Assembly is called to order. Before continuing with the high-level meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society mandated for December 16th and 17th, 2025, the Assembly will now resume its consideration of the report of the third committee.

The documentation under this item is listed in the Journal of the United Nations. Members will recall at the 62nd plenary meeting on December 15th, 2025, the vote on draft amendment A-80-L40 to draft resolution 23, entitled Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, Amplified Barriers in Diverse Contexts, was equally divided.

Subsequently, at its 63rd plenary meeting on the same day, the Assembly decided to postpone consideration of the draft amendment instead of proceeding to the second vote on it that meeting. As members were informed at that time, in accordance with Rule 95 of the Rules of Procedure, I quote, if a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections, a second vote shall be taken at a subsequent meeting which shall be held within 48 hours of the first vote.

Accordingly, while briefly suspending the ongoing high-level meeting, members are now invited to proceed to the second vote on on the draft amendment to be immediately followed by the vote on draft resolution 23.

As announced in the Journal of the United Nations, action on the remaining draft resolutions and decision recommended by the Committee will be taken tomorrow afternoon. In accordance with Rule 95 of the Rules of Procedure, a second vote will now be taken on the draft amendment contained in Document A-80-L40. We will now begin the voting process.

Those in favour of draft amendment A-80-L40, please signify. Those against, abstentions. The Assembly is now voting for the second time on draft amendment A-80-L40.

This vote is not listed on the information note. Will all delegations confirm that the votes are accurately reflected on the screen? I repeat, will all delegations confirm that the votes are accurately reflected on the screen?

May I ask, we see some delegations in the corridor, should we take our time because this is our second vote. We want to be clear. So this is now the final call.

I hand over to the secretariat again to follow the rules of procedure.

For the final time, will all delegations confirm that the votes are accurately reflected on the screen immediately after which the voting machine will be locked. The voting has been completed. Please lock the machine.

The result of the vote is as follows, in favour 81, against 77, abstentions 15. Draft amendment A-80-L40 is adopted. I now put to the vote draft resolution 23 recommended by the committee in its report entitled Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, Amplified Barriers in Diverse Contexts, as amended.

We shall now begin the voting process. Those in favour of the draft resolution as amended, please signify those against abstentions.

The Assembly is now voting on Draft Resolution 23 as amended, entitled Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol Thereto Amplified Barriers in Diverse Contexts.

Will all delegations confirm that the votes are accurately reflected on the screen? The voting has been completed. Please lock the machine.

The result of the vote is as follows. In favour 176, against 2, abstentions 0. Draft Resolution 23 as amended is adopted.

Action on Draft Resolution 25 onwards in the report will be taken, as I said, tomorrow, Thursday, December 18, 2025, in the afternoon, as announced in the Journal of the United Nations. As mentioned at the 62nd Plenary Meeting, after action on all draft resolutions and decisions recommended by the Committee, there will be an opportunity for statements in explanation of votes after the vote on any or all of them in one intervention.

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of the report of the Third Committee. I thank you. The Assembly will now resume its High-Level Meeting.

And if delegations have to change, because this is an important High-Level Meeting, I give a couple of seconds, but I would like to ask you to move, that we can restart with the High-Level Meeting. Thank you very much for the smooth process. Good morning and welcome to those who joined now for the high-level meeting.

The Assembly will resume its high-level meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society under agenda item 15. Before proceeding further, I should like to inform members that action on the outcome document contained in A-80-L41 will be taken this afternoon following the conclusion of statements in plenary. The Assembly will continue to hear statements in plenary in accordance with Resolutions 79A.

stroke 277. 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. Like yesterday, I would like to encourage all speakers to stay in this time limit.

Having said this, I would like to appeal to all speakers as well to deliver their statements at a reasonable pace to facilitate interpretations into the six official languages. I now give the floor to His Excellency Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.

It is obvious that both the global economy and global politics have been entering into a new era. Simultaneously, we are living in the age of dangers and in a time of global technological revolution. And it is simultaneously true that we are being faced with the threat of the outbreak of the Third World War, and in the meantime, we see the way towards the most modern economy we could imagine.

This brings the world to face a tremendous question, may I say a dramatic dilemma. Whether we go for a peaceful global cooperation based on connectivity enjoying a sustainable growth of global economy and the modern economy, including information society, or we become the victims of a war fanatism in a world which might be divided into blocks, a world which might come into a war situation which would end up in destroying ourselves.

We Hungarians have been living in a neighborhood of a war in the heart of Europe for the fourth consecutive year now. We have been faced with tremendous political attacks for four continued years because of representing a position which can be described as pro-peace. And in the meantime, we have been witnessing hundreds of billions of euros being spent senseless on a war, on a corrupt state system, instead of spending money on peaceful economic development, taking advantage of the latest developments in global economy, including artificial intelligence, digitalization, and information society.

I would like to express our greatest respect to those who are standing up for peace, for peaceful cooperation, and a peaceful economic development. We show our greatest respect to the President of the United States for all his efforts in order to make peace all over the world, thus making the basis for an economic development all over. Hungary supports these efforts worldwide wholeheartedly.

We would like to welcome and encourage the highest possible level talks between the United States and the Russian Federation because we know that this is a very important issue. that this is the only way to solution. We all know that many try to undermine such kind of efforts.

We know that so far, many attempts have been made in order to undermine efforts towards peace. But we hope that those who have done such kind of attempts will not continue in the future. We Hungarians want peace.

We Hungarians want a peaceful development. We Hungarians have lost four decades in the last century as being on the wrong end of a world being divided into blocks. We know how war fanaticism can ruin those opportunities which are being offered by a global economic development, by modern technology, by information society, by digitalization and by artificial intelligence.

We Hungarians do not want to lose another decades in this century. We don’t even want to lose one single year anymore because we know how it feels. You can always count on us Hungarians when it comes to peace, when it comes to peaceful development, and when it comes to creating the most modern economy to the benefit of our people all over the world.

Thank you so much.

I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. I give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Cuba, followed by Thailand and Colombia.

Madam President, Excellencies, the World Summit on the Information Society, and marking its 20th anniversary today, clearly established a connection between ICTs and development. Developing countries managed to have the digital divide recognized as a new form of structural inequalities. The summit raised this issue from the technical level up to the multilateral political agenda and today, two decades later, it has been shown without a doubt that digital technologies represent fundamental tools for countries’ development.

Nevertheless, we have, however, also confirmed that the positive impact of these technologies is considerably lower in developing countries compared to that in developed countries. This inequality is not accidental. It is the result of an unjust and undemocratic international economic order and also of the implementation of unilateral coercive measures which contravene international law and the charter of the United Nations, hindering the development in affected countries.

In the case of Cuba, the illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States for more than six decades constitutes the main obstacle to our technological, economic and social development.

It prevents us from acquiring technology, accessing financing and fully participating in the global knowledge economy. And we therefore underscore the urgent need for the structural barriers that prevent emerging digital technologies from contributing to the fulfillment of the 2030 agenda to be removed. To achieve this, the efforts of developing countries are not enough.

They must be supported by concrete actions that facilitate access to markets, financing on fair and preferential terms, unconditional transfer of technology and genuine North-South cooperation. Alignment in the implementation of the World Summit of the Information Society, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact offers an opportunity to move in this direction and to strengthen international cooperation.

