a key issue for our foreign and security policy. We have a strong focus on digital development, including increased attention on private sector solutions and investments.

We believe that resilient and secure digital connectivity is the foundation of modern societies and economies. In our international cooperation, Finland is committed to advancing secure connectivity globally along with our partners and bringing our leading expertise to this work. The majority of the world’s population do not yet have a meaningful and safe access to the Internet, which requires urgent action.

Breaching the digital divide is not only about affordable connectivity. It requires investments in skills and competencies and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms online. Our goal is to make sure new technologies uphold and advance democratic values and principles.

We welcome the Vicious Plus 20 review’s focus on enhancing meaningful connectivity and supporting the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance. The review is also an important opportunity to renew and strengthen the ITF mandate, including by making it a permanent forum and ensuring it a more sustainable financial basis that such a global inclusive effort deserves and needs.

We believe that everyone should have access to Internet as well as to digital services and skills. Inclusion and the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance will remain essential in the future as well. The accelerating rise of digital repression poses a serious threat to the safe and reliable use of the Internet.

We must recognize the need to strengthen political and societal understanding how online censorship and the suppression of information operate and how technology is more broadly used as a tool of social control.

These phenomena must be addressed decisively so that we can defend digital freedom and democracy. Unfortunately, gender-based violence and harassment online are a growing and significant problem that prevent individuals from fully, equally and meaningfully participating in societal life. We must ensure that digital spaces are safe for everyone and that everyone can participate online without fear or discrimination.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Vicious Plus 20 review reminds us that digitalization must remain a force for inclusion, freedom and democracy. Finland stands ready to work with all partners in the next phase of Vicious to ensure that the Internet of the future is open, secure and empowering for everyone. This needs to be a true multi-stakeholder effort.

I thank you.

I thank the Vice Minister for International Trade of Finland for his statement and now I give the floor to Her Excellency Marianne Wilhelmsen, State Secretary of Norway.

President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Fellow Users of the Internet. Allow me first to warmly welcome Ambassador, warmly thank Ambassador Suela Janina of Albania, Ambassador Ekitela Lokaale of Kenya, their teams and the UN Secretariat for the excellent facilitation of the Vicious Plus 20 outcome document.

Norway urges all member states to show the outmost flexibility in order to arrive at a consensus document. President, while final draft is still pending, based on what we have seen and expect, we welcome an outcome document with a strong emphasis on human rights, including the freedom of opinion and expression, the right to privacy and the importance of gender equality.

In a time of increasing authoritarianism, on and offline, it is more important than ever to safeguard fundamental human rights also within the digital space. We would also welcome a clear call to the private sector to incorporate human rights in all their activities and to apply the UN guiding principles on business and human rights. Furthermore, we appreciate the equality, an equally clear call to states to refrain from Internet shutdowns and other measures that target Internet access.

Colleagues, we are living in a time of extraordinary technological change. Emerging technologies can create opportunities for development and innovation and help us solve some of the greatest challenges we face on this earth. At the same time, we see that deep digital divides remain within and between countries.

Closing these gaps, including through universal, meaningful and affordable connectivity, digital skills and locally relevant content, is of critical importance. Norway will continue to contribute to realizing this ambition. President, earlier this year, Norway had the honor of hosting the Internet Governance Forum in 2025.

That experience was yet another reminder of the unique value of the IGF as an open and inclusive space for collaboration and inclusive dialogue to address all digital challenges. We are highly committed to make the IGF a permanent forum of the United Nations. The forum is the primary global multi-stakeholder platform for discussions on digital governance.

Going ahead, Norway would like to see an IGF that produces more actionable inputs to policy processes and that further broadens participation from developing countries and underrepresented groups. As the recent host, Norway stands ready to share our experience to help achieve these goals. President, for 20 years, the WSIS framework has guided us toward a human-centric, inclusive and development-oriented information society.

We look forward to adapt an outcome document that updates this vision for a new era of digital interdependence. Norway remains firmly committed to an open, free, global, interoperable, secure and human rights-based digital order and to multi-stakeholder cooperation as the way to achieve it. Let us build on the WSIS Plus 20 outcome, the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, to close digital divides and to ensure that the benefits of the digital age are shared not by few, but by all.

The vision remains clear. To realize this vision is now our shared responsibility. Thank you.

I thank the State Secretary of Norway and now I give the floor to His Excellency Grigory Borischenko, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communication and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. You have the floor.

President, Deputy Secretary General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, 20 years ago at the World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in two stages, the representatives of the world adopted a general concept of the Information Society.

Initiated and prepared by the International Telecommunications Union together with other UN system organizations and together with other stakeholders, the WSIS Summit was the first global event dedicated to building an information society as a new stage of development for civilization.

The main goal of WSIS was to build a human and development-centered information society in which everyone could create information and knowledge and have access to it. A separate focus was placed on bridging the digital divide between developed and developing countries. The review of WSIS clearly illustrated that the tasks set out in the Geneva and Tunis documents have not been resolved.

Work still needs to be done in order to resolve many key issues, which we spoke about 10 years ago in this hall, overcoming the substantial differences in terms of development both among countries and within countries, including in terms of broadband access and the introduction of AI and the ability to harness the opportunities of AI and to resolve the problem of privacy when using the Internet.

These are all issues that we discussed. One separate issue is international information security, IIS, with the UN playing a central role. We developed the creation of a permanent negotiating platform.

forum on IIS, the global mechanism with the participation of all UN member states, and also the Convention Against Cybercrime, which was developed upon my country’s initiative. That’s the first universal legally binding agreement on IIS. We’ve also seen a new dynamic in terms of the development of ICT, and this shows the formation of a new technological stage.

The introduction of AI, the circulation of 5G networks, the use of Internet of Things, cloud platforms, and it opens up new opportunities for improving lives, developing the economy, medicine, education, and also state administration.

However, these structural changes have opened up not only massive potential for growth and achievement of the SDGs, but they also have challenges, including data protection, achieving technological sovereignty, and the need to ensure trust in digital services.

The current model for Internet governance remains unjust and geopolitically vulnerable. This model requires further institutionalization and a legally binding basis. We believe that management of the Internet and its key infrastructure needs to happen on other bases, based on international legislation and cooperation of all stakeholders, considering their roles.

And of course, this should happen under the auspices of a universally recognized international organization, such as the UN. It is the UN that should play a key role in managing ICTs, primarily the Internet. This could be fostered by specialized institutions like the International Telecommunications Union, the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development, and others.

We are prepared to engage with the relevant stakeholders in these formats. We also note the ongoing process of fragmentation of the digital space, and we express our concern about the lack of practical action being taken to preserve a unified global network. We commend the role of the WSIS Forum and the Internet Governments Forum, and we support the continuation of their annual conduct, including with regional and country-based forums.

At the same time, we note – we share the opinion of many countries about the need to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the IGF. It’s gratifying that the overwhelming majority of these points have been reflected in the outcome document, which we are going to be adopting soon. Like any compromised text, it isn’t ideal.

It contains some biased provisions that we can’t support. However, on the whole, the draft merits support. It sets out several overarching ideas, like the need to refrain from illegitimate unilateral economic measures, and it talks about the importance of overcoming the digital divide and setting the contours of the global governance for AI.

And it also has steps to ramp up the ICT capacity of developing countries, et cetera. This new document is a roadmap for our work in the next decade, and we are grateful to all the experts that were part of drafting it. The Strategy for Development of the Information Society of Russia sets out the goals, the tasks, and the measures in order to implement the domestic and foreign policy of our country in terms of the use of ICTs for the period up to 2030.

Our country has a modern telecommunications infrastructure, including 90 percent of households that have access to high-speed, low-cost fiber-optic internet. We’re actively developing and introducing artificial intelligence, and the Strategy for the Development of Communications in Russia up to 2035 seeks to craft a modern and protected telecommunications infrastructure and introduce technological areas and develop scientific and staff potential.

This and other facts clearly show that Russia stands ready to engage with our foreign partners to develop the Information Society, and we’re going to do this in full compliance with international law, with the UN Charter, and with respect for the national laws of other states.

Thank you very much.

I thank the Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communication, and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, and now I give the floor to His Excellency Takuo Imagawa, Vice Minister for International Affairs, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan.

Distinguished Delegates, esteemed guests, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Policy, Guy Ryder, the WSIS-Plat 20 co-facilitator, Her Excellency, Suela Janina, and His Excellency, Ekitela Lokaale, and the WSIS Secretariat for their dedicated efforts in organizing this meeting.

WSIS has played a vital role in shaping global RCD policy and promoting the vision that everyone should benefit from the technologies. Over the past two decades, it has provided a unique platform for governments, international organizations, the private sector, academia, and civil society to work together toward an inclusive and sustainable information society.

This achievement deserves recognition. Japan is proud to have continuously supported WSIS since its inception, when Mr. Yoshio Utsumi, then ITU Secretary General, led its launch.

Yet, despite 20 years of progress, one-third of the world remains offline, and the spread of emerging technologies like AI has made remaining digital devices even more challenging. This WSIS-Plat 20 process reminds us of the need for deeper global cooperation under the WSIS framework to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age. Allow me to highlight three priorities for the future.

First, we must strengthen the IGF as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue for digital cooperation, including on emerging technologies. Japan actively supports IGF, hosting the Kyoto meeting two years ago, where AI governance was one of the key topics. We believe IGF should play a critical role in fostering trust and collaboration, and we endorse not only its continuation, but also its institutionalization as a permanent UN forum.

Second, we should build on existing international efforts for digital cooperation. In AI, for example, initiatives under the Global Digital Compact, such as the Scientific Panel and Global Dialogue, should complement efforts by the AI Summit, Global Partnership on AI, and others. Avoiding duplication and leveraging existing expertise will be essential to ensure coherent and effective governance.

Third, we must enhance digital public infrastructure and digital public goods through innovative technologies. For instance, disaster response using digital tools can provide critical opportunities. With climate change increasing the frequency and magnitude of disasters worldwide, Japan has been contributing to ITU’s Connect2Recover initiative, promoting early warning systems and rapid infrastructure recovery.

This effort has evolved into the Global Early Warning for All initiative, and we strongly support deeper international collaboration to protect our lives. Finally, as we look toward WSIS plus 30, Japan remains strongly committed to advancing WSIS goals and working with all stakeholders to build an inclusive and sustainable information society. Thank you.

I thank the Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication of Japan, and now I give the floor to my dear friend, His Excellency Rasmus Lumi, Vice Minister for International Affairs of Estonia.

You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues. First of all, Estonia aligns itself with the upcoming statement by the European Union, and I would like to convey the following in its national capacity. Let me begin by thanking the President of the General Assembly for convening this high-level meeting, and the co-facilitators for their efforts and steady leadership throughout this important process.

This year’s WSIS plus 20 review is a defining moment for the future of our digital world. Twenty years ago, the Geneva Declaration and the Tunis Agenda set out a shared vision of an inclusive and human-centered information society. They also established the multi-stakeholder approach that has guided digital cooperation for the past two decades.

That vision remains as vital today as it was then. The Internet has become the backbone of our economies, our democracies, and our daily lives. Its success depends on remaining open, global, secure, and decentralized.

No single country or actor should control it. Efforts to introduce centralized or state-led control would threaten the openness and integrity of the Internet and risk its fragmentation. The multi-stakeholder model, reaffirmed in the Global Digital Compact, has proven its value.

Governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and the technical community must continue to work together in transparent, inclusive, and consensus-based ways. This approach ensures that the Internet remains resilient and that digital policy reflects the interests of all. Estonia believes that digital transformation must stay human-centered and rooted in human rights.

The same rights that apply offline must also apply online, including the rights to privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information. As chair of the Freedom Online Coalition, Estonia has worked to promote and advance this vision of the Internet. Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, bring both new opportunities and new responsibilities.

responsibilities. We must ensure that artificial intelligence is developed and used in ways that respect human dignity, ethical principles, and the rule of law. Our policies should remain adaptable and technology neutral so that innovation continues to serve people and societies.

We see a practical way forward for addressing artificial intelligence within existing United Nations frameworks. The focus should be on building capacity, sharing knowledge, and improving coordination rather than creating new institutions. This approach allows us to respond swiftly to emerging technologies while keeping discussions inclusive and coherent.

Estonia supports the continued role of the Internet Governance Forum as the most inclusive global platform for digital dialogue. We support renewing and strengthening its mandate, ensuring sustainable funding, and expanding its scope to cover digital governance more broadly. We also welcome a stronger link between the WSIS process, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Global Digital Compact to ensure coherence and reinforce the shared vision of an open, secure, and human-centered digital future.

Excellencies, as we look ahead to the next 20 years, Estonia calls on all partners to uphold the principles agreed in Geneva and Tunis, which are openness, inclusion, human rights, and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

Together, we can preserve a free, secure, and trusted Internet and shape a digital future that truly empowers people everywhere. Thank you.