However, it is crucial for the monitoring and review framework to be streamlined and inclusive, strengthening intergovernmental spaces so that all governments and especially those of developing countries can perform their roles and responsibilities with regard to digital governance at the global level.

It is imperative for the countries of the South to participate actively in discussions relating to decisions that affect us directly. President, Excellencies, the Declaration of Principles in the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society established a shared vision to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society where everyone has the opportunity to create, share and use knowledge to improve lives.

Regrettably, that noble purpose continues to be aspirational for a large proportion of humanity. It is now down to us to make the shared vision that we had 20 years ago a reality. Let us ensure that the Information Society does not become an empty promise but an effective right for all.

I thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Cuba. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Thailand.

Madam President, at the outset I wish to extend, on behalf of my delegation, our sincere appreciation to you and the Secretary for organising this important and very timely meeting. 20 years ago in Geneva we came up with a shared vision through the Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action with the common objective of building a people-centred, development-oriented, equitable and inclusive information society that would enable all individuals and communities to benefit.

from the opportunities offered by information and technologies. Ten years later, the Tunis agenda further strengthened the foundations for addressing the evolving digital landscape, emphasizing international cooperation and enabling role of ICTs in advancing sustainable development and bridging the digital divide.

Now, as we approach the 20th anniversary of the WSIS process, are we collectively where we wanted to be? Madam President, the digital landscape has evolved at an unprecedented rate, driven by rapid innovation and technological development. Indeed, this process has demonstrated adaptability and continued relevance, but we must also be vigilant of the challenges that have emerged alongside this transformation.

Digital divides persist and in some cases have widened. Access remains uneven, inequalities are deepening, and technological developments remained unaffordable or inaccessible to many, many people. Thailand believes that this high-level meeting provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on how we can be more effective in addressing the structural and emerging challenges that may hinder the full realization of WSIS objectives.

Allow me to share a few points. First of all, innovation must be inclusive. Digital development should be designed to benefit people, bridging the digital divides required.

investment in connectivity, affordability, and digital skills as well as policies that promote universal and meaningful access to digital technologies. And at the same time, digital innovation must be sustainable in the long term. This includes ensuring that digital transformation supports environmental sustainability, promotes responsible use of resources, and contributes positively to economic and social development.

And secondly, digital development must be safe, equitable, and rooted in trust. Adequate, appropriate governance frameworks of digital development are essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and protection of users. Such governance should also promote broader participation and meaningful engagement of stakeholders in line with multi-stakeholder spirit of the RISD process.

Ensuring safe digital development also means addressing the increasingly serious and complex challenges related to cybersecurity and cybercrime. These threats undermine trust in the digital environment and can erode the socio-economic benefits of digitalization. Therefore, it is very essential, very crucial to invest in capacity building to enhance national and individual resilience against cyber threats.

Equally important is, of course, the promotion of digital literacy and digital awareness, empowering people with the skills to navigate the digital space safely, enable them to protect themselves from online fraud, misinformation, and cyber threats.

And lastly, multi-stakeholder cooperation remains. The complexity of cross-border nature of digital issues require inclusive collaboration among governance, private sectors, technical communities, civil society, academia, and of course international organizations.

Strengthened partnerships can foster innovation, share best practices, mobilize resources, and ensure that diverse perspectives contribute to shaping the future direction of digital development. Madam President, Thailand reaffirms our steadfast commitment to the WSIS vision. We also look forward to working with all partners to advance future digital transformation and to shape a digital future that empowers people, bridges divides, and strengthens trust which serve as a catalyst for sustainable development and prosperity for all.

I thank you so much for your kind attention.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Thailand. May I remind delegations again of speaking limits of three minutes for individual delegations. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Austria followed by Colombia and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, let me begin by aligning with the statement made on behalf of the European Union. the World Summit on the Information Society, we came together with a shared vision of a digital space open to all and to promote sustainable development by ensuring that everyone, everyone can benefit from the opportunities of digitalization.

Since then, our phones got smart, an increasing number of jobs can be done remotely, and AI has entered our homes, offices, and classrooms. Yet while digital innovation is at full speed, digital divides persist. This makes it all the more important to strengthen our efforts for an inclusive and open information society for all.

Austria therefore welcomes the WSIS plus 20 review and supports the adoption of the outcome document. I would like to highlight four quick points. First, the strength of the WSIS process lies in its multi-stakeholder approach.

Austria has actively promoted this approach from the beginning, not least by the Austrian member of the IGF leadership panel, Governor Karoline Edstadler. We welcome the anticipated outcome document that the anticipated outcome document renders the Internet Governance Forum permanent. Second, digital transformation needs to be driven by a human-centric and a human rights-based approach.

This is also a necessity for sustainable development. Third, we need coherence in our approach and avoid fragmentation. Hence it is crucial to ensure a strong link between the WSIS processes and activities, the Global Digital Compact as our strategic guide, and the SDGs.

Fourth and last, Austria advocates for the strengthening of partnerships, especially with developing countries, to stay on track for sustainable development, reduce persistent inequalities, inequalities enclose all digital divides.

Madam President, Austria will continue to be actively engaged in the WSIS process. We will continue to strive for an information society in which everyone, everywhere can participate and benefit from the potential of digital transformation. In this context, I’m also proud to co-chair the next Forum for Science, Technology and Innovation together with my friend from Zambia in New York in May 2026.

I thank you under the time limit. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Austria. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Colombia recognizes the importance of this 20-year review of the World Summit on Information Society. It comes at a critical juncture for us to reaffirm a person-centered, inclusive and development-oriented vision. Under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro, in Colombia we have adopted a national policy which links digital technologies to social justice, environmental protection and human dignity.

In this framework, we recognize that technology and innovation are essential tools for us to address global challenges, for us to close structural gaps and to achieve the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

We do not want to stay on the current course in which the countries of the South are trapped in technological dependence which will further deepen global asymmetries. We are grateful for the work of Kenya and Albania as the co-facilitators that carried out a broad consultation process with the interested stakeholders, stressing the multi-stakeholder governance model that has been strengthened through spaces such as the Internet Governance Forum.

Madam President, my country values the progress that has been achieved since Geneva and Tunis, such as the expansion of connectivity and access to the Internet. Today these are essential things for having access to essential services. However, digital divides and structural gaps remain, and they threaten to deepen inequalities, especially in developing countries and with a disproportionate effect on vulnerable groups.

For that reason, looking ahead, we need to adopt an articulated joint implementation of WSIS and the Global Digital Compact, and to coordinate these digital governance mechanisms and to avoid duplication, as well as strengthening interoperability and compatibility in regulatory terms between countries.

We trust that cooperation mechanisms will help ensure common principles and approaches that protect human rights, as well as advancing the development of local capacities and inclusive technologies and defending an open, secure and equitable digital infrastructure.

Madam President, we are aware of the risks associated with accelerated technological development and it is necessary that we protect privacy, the ethical processing of personal data and also that we combat disinformation, hate speech and human rights violations in digital environments.

We must act together to eradicate all forms of sexual and gender-based violence that are facilitated by technologies and which limit the full participation of women in the digital environment and prevent them from benefiting from it.