I thank the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia, and now I give the floor to His Excellency Omer Fatih Sayan, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it’s an honor to address this high-level meeting as we gather to mark the 20th anniversary of the World Summit on Information Society. This milestone offers us an important opportunity not only to reflect on collective achievements, but also to assess openly and sincerely the challenges that still remain. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Madam President, as well as the co-facilitators Kenya and Albania, for their leadership and constructive engagement throughout the WSIS Plus 20 process.

It’s an honor for me to return to this podium after 10 years. I stood here during WSIS Plus 10, and today I return with a clear message. Progress has been made, but it still remains uneven and, in many parts of the world, deeply unjust.

Guided by the Turkey National Technology Vision, under the leadership of our President, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we continue our efforts with unwavering determination. Over the past two decades, Turkey has expanded high-speed broadband infrastructure nationwide, strengthened its cybersecurity as a role model according to the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, and made substantial investments in digital skills, research, and innovation.

As we enter the second century of the Republic of Turkey, we firmly believe in technology. When governed responsibly, it’s not merely a technical matter, but one of sovereignty, equity, and dignity. We aspire for the century of Turkey to be also the century of digitalization.

Digital transformation can lead to a stronger and more resilient future only when it is grounded in solidarity and in fair, secure, and equal rights, particularly for women, children, and persons with disabilities.

Technology must not become a new instrument of inequality. Technology should not deepen inequalities developing societies facing challenges. Rather, technology should empower people, multiply opportunities, and pave the way for inclusive progress.

We believe that global justice and equality for everyone, everywhere, including all conflict zones and Palestine, must be among the cornerstones of the digital future. How can we talk about inclusive, people-oriented information society for all knowing the situation in Gaza? An information society that ignores this reality is neither inclusive nor people-centered.

Dear colleagues, 20 years ago, we pledged to leave no one behind. Regrettably, this promise still remains unfulfilled. The digital divide persists between countries within societies and increasingly between those who shape technology and who are shaped by it.

While progress has been achieved, it’s evident that far more needs to be done to close all forms of digital divide and ensure that the benefits of the digital age are shared equitably. Let me underline one critical point. We must all participate, not merely observe.

Protecting children in the digital environment cannot remain a secondary concern, and stronger coordination with UNESCO and all other relevant stakeholders is no longer optional. It is an obligation. Turkey remains firmly committed to this vision.

As the host country to UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, we contribute meaningfully to global capacity-building efforts, ensuring that digital opportunities genuinely support inclusive and sustainable development.

As President Erdogan stated in this very hall, justice and equality are not negotiable values. They are the foundation of any credible digital order. Dear colleagues, WSIS has been instrumental in setting norms and expectations, but the road ahead is long.

Today, new digital challenges are mostly coming around AI. Ethical concern is still questioned. There is huge expectation from us in WSIS on ethical issues and code of contact in AI, and our shared task for the next decade is to ensure that intelligence focuses on human, safeguards fundamental rights, strengthens trust, and supports global development goals.

Without clear principles, without accountability, and without a human-centered approach, AI will deepen distrust and inequality. The next decade will test our collective credibility. Either we ensure that intelligence serves humanity, or we allow technology to redefine humanity.

WSIS plus 20 must send a strong signal. Long-term responsibility must prevail over short-term interests. By 2035, technology must enhance human dignity, protect fundamental rights, and serve development, not power.

Turkey stands ready to contribute constructively, to challenge complacency, and to defend a fair, secure, and human-centered future. It is we, all of us here, who will continue to contribute constructively to WSIS processes, promote cooperation, and support efforts that advance a fair, secure, and human-centered digital future. We look forward to WSIS plus 30, not with complacency, but with responsibility.

Thank you. I thank the Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey, and now I’m going to give the floor to His Excellency Stephen Isaboke, Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications of Kenya.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, it’s an honor for Kenya to address this WSIS plus 20 Outcome Review High-Level Meeting, 20 years after the world committed to building a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society.

WSIS was not just about technology, it was about people, dignity, opportunity, and rights. Two decades on, technologies, especially artificial intelligence, are reshaping economies and societies at unprecedented speed, yet the central WSIS question remains unresolved. Who benefits and who is left behind?

Kenya comes to the WSIS plus 20 not only to take stock, but to also help shape the next chapter of the global digital cooperation. In this regard, Kenya has been honored, as you have heard, to co-facilitate the WSIS plus 20 review together with the Republican of Albania, and we thank Albania for its leadership and constructive partnership.

As co-facilitators, we encourage that WSIS plus 20 Outcomes places the closing of all the digital divides at its core, recognizing that these divides are multidimensional, spanning connectivity, affordability, skills, institutions, and meaningful participation, particularly in developing countries.

We also welcome the Outcomes emphasis on institutional continuity, including decisions to make Internet Governance Forum a permanent forum for the United Nations with enhanced modalities for governmental engagements.

This strengthens inclusive, multi-stakeholder digital governance at critical moments. Excellencies, Kenya’s own experience reflects this vision. Through our bottom-up economic transformation agenda, we expanded meaningful broadband connectivity to the last mile.

Our Universal Service Fund has bridged up and rural gaps, and we are actually scaling through 1,450 public digital hubs, one in every lowest administrative unit. These hubs are complemented by 150 innovation hubs, which are actually run by private sector young innovators, forming a nationwide public-private digital innovation ecosystem. This is how we continue to bridge the digital divide through multi-stakeholder collaboration, enabling environments and value creation.

As we enter the next phase of WSIS in the intelligent age, Kenya is clear, AI must serve development, inclusion, sustainability, not just deepen inequality. We also adopted an inclusive national artificial intelligence strategy anchored on people, public value and national capability. We are investing in AI skills, competence, and influence, not just for engineers or techies, but also for citizens, policemakers, regulators, and public servants, including through a center for digital AI at the Kenya School of Government.

Excellencies, ambition is not adequate without financing. WSIS plus 20 must move decisively from commitment to delivery through stronger, innovative financing mechanisms sustained in investment in digital public infrastructure and coordinated action across the UN system.

In this regard, the leadership of the United Nations and ITU and Partner to Connect and the UNGIC remains critical. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, WSIS plus 20 is a moment for renewal. Kenya stands ready to work with all member states and all the relevant stakeholders to define the next phase of digital cooperation, one that is people-centered, inclusive, rights-based, and firmly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

I thank you.

I thank the Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications of Kenya, and now I’m going to give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the European Union on behalf of the EU and its member states.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its member states, and the candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia, as well as Armenia, Andorra, and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Let me start by thanking Ambassador Suella Janina of Albania and Ambassador Ekitela Lokaale of Kenya, as well as their teams, and the UN Secretariat for their excellent facilitation and for conducting the process in such an inclusive manner.