Lastly, we call for the mobilization of adequate and predictable funding for digital infrastructure and for capacity building, ensuring the effective participation of the Global South in the information society.

Thank you very much.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Colombia. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Brazil.

Madam President, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, We believe in dialogue. We believe in diplomacy. We believe in the UN.

We are about to conclude the WSIS Plus 20 review process. These are the final moments of a long journey and not an easy one, trying to strengthen, make it more effective. and update the governance of the global digital ecosystem.

The results of this collective endeavor may not be the ideal outcome for many delegations. It was, however, the compromise that we, member states and other stakeholders, were able to achieve given the circumstance we had to face along the way. As a developing country, Brazil shares many concerns with countries in the Global South.

We seek, as a matter of priority, a development-centered approach to close the digital divides, promote digital inclusion, and reduce asymmetries. For this to happen, we need a multilateral system that is responsive to the demands of the global majority to ensure respect for international law, human rights, environmental sustainability, and digital sovereignty.

We believe the UN can play a key role in this regard. We believe emerging technologies should not become new drivers of exclusion or inequality. Digital tools should be harnessed to deliver tangible improvements in the quality of life of people worldwide.

Our goal here was to avoid duplication and strike a balance between new initiatives such as the Global Digital Compact and the WSIS architecture, making the most of positive results already achieved over the years.

We had to go the extra mile to advocating for human rights, the empowerment of women and girls, and the 2030 Agenda, the SDGs, just to mention a few, to prevent pushbacks in these crucial topics. And there is more. We attach great importance to the paragraphs related to artificial intelligence, a general-purpose technology that is at the center of the technological revolution.

The UN should not shy away from the challenges presented by AI systems, which bring great potential but also present new risks that need to be addressed. Despite efforts by the G7 to 7, the draft resolution on the table remains silent on the growing fragilization of the labor rights, driven by the widespread adoption of AI. This omission is particularly striking given the centrality of decent work and social inclusion to the information society agenda.

It risks disconnecting our efforts from the harsh realities of workers facing job displacement. Also, information integrity remains a top priority for Brazil. Clearly, very large online platforms have a systemic impact on the erosion of trustworthy information and the polarization of public discourse.

We believe states have the legitimate authority to regulate and enforce rules in the digital domain to protect our citizens. In a nutshell, what is illegal offline must be illegal online. We welcome the reference to the NetMundial Plus10 conference held last year in Brazil.

The São Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines were adopted in a spirit of balanced representation and openness for the participation of all stakeholders in Internet governance and digital policy processes.

We fully support the implementation of the guidelines. the Internet Governance Forum as an inclusive venue for dialogue on global digital issues. The IGF should not only become permanent, but have a secretariat with predictable resources to ensure its effective functioning and continuity.

We encourage governments to have a more active role in the discussions with other stakeholders within the IGF and beyond. In the end, it’s a matter of better coordination among all interested parties. Our national delegation here today has members from all sectors of Brazilian society engaged in Internet and digital governance.

That’s the Brasilia effect, embracing diversity, building bridges, coming together as one. Why? Because we believe in dialogue.

We believe in diplomacy. We believe in the UN. Thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Brazil. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Italy. Delegates are reminded that statements are limited to three minutes for individual delegations.

Thank you. Madam President, Distinguished Delegates, dear friends. Italy fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union delegations and wishes to adhere to what follows from the national perspective.

The World Summit on Information Society stands at the heart of global efforts to harness the power of information and communication technologies for social and economic development. Since its inception in 2003, WSIS has provided a vital platform for governments, private sectors, for civil society and technical communities to work together in shaping the future of the digital world.

The challenges and opportunities presented by the digital revolution are profound. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the need for policies that promote inclusive development, universal access to digital technologies, and the respect of human rights online is greater than ever.

Italy has been a firm advocate of this vision. We believe that technology must serve as a tool for empowerment, equality, and sustainability. For this reason, Italy remains deeply committed to fostering a digital ecosystem that is inclusive, accessible, ethical, and designed to benefit all people, in line with the achievements of the SDGs.

Central to the success of WSIS is the multi-stakeholder approach. The latter recognizes that no single group or sector can shape the future of the digital space alone. Governments, business, civil society, and technical communities must all come together to collaborate, share knowledge, and find solutions that are both effective and equitable.

Italy is an active supporter of this approach to ensure that digital policies reflect the diverse needs and priorities of all stakeholders. Furthermore, we recognize the crucial role of the Internet Governance Forum in supporting this inclusive model. The IGF was established to provide a platform for open and transparent discussion on the governance of the Internet that are not limited to governments.

The IGF ensures that all voices, from governments to civil society, are heard in shaping the rules and norms that guide the global digital landscape. Bearing in mind the importance of this approach, in 2023, Italy established a national IGF committee, which offers an opportunity for exchange of views to all relevant stakeholders. Being the IGF a very precious tool for the benefit of society, Italy welcomes the establishment of its permanent mandate through this outcome document.

In closing, Italy will continue to support the advancement of WSIS. We are committed to ensuring that by upholding fundamental principles, identifying appropriate resources and building capacity. Together, we can shape a secure and prosperous digital future for all people and communities, where no one is left behind.

I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Italy. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Namibia.

Madam President, Namibia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Iraq on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We reaffirm our collective commitment to building a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented information society. Information and communication technologies play a central role in advancing education, improving health care delivery, strengthening public administration and expanding economic opportunities, particularly for youth, women and those in rural communities.

In this regard, Namibia emphasizes that universal, affordable and meaningful connectivity must remain a global priority. This includes investments in resilient digital infrastructure, particularly in underserved and remote areas, as well as policies that promote competition, innovation and affordability. At the same time, access must be accompanied by digital literacy and capacity building to ensure that all citizens can participate safely and productively in the digital economy.

While progress has been made regarding access, significant challenges remain. Persistent digital divides continue to limit equitable access to connectivity, digital skills and affordable technologies in developing countries. These challenges are compounded by constrained fiscal space, high cost of digital infrastructure, and limited access to concessional financing for digital development.

Cybercrime remains a serious concern that requires concerted collective solutions. Furthermore, there is a need to establish a global governance framework on artificial intelligence in order to mitigate associated risks. Madam President, in 2023, Namibia became the first country in southern Africa to launch the National Internet Universality Indicators Assessment as part of its commitment to building an inclusive, people-centered information society in line with the WSIS Plus 20 Action Lines and the objectives of the Pact for the Future Annex I, namely the Global Digital Compact.

The assessment provides an evidence-based framework to evaluate access, affordability, digital skills, and digital governance guided by the principles of human rights, openness, responsibility, and multi-stakeholder engagement.

In addition, Namibia has integrated WSIS principles into its national vision, Vision 2030, and policies for quality living, education, and health, leveraging ICTs. Namibia further highlights the critical role of international cooperation and multi-stakeholder partnerships in advancing the WSIS Plus 20 Action Lines. Governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and international organizations must work together to mobilize resources, share knowledge, transfer technology, and support nationally driven digital strategies aligned with development priorities.

In conclusion, Namibia reaffirms her commitment to the WSIS vision and looks forward to continued collaboration to ensure that digital technologies serve as a force for inclusion, resilience, and sustainable development for all.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much, Madam President. The Geneva and Tunis architecture requires an update in light of the extreme concentration of digital power and the risks posed by increasingly complex artificial intelligence systems.

This is the challenge facing WSIS plus 20. Allow me to share three reflections. First, we must ensure identical protection of human rights in both digital and physical spaces.

This requires robust legal frameworks with binding force. Costa Rica has developed legislation on personal data protection and digital identity that meets international standards. Enhanced protection for children, youth and women constitutes an obligation under international law.

The digital ecosystem must be built on transparency, informed consent. And interoperability that respects national sovereignty. Second, we must strengthen multilateral governance with the effective participation of all stakeholders.

As co-facilitators of the International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, we know that legitimacy requires genuine collaboration among states, civil society, academia and the private sector.

The governance of emerging technologies. requires clear and transparent accountability mechanisms. Third, we must close digital divides through international cooperation and sustainable financing.

Our Hogares Conectados programme has connected hundreds of thousands of vulnerable families through targeted subsidies as well as collective procurement. This model works, but it requires international solidarity, effective technology transfer and South-South cooperation to be replicated at scale. Madam President, WSIS Plus 20 must deliver measurable commitments with verifiable indicators and align the summit with the Global Digital Compact.

Digital transformation must reduce structural inequalities and not deepen them. Only through effective multilateralism will we ensure that every person has access to the digital future. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Costa Rica. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Ethiopia aligns itself with the statement made by Iraq on behalf of G77 and China.

Allow me first to thank the co-facilitators, Kenya and Albania, and the UN Secretariat for Development. for their excellent work on the facilitation of the WSIS outcome document. At the time, some key goals of the SDGs are in reversal, ICT the major accelerator of the 2030 agenda.

Ethiopia has integrated the transformative role of the digital technologies into our economic transformation strategy that advances a people-centered, inclusive, and sustainable development. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, investment in people, innovation, and digital transformation is at the front and center of a digital Ethiopia that is strong, sovereign, and ready to seize future opportunities.

Our recently released Digital Ethiopia 2030 vision builds on past progresses while recognizing the major challenges facing the country. Ethiopia is already leveraging digital technologies across various sectors such as agriculture, energy, manufacturing, services, and tourism with scale and speed. Digital platforms are transforming public service delivery.

Over 800 services have been digitized under the massive one-stop service centers. Public administration is going digital as taxpayers now use e-filing systems and electronic single window program. Ethiopia is also driving a digital marketplace as we open our digital economy to global and regional investors.

Our digital payments ecosystem processed close to 4 billion transactions last year worth about 100 million US dollars. Ethiopia’s national digital ID program is a cornerstone of our digital transformation strategy with rapid enrollment anchored in inclusivity, rights protection, and integrity. The digital identity program is a key driver of our economic growth agenda.

Crucially, it is closing the gender gap. empowering women to access social protection payments and finance, ensuring full protection in the economy. While expanding, the program now services more than 25 million people, laying the groundwork for trust and efficiency in both government and business.

However, several challenges persist in key areas. This includes limited digital literacy, infrastructure and usage gaps, high logistics costs, cyber threats, and a digital economy contributing just a modest portion of gross domestic product. The government is aligning resources, partnerships, and national efforts in its commitment to drive meaningful, lasting, and human-centered progress.

Excellencies, as we look forward to the next two decades, global cooperation and governance must be focused on addressing the significant and persistent digital divides between and within countries and regions.

Ethiopia stands ready to work with all partners in fully utilizing the unprecedented potential of ICTs to contribute to prosperity and sustainable development. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ethiopia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine.

Madam President, Ukraine aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. Allow me to make a few additional remarks in our national capacity. Ukraine thanks the president of the assembly for convening this high level meeting.

I also express my appreciation to Kenya and Albania as co-facilitators of this meeting. facilitators and their teams for delivering the outcome document. Ukraine is proud of its digital transformation and a little self-aware, too.

After all, we are a country where Russian missiles and drones make headlines every night, but our Wi-Fi still works, proving that digital progress requires the resilience, creativity, and very often a sense of humor.

Digitalization is a powerful enabler of sustainable development, innovation, and inclusive growth. Despite the grave consequences of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, Ukraine continues to advance its digital transformation. We are proud that Ukraine has moved from 102nd to the 5th place in the online service index of the UN e-government development index.

Our national digital platform, DIA, in English, Action, provides more than 100 public services to over 22 million users, ensuring access to documents, social support, and business services fully online.

We have learned that even under pressure of deadly Russian bombs and power cuts, Ukrainians can click, tap, and log in, often much faster than the hackers trying to disrupt us. This is digital resilience at its finest. To ensure uninterrupted education during wartime, Ukraine created MRIA, in English, The Dream, an online learning platform that allows millions of our children to study remotely despite Russia’s deliberate attacks on schools and the energy grid.

Let me tell you frankly, teaching remotely during feminine blackouts and air raid alarms requires more courage than any math test for both students and teachers. Another important initiative Strichka, in English, the ribbon or the band, especially for those who created this platform also enables to proceed. Ladies and gentlemen, let me stress that at the same time, Russian troops deliberately target civilian digital and energy infrastructure, including communication towers and data centers, while large-scale cyber operations and manipulations campaigns undermine trust in cyberspace.

But Ukrainian IT teams are relentless if countering counter-cyber attacks were an Olympic sport, our teams would surely be taking gold and still be polite enough to send you a smiling status update afterward.

In fact, all these challenges have taught us Ukrainians that resilience is not just about technology, it’s about teamwork and the occasional humor to get through the long nights. Madam President, despite all the challenges, Ukraine remains determined to use digital technologies for resilience, recovery, and sustainable growth, and to share its experience with partners pursuing inclusive and secure digital transformation.

We are committed to working closely with all partners to ensure the effective implementation of the WSIS plus 20 outcomes. Despite Russian deadly attacks, power outages, and struggles with understanding every new app update, Ukraine continues to innovate digitally, and perhaps one day an Ivy League university will offer a special course on how Ukraine mastered e-government and remote learning, all while dodging both missiles and pop-up alerts.

I thank you, Madam President.

Sorry, I thank the Distinguished Representative of Ukraine. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Kuwait.

Thank you, Madam President. At the outset, the State of Kuwait wishes to thank you for convening this meeting and we thank Member States and Kenya and Albania in particular as the co-facilitators. We deeply appreciate the efforts undertaken to arrive at this WSIS Plus 20 outcome document.

Madam President, my country finds the WSIS vision particularly important, a vision for an inclusive information society that is people-centered, also aligns with our national commitment to the SDGs and achieving them by 2030.

As set out in the outcome document, for inclusive connectivity, for reducing the digital divide and for building a safe digital ecosystem, development is accelerating and technologies are revealing challenges that require our cooperation given the deepening digital divides both within and between countries.

countries. We must protect private personal data and we must allow an opportunity for prosperity and at the same time, we must ensure that no one is left behind. In this regard, my country reiterates our attachment and the importance of international efforts to achieve digital cooperation in relation to digital governance as set out in the outcome document.

Madam President, my country is convinced that the digital transformation is a crucial goal for socio-economic development. This again is in line with our national development plan for 2035, which is based on knowledge, economy and creativity for development. This vision calls for resilient infrastructure for a better life and for sustainable development.