The European Union and its member states welcome this high-level meeting, and we look forward to the adoption of the WSIS Plus 20 Review Outcome Document, and we urge all UN member states to join consensus.

We are very, very close. We have the opportunity to deliver with the international community’s strong needs. We need stability to protect what works in the Internet.

We need a permanent Internet governance forum for inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogue, a stronger link between the World Summit on Information Society, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Global Digital Compact, flexibility to adapt to new challenges, and partnerships to close all digital divides.

This is more than a procedural milestone. It is more than a diplomatic choice. In fact, the outcome document should reaffirm our sustained commitment towards a global digital future based on the principles of openness, interoperability, human rights, and inclusive multi-stakeholder governance.

For over two decades, these principles have sustained Internet governance and delivered proven benefits for the global economy and society. The European Union has consistently championed these principles, which align with our own Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles, and which resonate deeply with our legal and policy framework. We have the responsibility to provide the clarity and the stability vital to safeguard the digital ecosystem.

Making the Internet Governance Forum a permanent UN body is in our reach. We have long advocated for institutionalization so that it continues to be the cornerstone of inclusive digital governance. We will also welcome the renewed mandate for the YC’s Action Line facilitators to update roadmaps and align implementation with the SDGs and the Global Digital Compact, also to avoid duplications.

By linking YC’s with the post-2030 agenda, digital transformation remains a driver for sustainable development, a topic that has received so much attention in our debates. Stability is crucial, but it does not imply technological stagnation. Technologies like artificial intelligence, immersive environments, data-driven infrastructures, and new forms of connectivity are creating opportunities as well as challenges.

We share the concern that was expressed by many that technology should not create more divides. We are ready to work with partners to tackle these issues. We want new dependencies and new fragmented risks to diminish.

We want to promote digital sovereignty in Europe and across the globe. So where others are retreating, Europe will continue to promote an open, free, global, interoperable, safe, reliable, and secure Internet governed through an inclusive, human-centric, and human rights-based multi-stakeholder model.

Europe will continue to object Internet fragmentation and state-controlled alternatives. And we will continue to promote sustainability. Our initiatives, including the Global Gateway and our Tech Offer, deliver secure, resilient, and inclusive digital infrastructures worldwide, from connectivity to compute.

We are advancing open-source solutions, digital commons, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructures like our EU Digital Identity Wallet, and international standards for global interoperability. We want to support local skills and local AI ecosystems. And because we believe in partnership and in building technological sovereignty together, we want to support the WISE’s goals of bridging divides and fostering innovation.

Excellencies, the foundations are strong. The direction is clear. Our responsibility is shared.

The European Union is ready to work with all partners to turn this vision of positive digital futures into a reality for everyone, everywhere. Thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of the European Union. And now I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in defense of the Charter of the United Nations.

Mr. President, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has the honor to take the floor on behalf of the Group of Friends in defense of the Charter of the United Nations. Mr.

President, as highlighted throughout the WISE’s Plus 20 review process, and as reaffirmed in several UN reports and different intergovernmental discussions, today’s digital landscape is marked by both major achievements as well as deep structural imbalances.

The WISE’s Plus 20 outcome documents underscore persistent divides when it comes to connectivity, affordability, infrastructure, content availability, and digital skills, divides that remain most severe in developing countries.

We thus reiterate that these disparities contradict the WISE’s vision of a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. Moreover, we also emphasize that multilingualism remains essential for preserving cultural and linguistic diversity and for ensuring equitable access to digital knowledge and participation in global decision-making processes.

An information society that excludes languages, cultures, and identities is neither just nor sustainable. Mr. President, with regards to reducing the digital divide between developing and developed countries, the WISE’s is still far from delivering its mandate.

The digital divide continues to exist and is even widening, especially due to the robust development of new generation ICT data. The Tunis agenda made a specific call in paragraph 69 to 71 in order to recognize the need for enhanced cooperation to enable governments on an equal footing to carry out their roles and responsibilities in issues relating to international public policy on the internet.

Twenty years later, however, progress on this specific mandate on enhanced cooperation has been significantly blocked. Thus, it is imperative that the international community address effectively this main issue for WSIS. Another area of importance for developing countries that is part of the TUNIS agenda, which has also not been realized, is the issue of a more inclusive and transparent Internet governance.

The Internet Governance Forum, for instance, has been convened as a useful platform to expand multi-stakeholder policy dialogue related to key elements of Internet governance, as indicated in the TUNIS agenda.

However, in terms of the mandate, this forum is not in a position to enable governments on an equal footing to carry out their roles and responsibilities when it comes to international public policy pertaining to the Internet.

It is also not in a position to lead in international cooperation on inter-ally of the development of globally applicable principles on public policy issues associated with the coordination and management of critical Internet resources, as assigned to enhance.

Consequently, it is necessary to strengthen intergovernmental spaces to allow governments to carry out their roles and responsibilities in international governance when it comes to the digital world. Mr. President, across our deliberations, our group of friends has consistently stressed that unilateral coercive measures continue to be one of the greatest obstacles to the equitable development of ICTs.

These illegal measures restrict access to modern technologies, digital platforms, and essential ICT goods and services. They hinder efforts to update national telecommunications infrastructure, whether in terms of hardware or software. They worsen the digital divide between developed and developing nations, and they undermine the sovereign equality of states and the inalienable right to development of our peoples.

In this context, it is important to recall that such measures flagrantly violate the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international law. They also have extraterritorial impacts. They distort supply chains and market order, and they exacerbate global crises in different spheres of life.

We thus reiterate our call for their complete, immediate, and unconditional lifting. Mr. President, our group is deeply concerned due to the misuse of ICTs.

These include social media platforms and emerging technologies for subversion, destabilization, the interference in the internal affairs of states, and attacks against critical infrastructure. Our group has condemned the proliferation of disinformation, misinformation, hate speech, racism, and extremist ideologies, both online and offline, a phenomenon that is amplified by irresponsible state and non-state actors.

Once again, we reject the malicious use of ICTs, and we call upon the international community to take urgent and coordinated measures to counter misinformation and disinformation campaigns, including as part of PSYOPs, such as the one that we are currently witnessing in the Caribbean and specifically around Venezuela, in order to protect the political sovereignty of states and promote a true culture of peace and mutual respect.

Mr. President, artificial intelligence demands particular attention. While AI holds enormous potential for sustainable development, its benefits are currently concentrated in a small number of countries and private companies.