Nationally, my country believes that strengthening digital skills is particularly important, especially in the area of AI and also for the empowerment of women and young people. We believe that we must invest in skills. These are the main efforts we must undertake to close the digital divide.

Thanks to our fund, we have been able to mobilise resources for the sake of infrastructure in more than 100 countries. We do so because we believe that this kind of investment in the digital sphere is an investment in the future and in our populations. Madam President, we hail a strengthened role for the UN under WSIS and the Global Digital Compact.

AI governance, to put AI at the service of humanity, is necessary, and we must also ensure that human rights are respected. In conclusion, my country reiterates its commitment to work with all friendly and brotherly countries to ensure a sustainable transformation that will allow all countries of the world to make progress and to see prosperity for the future.

I thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Kuwait. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Eritrea.

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Eritrea aligns itself with the statements made by the Distinguished Delegates of Iraq on behalf of Group 77 in China and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in defense of the UN Charter.

We thank the Secretary General for his comprehensive report and welcome this review process. It’s crucial in assessing our collective journey towards an inclusive information society. The review process is a strategic opportunity to strengthen and redefine global digital cooperation.

Eritrea appreciates our collective commitment to the vision of the World Summit. information society to build a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. We believe that digital technology are key for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and welcome the nexus made with the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact.

Eritrea remains deeply concerned about the ongoing and growing digital divides, this gap exacerbated by financial, technical, and infrastructural constraints severely limits the effective participation of developing countries, especially the LDCs in the global digital economy and digital governance.

Unilateral course of measures which impede economic and social development also impede progress in digital transformation in countries affected by these harsh measures. For Eritrea, national ownership and context-specific strategies are essential in this regard. Our approach prioritizes leveraging ICTs to achieve tangible development outcomes.

This approach aims to promote digital culture, expand government services, improve public administration, and exploit technology in vital sectors such as education, health care, and agriculture. We share the concern in the report about the speed of emerging technologies such as AI, this may exceed the adaptive capabilities of the countries like ours. International cooperation should prioritize capacity building, dedicated technology transfer, and financing of public digital infrastructure.

The establishment of a working group to study future financial mechanisms for digital development as proposed in the outcome document is a step in the right direction, provided that it focuses on the concrete needs of developing countries.

Eritrea emphasizes that an open, safe, and stable digital space must respect international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We must all commit to combating the misuse and exploitation of technology to spread violence, hate speech, and disinformation. We emphasize that the right to legitimate use of technology and the Internet must take into account the responsibilities associated with it and respect morality, social and cultural values, public order, and the general well-being of the people.

In conclusion, we hope that the WSIS Plus 20 review will rekindle our collective resolve to bridge the digital, technological, and economic divide and ensure that global digital governance is inclusive and share its benefits equitably.

Eritrea is ready to engage in genuine multilateral cooperation to build a digital future that leaves no one behind, promotes sustainable development, and respects the ownership, sovereignty, diverse interests, and priorities of all nations, regardless of their size or wealth.

I thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Eritrea. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Fiji.

Madam President, Excellencies, Fiji stands firmly with the collective voice of Fiji 77 and China, as delivered by IRAG, and the Pacific Islands Forum members in New York, as delivered by Tonga. We wish to add a few comments in our national capacity. We extend our appreciation to Ambassador Janina of Albania and Ambassador Lokaale of Kenya, their teams, and the Secretariat for their excellent facilitation.

As an archipelago of more than 300 islands, the digital divide remains a lived reality. It shapes our ability to respond to climate change, deliver education and health services, and diversify our economies. ICTs are lifelines.

They power early warning systems, disaster preparedness, climate adaptation, and safeguard our people’s everyday lives. Digital transformation is no longer an option, it’s a necessity. It is the engine that will propel Fiji to a new era of prosperity, sustainability, and global competitiveness.

Fiji’s digital economy shows remarkable progress according to the ITU’s ICT Development Index. But for Fiji to develop far, all islands in the Pacific and beyond ICT should prosper together. In Fiji, over 85% of our people use the internet, well above the global average of 67.4%.

3G coverage reaches 96% of our population, and 4G coverage reaches around 92%. Yet our commitment remains clear, no community will be left behind. Guided by Fiji’s own National Digital Strategy Framework 2025-2030, we are connecting our nation from fiber and 5G to remote satellite access.

We are investing in digital literacy for vulnerable groups. We are fostering cyber hygiene. We are embedding resilience in green infrastructure.

We are harnessing AI responsibly. And we are empowering women and girls through ICT. Madam President, going forward, and as I conclude, WSIS must strengthen partnerships across all sectors.

It must translate commitments under the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SEADS. and the Pacific’s long-term declaration into tangible action to retail financing, capacity building, and technology transfer. Governments cannot do this alone, but partnerships can.

WSIS is our opportunity to reaffirm solidarity, strengthen cooperation, and secure a digital future that is inclusive, safe, and sustainable for all. I thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Fiji. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Malaysia.

Thank you, Chair. Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Iraq on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and wishes to deliver this statement in its national capacity. Malaysia welcomes the convening of the WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Meeting and expresses its appreciation to Kenya and Albania for their able leadership as co-facilitators in guiding the negotiations on the outcome document.

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, 20 years after the Tunis phase, the World Summit on the Information Society continues to provide a vital framework for building an inclusive and development-oriented information society.

This moment is not only an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved, but also to consider how WSIS should guide global digital cooperation in the years ahead. In Malaysia, this progress is reflected through our National Digital Network Plan, Jindela, which has extended high-speed Internet connectivity to over 9.6 million premises and achieved near-universal coverage in populated areas.

WSIS has consistently emphasized that digital transformation must remain people-centered. Malaysia’s National Information Dissemination Centres, which was recognised as a WSIS Prize winner in 2025, demonstrates how community-based digital literacy, skills development and entrepreneurship programmes can uplift rural communities, women entrepreneurs, as well as vulnerable groups.

We have also launched initiatives such as the National Scam Response Centre, a fact-checking web platform, and National Online Safety Campaigns, which aim to protect users from misinformation, disinformation, online fraud and harmful content, while strengthening public awareness.

Chair, from these experiences, several key lessons emerge. First, connectivity alone is not sufficient. Meaningful participation in the digital economy requires skills, awareness and confidence.

Second, trust and safety must be embedded across the digital ecosystem through regulation, accountability and sustained public education. Third, digital challenges transcend borders. Effective responses to issues such as artificial intelligence governance, cyber security, online scams and disinformation require continuous global cooperation.

Chair, as we move forward, Malaysia believes global digital cooperation should prioritise four key areas. First, expanding universal, affordable and meaningful connectivity. Second, advancing human-centred governance.

Third, strengthening inclusive digital capacity building. And fourth, developing resilient and trusted digital infrastructure to support sustainable growth. Malaysia supports the continuation of the WSIS process as an inclusive, rights-based and technological-neutral multi-stakeholder platform that aligns digital development with the Sustainable Development Goals.

We also reaffirm our support to the ITU in continuing to play a leading role in steering the WSIS process. As digital technologies continue to reshape our societies, the WSIS vision remains deeply relevant. Malaysia stands ready to work with all partners in ensuring that no one is left behind.

Thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of Malaysia. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Trinidad and Tobago.

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Trinidad and Tobago aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the G77 and China and welcomes the convening of this high-level meeting and commends all stakeholders for sustaining a vision of an inclusive, people-centered and development-oriented information society.

For small island developing states, digital transformation is central to economic diversification, resilience building and improved access to public services. In this regard, Trinidad and Tobago has been advancing a national digital transformation agenda that places innovation, inclusion and trust at its core. At the national level, Trinidad and Tobago has expanded e-government platforms to enhance service delivery and transparency, including online business registration, customs and tax administration and digital public procurement systems.

We continue to invest in broadband expansion, secure government networks and the development of local data centers to strengthen digital sovereignty, improve service reliability. and support the growth of the digital economy. We are exploring interoperable, secure, and scalable digital systems that can support the development and use of digital identity management and verification mechanism systems, payments, and data exchange while respecting privacy and national context.

We see strong value in global initiatives such as the 50 in 5 campaign, which seeks to accelerate the adoption of digital public infrastructure as pathways to inclusive growth, particularly for developing countries and the SIDS.

Complementing this effort are efforts to build digital skills through coding and ICT training programs particularly for youth and public officers to ensure our workforce is prepared for a rapidly evolving digital economy.

Additionally, Madam Chair, we have initiated work toward a national framework for artificial intelligence, having recently launched a national artificial intelligence assessment initiative in collaboration with the UNDP and UNESCO.

This AI assessment serves to evaluate our readiness to adopt AI in six core areas, governance, digital infrastructure, policy, ethics, institutional capacity, and inclusion, a true AI sphere in its figurative sense.

This meeting provides a timely opportunity to reaffirm multilateral cooperation, strengthen capacity building for developing countries, and ensure that the digital and AI governance frameworks reflect the realities and priorities of SIDS.

Trinidad and Tobago stands ready to work with partners to ensure that digital transformation leaves no one behind and serves as a true enabler of sustainable development. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Trinidad and Tobago. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Observer State of the Holy See.

Madam President, The Holy See delegation welcomes the opportunity to address this high-level meeting which marks ten years since the first review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society.

Advances in information technology, particularly in the digital sphere, offer opportunities for poverty eradication, economic growth, social development and sustainability. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that such advances are not without significant risks which are contingent upon the choices that are made in their development. This is particularly evident in the field of AI, where ethical reflection and safeguards are essential.

As Pope Leo said, artificial intelligence has certainly opened up new horizons for creativity, but it also raises serious concerns about its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, and capacity for wonder and contemplation.

Madam President, The Holy See appreciates the section of the outcome document that pertains to human rights and ethical dimensions of the information society. This section emphasizes the necessity of effective ethical management and regulatory frameworks to ensure the protection of all users, particularly children, from the potential harms associated with the misuse of ICTs.

It is also important that the benefits of the information society are accessible to all, particularly in developing countries. Enhance international cooperation. Conditions and policies that foster economic growth and development by facilitating investment, innovation, and effective governance and both financial and technological resources are therefore needed to address current digital divides.

Madam President, in conclusion, the OECD hopes that 10 years from now the impact of these technological developments will have served the interests of humanity as a whole. To achieve this, Pableo said, it is essential to remain oriented toward the dignity of the human person and the common good and to develop systems that reflect justice, solidarity, and a genuine reverence for life.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the observer of the observer state of the Holy See. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the observer of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Thank you, Madam President. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the International Committee of the Red Cross is pleased to participate in this high-level meeting of the General Assembly for the WSIS Plus 20 Review. The mandate of the ICRC, as set out in the Geneva Conventions and in the statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, is to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence, and to promote laws that protect victims of war.

In today’s digital age, the ICRC’s mandate increasingly intersects with the evolution of global information and communication technologies. Twenty years after the original WSIS vision, digital technologies have become deeply embedded in the functioning of societies. War and conflict are no exception.

Digital technologies are increasingly used in the conduct of hostilities between warring parties, including the use of ICT infrastructure. As a result, the protection challenges we confront today in armed conflict are not only physical but digital. Medical services and impartial humanitarian operations are enabled by digital technologies.

They boost efficiency and extend reach. They now depend on data networks, cloud services, digital logistics, and remote diagnostic capabilities. When these systems are disrupted, whether intentionally or not, the humanitarian consequences can be immediate and severe.

I highlight for you today one specific project aimed at ensuring that the protections afforded under international humanitarian law remain effective when ICTs are used by parties to armed conflict. The digital emblem project does not create new legal protections. Rather, just as an emblem on a building or a vehicle in the physical world, the digital emblem is to provide a technical means of identification and authenticity in the digital sphere, enabling parties to armed conflict to recognize digital assets that belong to protected medical or humanitarian actors.

In other words, it is one measure to ensure the protection in the physical world is not lost in the digital sphere. In addition to technical work at both the Internet Engineering Task Force and the International Telecommunications Union, the ICRC appreciates that the WSIS Plus 20 process has offered opportunities for states and technical communities to engage on this topic, including at the high-level WSIS event in Geneva last July.

These discussions have underscored the importance of cooperation between diplomats, engineers, and humanitarian actors. The ICRC looks forward to continued collaboration with states, the private sector, and standard-setting bodies, which are essential to ensuring that any future digital emblem is technically robust and globally implementable.

Excellencies, as the international community charts the path forward for inclusive, secure, development-oriented, and resilient information societies, the ICRC stands ready to contribute its humanitarian expertise and to continue working with all stakeholders to prevent and mitigate harm to those most at risk during armed conflict.

Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the observer of the International Committee of the Red Cross. I now give the floor to the observer of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the International Chamber of Commerce, a global business organization that brings together companies of all sizes from across all regions and sectors of the world economy.

We express our sincere appreciation to the co-facilitators of the WSIS Plus 20 Review for their leadership, openness, and tireless efforts. in guiding this inclusive and constructive review process. We also thank all Member States for their engagement through the process and their shared commitment to a consensus based advancing a common vision for the digital future.

The WSIS Plus 20 review process placed the emphasis on the right foundation. It recognized that expanding meaningful connectivity is the base upon which all can benefit from the promise of the Internet and digital technologies. Connectivity enables participation in modern economies and societies, supports innovation and allows digital solutions to scale across borders and communities.

Without it, digital transformation cannot deliver on its potential to advance development and opportunity. From this foundation flows the need of trust. This review process rightly recognized that digital development must be grounded in respect for human rights.

States have the obligation to protect human rights also in the digital environment, while businesses have the responsibility to protect those rights in the design, development, deployment and use of technologies.

When these roles are clearly understood and aligned, they reinforce confidence in digital ecosystems and help ensure that innovation delivers long-term social economic value. Furthermore, the review process raised important questions about how global digital cooperation should be organized. By entrusting the Internet Governance Forum with a permanent mandate, member states can reaffirm their confidence in the multi-stakeholder model.

Over the years, the IGF has demonstrated that it is fit to discuss all public policy. in matters that are related to the Internet, providing a unique space for dialogue, learning, and cooperation among governments, business, civil society, the technical community, and international organizations.