This dynamic risks deepening existing global inequalities, fostering technological dependence, and undermining digital sovereignty. We therefore stress that AI systems must be developed, used, and regulated in accordance with national legislation and international law, including the Charter of the UN. Its governance must be grounded in the sovereign equality of states, inclusivity, transparency, trustworthiness, and respect for the right to development.

We should not allow that any private or state actor monopolize digital markets, exploit dominance when it comes to data or computational resources, or impose technological dependency on developing nations.

We also reaffirm that AI systems must uphold linguistic diversity, cultural pluralism, fairness, and respect for national legislation. Mr. President, as we mark 20 years since Geneva and Tunis, we call for the renewed strengthening of international cooperation, solidarity, and technology transfer, including initiatives related to capacity building, scientific exchange, and knowledge sharing upon request of states.

These are essential not only for bridging the digital divide, but also for enabling all nations to participate equally and meaningfully in global digital governance. We also welcome the adoption of the new UN Convention against Cybercrime, and we support international efforts to prevent and combat the misuse of ICTs for criminal purposes, including for spreading disinformation, undermining sovereignty, or destabilizing entire societies.

In conclusion, our group of friends would like to reiterate that the WSIS process must remain firmly anchored in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including sovereign equality, self-determination, noninterference, peaceful cooperation, and the right to development.

We will continue to defend a new, just, equitable, inclusive, and non-discriminatory information and communication order, free from technological domination, unilateral coercive measures, and digital inequalities.

We will remain firmly committed to ensuring that the digital transformation contributes to peace, sustainable development, cultural diversity, and the well-being of all peoples, in strict line with our pledge of leaving no one behind.

I thank you very much, Mr. President.

I would like to thank the Distinguished Delegate of Venezuela. I would like to thank the Distinguished Representative of Ireland.

President, Ireland aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. We welcome this opportunity to contribute to the WSIS Plus 20 review discussion, and we express our sincere gratitude to Kenya and Albania for the constructive, transparent, and inclusive co-facilitation of this process.

Development in information systems since 2005 have gone beyond anything we could have imagined, and the scale and speed of change has been increasing exponentially since the advent of generative AI. It is incumbent on us as members of the UN to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable, bringing transparency, inclusivity, and accessibility into our approach. We believe that protecting human rights and adopting a human-centric approach to digital transformation is fundamental.

This means upholding human rights offline and online, including freedom of expression, privacy, access to information, and gender equality, while actively countering all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence.

President, Ireland is a strong advocate for an inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance. We welcome the recognition of this approach in the outcome document, including establishing a permanent and stable mandate for the Internet Governance Forum, a vital forum for meaningful participation in Internet governance.

We were pleased to host our first national IGF earlier this year, and Dublin welcomed the ICANN 84 conference in October. We appreciate the emphasis in the outcome document of the global challenge of digital divides, both within and between countries. With the rapid acceleration of technology, these divides will only grow more acute unless we act to address them now.

This is essential for achieving the SDGs, for individuals and communities to fully participate in economic, social, cultural, and civic life, and for the empowerment of all women and girls in their participation in the digital space.

President, Ireland firmly believes in an Internet that is open, free, global, interoperable, secure, safe, stable, and human rights-based. We support capacity building for digital transformation in developing countries. We have supported and continue to support initiatives globally to combat misinformation and disinformation, and to protect information integrity.

This includes projects with African partner countries that enable the sharing of best practice in detecting and countering disinformation in elections. Ireland welcomes the efforts made through this review to strengthen synergies and to avoid duplication between the WSIS process, the Global Digital Compact, and other processes. This outcome document acknowledges crucial issues for our future, and we look forward to working with Member States and all stakeholders to translate the WSIS plus 20 commitments into action.

I thank you.

I thank Distinguished Representative Ireland. And now I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Belgium. You have the floor.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. First, I would like to thank the co-facilitators for having carried out the negotiations in an inclusive and transparent manner. My country aligns itself to the statement of the EU and would like to share the following national remarks.

Belgium hopes that we will be able to quickly conclude a global review document for WSIS plus 20 that will be ambitious and adopted by consensus, and that will reinforce the coherence between WSIS plus 20, the Pact for the Future, and the Global Digital Compact.

These frameworks recall that the digital transformation should adopt a human-centered approach. Belgium supports integrating this approach as a cross-cutting principle in the global review document. This challenge is even more crucial taking into account rapid technological changes currently taking place, especially when it comes to AI.

to keep an agile WSIS model, while we make sure that our rights continue to be protected online, especially for the most vulnerable groups. We must remain vigilant to any risk that these technologies might be used for censorship, mass surveillance, and an infringement on private life. This is why we call for integrating human rights principles throughout the life cycle of these technologies.

In Belgium, through the initiative AI for Belgium, we gather public and private actors in order to ensure the responsible deployment of AI, with tools such as ethical assessments, a competency center, and an AI observatory.

Excellencies, despite considerable progress, digital divides persist. We must act in order to ensure universal connectivity by mobilizing innovative financing, as well as public-private partnerships. Belgium supports the positive impact of the digital transformation for sustainable development.

Within our national strategy, we are working to ensure digital inclusion, paying special attention to girls and women through our intersectorial strategy, Women in Digital. We also are working toward this ambition through our cooperation for development, and we are actively contributing to the global digital compact, and we are acting on essential issues such as reducing the digital divide, data governance, and digital solutions for the climate, as well as food security.

Excellencies, Belgium strongly supports a multi-pronged model for internet governance, as well as the establishment of an internet governance forum as a permanent organ of the United Nations. Inclusive internet governance must be the result of dialogue and cooperation amongst governments, civil society, the private sector, and the technical community. Twenty years after WSIS, its vision of dialogue and collaboration continues to be relevant.

The challenges are serious, but opportunities are as well. Belgium will work with all partners for an inclusive digital society that is sustainable and respects human rights. Thank you.

I would like to thank the Distinguished Representative of Belgium and the Distinguished Representative of Qatar.

Madam President, Your Excellency, USG, ladies and gentlemen, the State of Qatar welcomes the convening of the High-Level Meeting to review our collective achievements in the implementation of the WSIS agenda, and to reiterate our commitment to digital transformation as the driver for the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

We thank the co-facilitators for their efforts in preparation for the meeting and for the holding of consultations on the consensus document, on the outcome document. We align ourselves with the statement made by the G77 and China. Madam President, we are working on the implementation of the Comprehensive National Agenda Qatar 2030 to strengthen digital transformation and innovation, and last year we’ve launched our 2030 Digital Agenda to develop digital infrastructure, improve government performance, accelerate economic growth, and establish a strong foundation in data and emerging technologies.