This inclusive approach is essential in a digital environment that is evolving faster than any single actor can manage alone. Going ahead, the success of the WSIS Plus 20 review will ultimately be measured by implementation. So to translate our shared commitments into tangible outcomes, the most important task is to create enabling policy environments.

Such environments encourage investment, innovation, and responsible use of digital technologies. They are built on openness and coherence. They include policies that support the free flow of information across borders, avoid unnecessary fragmentation, and provide regulatory clarity and predictability.

They promote interoperability, foster competition and innovation, and enable digital solutions to scale globally. Crucially, they are developed through dialogue with stakeholders who design, build, and operate digital networks and services, ensuring that policies are practical, future-oriented, and grounded in real-world experience.

Business has a central role to play in this. Companies invest in digital infrastructure, deliver services that connect people, enterprises, and governments, and develop the skills that allow individuals and workforce to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

These contributions are not made in isolation. They depend on partnership, trust, and policies that recognize the value of private sector expertise and investment. Let me conclude by emphasizing that the WSIS vision has always been rooted in collaboration.

The outcome of the 20-year review must also reaffirm that no single stakeholder can deliver digital development alone. Business takes its role in multi-stakeholder partnerships seriously, and we want to stand ready to work with governments and all stakeholders to ensure that the Internet and the digital technologies continue to serve as an engine of inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainable development for all.

Thank you.

I thank the Observer of the International Chamber of Commerce. I now give the floor to the Observer of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

I thank the observer of the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance. I now give the floor to the observer of the International Organization of La Francophonie.

Madam President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Delegates, The International Organization of La Francophonie would like to express its most sincere gratitude to the co-facilitators Albania and Kenya for the exemplary, inclusive and rigorous conduct of the process that brought us to the draft decision before the Assembly today.

Their constant engagement in the service of dialogue and consensus deserves to be applauded, and we very much hope that this text can be adopted with the broadest possible support. We also welcome the next step that this renewal of the mandate of the World Summit on Information Society represents. It is a useful strengthening of the architecture of multilateral digital governance at a time when technological change is accelerating and is profoundly reshaping our societies.

In this regard, we would like to commend all of those stakeholders that contributed to this momentum, in particular the United Nations Secretary-General, his Envoy for Technology and the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies that the envoy leads, for the driving force and the mobilizing capacity that they have demonstrated.

We would also like to underscore the remarkable investment shown both by states and also by multi-party stakeholders in this process. This collective engagement is essential because digital technologies now permeate all elements of economic, social, cultural and industrial development. They are shaping the way that we produce, learn, create and the way that citizens participate.

However, one thing is still all too broadly underestimated and that is the aspect of cultural and linguistic diversity in digital development and in particular in the development of artificial intelligence.

Today, more than 80% of generative AI training data comes from a single language and less than 5% of living languages are represented in large language models. And yet, nearly 450 languages around the world, of which nearly 150 in Africa, have more than a million speakers. This massive deficit of diversity and discoverability of multilingual data is a major civilizational issue and if we don’t respond to this, hundreds or even thousands of languages and cultures risk quite simply being erased from the digital environment.

Overcoming this challenge will require several concrete commitments. First of all, there must be a greater decentralization of calculating capacity and technical and financial capacities that are devoted to digital development. According to the figures from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 93% of the financial valuation of digital platforms is currently concentrated in the hands of two countries.

This leaves the rest of the world to share a small amount among themselves and this imbalance is deeply worrying. Next, there must be a determined commitment to digital common goods and to open source solutions, as well as a greater awareness of the need to digitize and to value written visual and oral resources, including those that constitute intangible heritage, both at the national as well as regional and international levels.

There must also be a significant effort to implement an ambitious strategy to finance digital development and artificial intelligence. building upon the proposals recently made by the Secretary General of the United Nations. And lastly, there needs to be an inclusive expansion and enlargement of digital governance bodies and structures, to include knowledge actors, university libraries, archives, cultural figures and public media, because we are no longer just talking about telecommunications or infrastructure, we are really talking about the status of knowledge in our societies.

To conclude, allow me to underscore the unique contribution of the United Nations to digital governance and artificial intelligence through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. More than ever, it is an essential roadmap for us to be able to reconcile the universality of rights and respect for the diversity of cultures, languages and peoples. Thank you.

I thank the observer of the International Organization of La Francophonie, distinguished delegates. In accordance with its Resolution 79-277 and Decision 80-524, taken at the 66th Plenary Meeting, the Assembly will now hear from representatives of the United Nations system entities and stakeholders. I now give the floor to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.

Colleagues, thank you for the opportunity to address you at this historic moment. Twenty years after the Geneva and Tunis summits, digital technologies have become integral to our societies and economies. While technologies have empowered people in many positive ways, they also present profound challenges.

The increasing concentration of technological capacity and power raises critical questions about accountability and equity. Against the backdrop of algorithmic bias and mass data collection, protecting fundamental rights such as non-discrimination, privacy and freedom of expression is more critical than ever. A rights-based approach to digital governance ensures that people have a say in how technologies are shaped and regulated, that impacts are assessed through a human rights-centered lens, and that accountability exists for any human rights violations.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Human Rights Advisory Service and Digital Technologies provides guidance to governments, stakeholders, and the United Nations system in areas such as human rights due diligence and embedding non-discrimination across the lifecycle of digital technologies.

Technology and the policies adopted around its use have ripple effects across education, health, and social protection as services are increasingly digitized. Input and feedback from users, communities, and marginalized groups lead to better policies and help ensure that connectivity, algorithms, and digital services benefit the people. A strong multi-stakeholder approach is essential to deliver better outcomes.

Proposals such as the 2024 São Paulo Multi-Stakeholder Guidelines are a good basis for further deliberations. OHCHR welcomes the decision to make the Internet Governance Act. form permanent as an important step in this regard.

After a year of intense coordination, we have learned how to better align the WSIS and Global Digital Compact agendas. The UN Digital Cooperation Portal, launched last week, provides a granular overview of how UN and stakeholder initiatives advance, both in a complementary way. In this context, an enhanced role of the Human Rights Office within the WSIS architecture would be necessary to ensure the ability to respond to many regulatory and legislative requests, meet capacity development needs, and inject human rights consistency across WSIS action lines.

Excellencies, colleagues, as the UN Charter affirms, human rights are vital to ensuring that technological progress serves the public and reflects lived realities. Human rights are the guardrails needed to govern technologies and AI. While the WSIS Plus20 outcome takes some positive steps, strengthening the UN human rights architecture remains a glaring gap.

OHCHR will, within available capacity, strive to engage with all stakeholders to fulfill the promise of an online universe that advances human rights and benefits humanity. Thank you.

I thank the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. I now give the floor to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

I thank the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. I now give the floor to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Thank you. Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, over the past 20 years, information and communications technologies have contributed to transforming our world in many ways. This process continues at an accelerating pace.

As with any technological disruption, there are both opportunities and challenges. The development outcomes vary significantly between the most and the least digitally advanced economies. More than 6 billion people now use the Internet.

However, in low-income countries, only a third of people are online, and less than 10% use mobiles or the Internet to engage in electronic commerce. It’s important to enable more equitable sharing of the gains from digitalization. The digital economy has resulted in huge wealth creation, which is currently highly concentrated.