We are also seeking the development of the digital sector and the supporting of innovation through research and training and investments. In our digital governance, we focus on evidence-based policies as well as the responsible use of emerging technologies to improve public digital services and support sustainable development. The development of human capital in this regard is part and parcel of our development strategy.

Madam President, we’ve hosted the Web Summit for the first time in the MENA region in February 2024, and we will be hosting the third iteration of the summit in February 2026 to strengthen networking for startups and to introduce new technologies and their impact on business.

And we are gearing to host the ITU Planet Potentiary Conference in Doha in 2026. In conclusion, we reiterate the importance of strengthening international cooperation and science, technology, and innovation to bridge the digital gap between North and South. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Qatar. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tunisia.

Mr. President, Tunisia aligns itself with the G77 and China Statement to be delivered by Iraq and looks forward to the adoption of the outcome document of this high-level review and reiterates its strong commitment to the world summit of the information society vision of a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society that supports sustainable development and fully respects international law and human rights for everyone equally with no exception.

The Tunis phase of the world summit on the information society in 2005 marked a historic moment in global digital governance. The Tunis agenda 20 years ago established principles of multilateralism, inclusiveness, and development orientation that remain highly relevant today. Tunisia stresses that digital transformation must respect national policy space, regulatory frameworks, and development priorities.

International cooperation is essential, but it must be balanced, inclusive, and aligned with the Charter of the United Nations, ensuring the digital progress reduces and not deepens global inequalities.

Excellencies, artificial intelligence holds significant potential to advance education, health systems, climate resilience, and public service delivery. At the same time, it poses risks related to bias, injustice, exclusion, surveillance, concentration of power, and global security. Therefore, we support governance frameworks that guarantee human oversight, transparency, and accountability.

I would like to highlight five key priorities for Tunisia, preserving state sovereignty and national ownership in digital policymaking, ensuring ethical and responsible artificial intelligence, promoting technology transfer on mutually agreed terms, enabling developing countries to move from consumption to innovation, strengthening capacity building and digital skills, including institutional and regulatory capabilities, mobilizing sustainable financing for connectivity and digital infrastructure to bridge digital divides and ensure meaningful access for all.

We remain fully committed to working with all partners to ensure that the legacy of Tunis 25 continues to guide global digital cooperation toward equity, inclusion, security, and shared prosperity.

I thank you. Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Since the adoption of the Geneva Declaration and Plan of Action, the Tunis Agenda, and the WSIS Plus 10 Outcomes, the World Summit on the Information Society has provided a unique multilateral framework for advancing a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society.

The WSIS Plus 20 Review offers a critical opportunity to take stock of progress, address persistent gaps, and renew commitments in light of profound technological change. Over the past two decades, digital technologies have evolved at an unprecedented pace. Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and advanced connectivity, are reshaping economies, transforming modes of production, and creating new opportunities for innovation.

For developing countries, these technologies hold significant potential to accelerate structural transformation, expand access to services, enhance productivity, and support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the same time, the group underscores that the WSIS process remains of vital importance for developing countries. Despite notable progress, many developing countries continue to face structural digital divides in access, affordability, skills, infrastructure, and meaningful connectivity. These divides risk reinforcing existing inequalities and limiting the ability of developing countries to fully benefit from digital transformation.

In this regard, the group notes with concern that many of the commitments contained in the Geneva and Tunis outcomes, particularly those related to means of implementation, have not yet been fully realized.

Financing remains a central challenge. Adequate, predictable, and affordable financing is indispensable to extend digital infrastructure, promote universal and meaningful connectivity, and close the digital divides within and between countries.

The group also wishes to draw attention to the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures which hinder the ability of affected countries to access technologies, digital infrastructure, and related services.

Such measures undermine international cooperation, impede sustainable development, and restrict the legitimate right of countries to harness technology for the benefit of their peoples. Furthermore, the group reaffirms the importance of digital sovereignty, including the right of states to exercise authority over their national data in accordance with their legal frameworks and development priorities.

India governments must support development objectives, ensure equitable benefit sharing, and respect national ownership. We recognize that no single country or stakeholder or small group, therefore, should be allowed to monopolize or control the internet core infrastructure. At the same time, we recognize that rapid technological progress also brings new and evolving risks.

These include ethical concerns, social disruption, labor market impacts, data misuse, and widening inequalities. Addressing these risks requires inclusive international cooperation, policy coherence, and a balanced approach that enables innovation while safeguarding development and human well-being. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Iraq, and I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, the Republic of Korea heavily welcomes the convening of this meeting to review the achievements of the World Summit on the Information Society over the past 20 years and provides guidance for the way forward.

We express our sincere appreciation to the co-facilitators, member states, and all stakeholders for their contributions to the outcome documented through extensive consultations and collective efforts.

Over the past two decades, the multi-stakeholder approach implemented by WSIS has served as a core foundation for advancing the Information Society. Beyond intergovernmental cooperation, we believe that the perspectives and expertise of diverse stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, and technical community, and academia, who directly shape and experience global digital transformation are essential to effectively addressing the complex challenges arising from digital transformation.

In this regard, the Republic of Korea believes it’s important to reaffirm the multi-stakeholder model in the outcome document. We also welcome and support the establishment of the Internet Governance Forum on a permanent basis. A predictable and stable foundation will enable the IGF to respond more effectively to emerging challenges in Internet governance and to further develop as an inclusive platform, linking global discussions with regional and national implementation.

In this context, Korea continues to contribute through the Korean Internet Governance Forum and cooperation with regional IGF initiatives. The Republic of Korea agrees that international efforts to strengthen meaningful connectivity must continue and support the important role of the International Telecommunication Union in implementing WSIS outcomes.

With respect to artificial intelligence, we welcome the reflection of the international approach to AI governance under the Global Digital Compact in the WSIS outcome document. While AI presents significant opportunities, it also entails new challenges, and we believe that responsible and inclusive use of AI should be promoted through cooperation within the United Nations system.

Finally, we support strengthening coherence and alignment between WSIS and the GDC and underscore the importance of avoiding duplication and fragmentation across the UN system. In this regard, we believe the UN Group on the Information Society has an important role to play in facilitating coordination in line with the respective mandates and resources. The Republic of Korea remains committed to working closely with all stakeholders to advance an inclusive and sustainable information society.

Thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of the Republic of Korea, and now I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Sweden.

Mr. President, the possibility of digital technologies is enormous. For societies, it creates opportunities for increased economic and social growth and prosperity while giving individuals easier access to information and to education, as well as to health and medical services.

Multilateral and multistakeholder cooperation is crucial for our common digital future. An important milestone in this regard was last year’s adoption of the Global Digital Compact, the first comprehensive framework for global governance of digital technologies, including AI. Sweden is actively engaged in its implementation.

The UN Specialized Agency for Information and Communication Technology, the ITU, is an important arena for international cooperation. Being one of the founders of the ITU, Sweden has always been engaged in and contributing to the development of the organization’s mandate and objectives. We are also firmly supportive of the WSIS processes.

Digital transformation is not only a technical issue, but a fundamental requirement for participating fully in society today. Sweden has long supported and been a driving force in the development and expansion of telecommunications networks, broadband, and mobile telephony at national, regional, and global levels. Over the past 10 years, the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority has contributed to capacity building in more than 30 countries, providing assistance in knowledge building and advice with the aim of contributing to an effective digital infrastructure for all.

Sweden is convinced that the global digital divide must be bridged to realize the full potential of digital transformation. Both technical resources and digital skills are needed to bridge the digital divide. Sweden is actively involved in numerous international cooperation fora aimed at raising the level of digital skills.

Sweden strives to enhance digital inclusion at global level by working for greater connectivity and digital skills and know-how. This includes responsible data use, funding, and procurement, with a focus of leaving no one behind in strategic digital investments. Digital technologies are reshaping societies at an unprecedented level and speed.

They present both opportunities for enhanced respect for human rights and risks in terms of the right to privacy, surveillance, censorship, and digital exclusion. Increasingly, risks of cybersecurity and critical dependency need to be taken into account. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, open, safe, secure, and trusted digital space and digital connectivity.

connectivity for all that respects, protects, and promotes all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA, Sweden supports the broadband efforts to achieve universal access to information and communication technology and connectivity with a particular emphasis on reducing the digital gender divide.

Everyone must be included in the digital transformation. Everyone has the same human rights online as offline. I thank you.

And now I would like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lebanon.

President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Lebanon has the honor to participate in this high-level meeting following the conclusion of the review of WSIS at its 20th year university university. We reiterate our commitment to the goals set out at the summit toward an inclusive information society which is human-centered and development-centered. Lebanon actively participated in the review process for WSIS Plus 20 throughout this year.

We’ve made our contributions to the open negotiations, and we engaged in in-depth discussions with stakeholders on the subsequent drafting of the document. We did so in partnership with Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and we provided a joint written contribution to the deliberations. That shows our deep conviction that digital development can proceed only through collaboration in processes and through participation by stakeholders.

Lebanon is facing major challenges in terms of infrastructure and information and communications technology due to years of economic and financial pressure. However, these circumstances have bolstered our resolve to craft an environment, a digital, a modern, resilient, and secure digital environment. The Lebanese minister for communications ensured the creation of a ministry of information technology and for artificial intelligence, and for digital governance and our national strategy for artificial intelligence.

What’s more, the Internet Governance Forum for Lebanon has become a effective platform bringing together the government, the private sector, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders in open and constructive dialogue.

Thanks to this forum, Lebanon has contributed to the ecosystem of global governance forums, global Internet Governance Forums, conveying its national vision and ensuring the participation of stakeholders in the elaboration of digital policies.

This experience has strengthened our support for the processes of the WSIS Plus 20, aiming to ensure that this becomes a main UN effort. The review of WSIS reminds us that technology is not a privilege, and it’s not only a certain category or it’s not something for a certain region, but it’s for everyone, and developed countries and developing countries alike need to draw on the benefits of these technologies.

And developing countries risk being left out if there’s no international cooperation. Lebanon has firmly committed to the World Information Society Summit goals, and we will continue to work for a digital future that is more inclusive, secure, and multistakeholder. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Lebanon. And now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Mr. Under Secretary General, first I would like to thank you for being here, and I would like to thank Albania and Kenya for their role as co-facilitators and for leading the negotiations of our outcome document, which I hope we will be able to adopt tomorrow afternoon.

For Peru, WSIS Plus 20 is a historic opportunity to renew our global commitment to digital transformation that will uphold development and reduce inequalities. This summit has a fundamental premise. The digital divide cannot be separated from the social divide.

The digital transformation cannot be limited to the rollout of technology. It should be people-centered. In that sense, Peru reaffirms the centrality of science, technology, and innovation as engines of the information society, with a clear emphasis on developing human capacities.

The goal is not just accessing information, but rather understanding it and transforming it into knowledge, productivity, and opportunities for economic and social development. Esteemed colleagues, WSIS Plus 20 should strengthen a structured and coherent international cooperation under the leadership of the United Nations system, avoiding fragmentation and aligning efforts, resources, and priorities.

Financing should be geared, among other things, toward public digital infrastructure, digital public goods, and capacities, ensuring thus significant and sustainable connectivity. We should boost demos and pilot projects in strategic areas, such as digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence for development, the digital transformation of the state, education, health, agriculture, among so many other spheres, with measurable results, as well as knowledge transfer and scalability.

For all of this, we must always bear in mind that inclusion and equity are not secondary concerns. The participation of countries with wider gaps, along with the strengthening of local capacities, is a structural condition for information societies. Peru will work constructively with all those that are working so that WSIS Plus 20 can offer results that are implementable, with measurable impacts, clear responsibilities, and concrete benefits for all.

The government of Peru, for instance, yesterday created a multi-sectorial working group in order to develop Peru’s digital agenda 2026-2030. And in that sense, we would like to join not just the consensus to approve the draft resolution, we would also like to highlight the indefinite renewal of the Internet Governance Forum and the call to support a wider participation of developing countries in its deliberations.

Thank you very much.

I would like to thank the Distinguished Delegate of Peru.

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Colleagues, Latvia welcomes this high-level meeting on WSIS Plus 20 review and is delighted to share this occasion with a vibrant community of stakeholders. Latvia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. Latvia looks forward to the adoption of the WSIS Plus 20 review outcome document.

The outcome should reinforce what made WSIS visionary two decades ago and has since become indispensable. It must chart a path towards ensuring that the Internet develops as an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure resource that is accessible and that benefits all humanity. It must reinforce the effective, trusted, and inclusive multi-stakeholder governance model and make the Internet Governance Forum permanent.

It must strengthen links and alignment between key development agendas for inclusive and sustainable digital future, WSIS vision and action lines, the global digital compact, and the sustainable development goals.

The outcome also must respond to challenges we are grappling with as communities whose private, work, and civic lives are increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, services, and transactions. It is therefore critical that we anchor the next decade of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes in inclusive, human-centric, and human rights-based approach and multi-stakeholder cooperation. Information integrity is an area of particular concern.

It needs to be safeguarded and promoted, especially in the era of generative AI. Citizens need information ecosystems that they can trust to deliver knowledge and reliable information. Governments cannot do it alone.

Private companies, especially online platforms and AI companies, need to uphold and respect standards for transparency and accountability. They can also lead the way. For example, Latvian company Tilde just released a new open-source AI model.

particularly geared towards the need of smaller European languages and can be used by public administrations and businesses to deliver trustworthy and reliable information to the publics. The WSIS process remains critical to closing global digital divides and to making technological progress benefit all societies. To avoid new disparities, fragmentation and dependencies, we need active global outreach, multi-stakeholder partnerships for capacity building, financing for connectivity and digital skill development.

In Latvia we are focused on delivering fast internet connectivity, a complete array of digital public services and on upgrading the digital skills of our citizens. Latvia is open to share its experience and expertise as we already do through development cooperation initiatives in Ukraine, Africa, Central Asia and elsewhere. For instance, just recently our mission in New York partnered with the Latvian NGA Riga Tech Girls to organize an online webinar on digital literacy for small island developing states.

To conclude, you can count on Latvia remaining engaged in WSIS processes to support a digital transformation that is inclusive, human-centric and human rights-based and delivered through multi-stakeholder cooperation.

I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Latvia and now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. President. Indonesia wishes to begin by welcoming the convening of this high-level meeting of WSIS plus 20 review.

We also wish to extend appreciation to the permanent representative of Kenya and Albania for their able leadership in co-facilitating the outcome document of this process. Excellencies, Indonesia stands at the intersection of scale and speed. With a population over 275 million and more than 229 million internet users, we are among the world’s largest and fastest growing digital societies.

This scale presents both immense opportunity and profound responsibility. Digital transformation for us is not an abstract ambition but a reality that must deliver tangible benefits for all. Guided by the Asta Cita, the vision of President Prabowo Subianto toward 2045 golden Indonesia, Indonesia reaffirms its commitment to a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented information society.

We also advocate for an equitable digital governance system that reflects the needs and realities of developing countries. We see digital transformation as a cross-cutting enabler, a means to expand economic opportunity, improve public service delivery, strengthen national resilience and accelerate progress toward the SDGs.

In this spirit, allow me to highlight three key areas where Indonesia’s national efforts feed into the WSIS vision and action lines. First, expanding connectivity and closing digital divides. For an archipelagic nation of more than 17,000 islands, connectivity is equity.

Indonesia’s internet penetration now exceeds 80% with more than 95% of populated areas covered by high-speed digital networks, spanning from 4G, 5G and broadband networks. National fiber optic backbone is stretching tens of thousands of kilometers, digitally linking and connecting more islands. These investments are complemented by sustained efforts in digital skills, literacy and community empowerment, ensuring that connectivity translates into meaningful access.

The goal is simple, no one left online and no one left behind. Second, harnessing the digital economy for inclusive growth. Indonesia’s digital economy is projected to exceed 300 billion US dollars by 2030.

To unlock this potential, we are aligning regulation, strengthening digital payments and accelerating MSME digitalization. Moreover, through partnership with stakeholders, we are turning connectivity and innovation into productivity and progress. Digital payments now account for a rapidly growing share of retail transactions.

As it develops, more than 22 million MSMEs are already on boarded onto digital platforms, driven by inclusive fintech ecosystems and interoperable quick response QR system, which has also been adopted by a growing number of partner countries, enabling seamless cross-border payments.

Third, promoting inclusive and trusted digital governance. The enactment of Indonesia’s personal data protection law aligns our national data governance with international standards and strengthen safeguards, including for children. These protections are embedded within Indonesia’s digital public infrastructure in the forms of secure digital payment, digital identity systems and integrated e-government platform, ensuring that digital progress is safe trusted and accountable.

At the same time, Indonesia is also preparing for the next frontier by advancing national frameworks on artificial intelligence governance, anchored in ethical, responsible and inclusive principles. Excellencies, in closing, Indonesia’s message is clear. Scale must serve people, speed must deliver inclusion and digital progress must earn trust.

We stand ready to collaborate with all member states and stakeholders in advancing the WSIS vision, reaffirming our commitment to leveraging digital transformation as a force for prosperity and sustainable development for all.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia, and now I give the floor to distinguished representative of the Kingdom of Netherlands. You have the floor, ma’am.

Thank you, Chair. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, I’m delighted to be here at the WSIS plus 20 high-level meeting and to address you on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Let me begin by thanking the Albanian and Kenyan co-facilitators, as well as their teams and the UN Secretariat for their tireless efforts.

We are especially appreciative of your inclusive and open engagement with the multi-stakeholder community. The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns with the EU statement and looks forward to the adoption of the WSIS plus 20 review outcome document. We urge all member states to join consensus.

This week’s outcome will reaffirm the principles that have guided WSIS since its inception, a shared commitment to a digital future grounded in human rights, sustainable development, openness, and inclusive multi-stakeholder collaboration.

For the Netherlands, the protection and promotion of human rights online, as well as offline, remains essential. We must ensure that human rights are embedded across the entire life cycle of digital technologies. We therefore underline the important role of the Office of the High Commissioner and the outcome documents human-centric and human rights-based approach.

The Netherlands firmly believe that internet governance must continue to be global and multi-stakeholder in nature for it to be the most effective, legitimate, and resilient. The full involvement of governments, the private sector, civil society, technical and academic communities, and all other stakeholders remain essential for the internet to be open, global, interoperable, stable, free, and secure.

We support the decision to establish a permanent mandate for a strengthened IGF, which has proven its value at the primary multi-stakeholder platform for discussion of internet governance issues. Sustainable funding for the IGF is essential to implement further improvements. The Netherlands will continue its long-standing financial support to the IGF, provided since its establishment in 2006, and will actively contribute to further strengthening its inclusive, bottom-up, and open character.

We thank fellow donors and all stakeholders for their continued commitment. We strongly call for continuing alignment of the WSIS and the Global Digital Compact implementation, as well as with the strong link with the sustainable development goals up to and beyond 2030. President, we have made tremendous progress these past two decades, yet a third of the world’s population is still not connected to the internet.

The Netherlands underlines the critical importance of closing digital divides, including the gender digital divide. Everyone should be able to have meaningful access to the internet and become digitally literate, so everyone can reap the benefits of digital transformation. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Kingdom of Netherlands. We have heard the last speaker for this morning’s meeting. We shall continue this afternoon at three o’clock in this hall.

The meeting is adjourned.