For example, the market value of the top 100 digital platforms is now almost $28 trillion, with companies from two countries, the United States and China, accounting for 93% of this value. The growing importance of data boosted by artificial intelligence explains much of this trend. Meanwhile, we are becoming more aware of the significant environmental footprint of the digital economy and of the formidable potential as well as challenges brought about by artificial intelligence.

This points to the need for policies, strategies and choices in the short term that can help secure both inclusive and sustainable development outcomes in the long term. The vision of the World Summit on the Information Society to establish a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented information society remains highly relevant today. At UNCTAD, we are committed to contribute to achieving this vision, as the Secretariat of the ECOSOC’s Commission on Science, Technology for Development, as a member and current chair of the UN Group on the Information Society, as co-facilitator of the WSIS Action Line on E-Business, as co-organizer of the WSIS Forum, as co-leader of Subgroups 2 and 4 of the Global Digital Compact, and by contributing to the new UN Digital Cooperation Portal.

At the 16th UNCTAD Ministerial Conference, which took place last October in Geneva, Member States confirmed our mandate and their commitment to enhance UNCTAD’s contribution to the implementation of the WSIS architecture and the relevant commitments of the Global Digital Compact.

This work will be carried out in synergy with the UN system and other organizations, notably through the Working Group on Data Governance of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development. We very much look forward to deepening our collaboration with Member States and other stakeholders to seize opportunities presented by digitalization and addressing related challenges. Thank you very much.

I thank the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. I now give the floor to the United Nations Development Program.

Thank you, Madam President, Excellencies, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for giving UNDP the opportunity to speak today. UNDP reaffirms our full commitment to the WSIS process as a cornerstone of the Global Digital Cooperation.

For 20 years, WSIS has provided a critical, people-centered, development-oriented and multi-stakeholder framework for the use of digital technologies. UNDP has been honored to play a key role in WSIS. We are one of the UN agencies originally mandated to lead WSIS implementation, a co-convener of the annual WSIS Forum, and part of the leadership of the United Nations Group on the Information Society.

Today’s WSIS Plus 20 outcome provides renewed momentum that must now be translated into concrete delivery and impact. Through UNDP’s presence in over 170 countries and territories, we stand ready to continue this important work. UNDP sees three priorities for implementation that are reflected in the outcome document.

First, capacity building for inclusive digital transformation. Countries worldwide face critical constraints in the areas of digital skills, institutions and governance capacity. Capacity building is the most consistent request that UNDP receives from our partners.

Second, building inclusive digital ecosystems through strong digital foundations. UNDP commends the references in the WSIS outcome document on digital public infrastructure and digital public goods as foundations for inclusion, innovation and public value. DPI must be deployed in ways that are secure, interoperable and rights-based, grounded in safeguards, open systems and public interest governance.

Third, financing digital transformation for delivery at scale. For sustainable impact, implementation requires moving beyond fragmented projects towards systems-level approaches in financing. UNDP works with partners to mobilize public and private investment, align financing with national priorities and link digital transformation to broader development outcomes across climate action, crisis resilience, governance, economic inclusion and prosperity, among others.

UNDP prioritizes these aspects in our delivery to countries. To date, we have supported over 130 countries in strengthening their digital ecosystems, including through our digital readiness assessments and shaping national digital strategies. We have trained over 4,000 policy makers representing over 100 countries globally and have advanced the design and implementation of digital public infrastructure in more than 30 countries.

And as AI reshapes development pathways, UNDP is working to narrow the AI equity gap. We have supported national AI landscape assessments in over 20 countries and have supported their AI strategies as well. Our AI Hub for Sustainable Development has launched a first wave of core initiatives designed to reimagine global AI partnerships and empower AI ecosystems within Africa.

At the global level, we are also advancing multi-stakeholder partnerships through initiatives such as the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the SDGs. And finally, to support this work, UNDP has recently established the Digital AI and Innovation Hub, a platform that reflects a holistic and transformative approach to digital development. Within the digital space, UNDP acts as a new kind of development partner, bringing public and private actors together on terms that are explicitly people-centered and focused on public purpose.

Looking ahead, UNDP supports strong alignment between WSIS and the Global Digital Compact, with WSIS serving as a backbone for implementation and the IGF playing a critical role. The WSIS framework, with UNGASS as its UN System Foundation, has proven essential in translating political commitments into coordinated action. We must build on this to accelerate achievement of the SDGs.

Excellencies, WSIS Plus 20 is not only a moment of reflection, but also a turning point for delivery. UNDP will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that the needs of developing countries remain at the centre of global digital cooperation. Thank you.

I thank the United Nations Development Program and now give the floor to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, UNIDO welcomes this milestone moment for the Information Society. As we reflect upon 20 years of WSIS and have recently embarked on the implementation of the Global Digital Compact, we must be clear. Frameworks alone are not enough.

We must act. To deliver on the WSIS action lines, UNIDO is committed to advancing concrete solutions together with our partners. In our capacity as Vice Chair of the Working Group on Digital Technologies, we are co-leading efforts to expand inclusion in the digital economy for all, including through the UN Digital Cooperation Portal.

To advance WSIS, allow me to highlight three concrete sets of solutions that change industrial realities in developing countries. First, lighthouse solutions. Developers need proof of return on investment.

UNIDO thus implements technology demonstrations in developing countries that prove value in real-world scenarios and build momentum for larger investment in priority industrial sectors. We’re also joining hands with the private sector for this purpose. Second, centers of excellence for AI in industry.

Capacity building requires a home. Centers of excellence provide infrastructure and expertise which many countries cannot afford alone, particularly LDCs. LLDCs, and SITs.

Interest in such centers as hubs of technology adoption has been growing. We’re therefore establishing a network of centers of excellence across the global south, including in China, Ethiopia, the Western Balkans, Belarus, and Latin America. Third, governance of AI in industry.

Traditional regulation often lags behind rapidly emerging AI developments. UNIDO supports governments in evidence-based policymaking. We provide testbeds for policymakers to help them test regulatory approaches, de-risk innovation, and translate strategies into industrial applications.

So excellencies, to further advance these mechanisms, UNIDO has established the Global Alliance on AI for industry and manufacturing. As of today, the alliance convenes over 200 members from government, industry, academia, and civil society from more than 70 countries. Through AI in global and our related programs, we will continue to facilitate investments in and fast-track the adoption of AI in industry for economic development in developing countries.

Together, let us make sure that AI is a driver and not a divider, and supports the achievement of inclusive and sustainable industrialization and innovation in line with SDG 9. I thank you.

I thank the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. I now give the floor to Internet Corporation of assigned names and numbers.

I thank Internet Corporation for assigned names and numbers. And now I’ll give the floor to META.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, Excellencies, Delegates. META’s core mission is to build the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. To that end, we have made significant investments to advance global connectivity and Internet adoption around the world, from investing in infrastructure, subsea cables, data centers, to developing applications, wearable devices, and AI tools that accelerate inclusion globally.

As we work to connect people around the world, we are proud to have been a proactive and committed partner in the global governance and implementation of WSIS and its inception. The multi-stakeholder model has been proven to be a cornerstone of WSIS’s success. Its cooperation allows companies like Meta to gain deeper insights into the real-world challenges facing our users globally.

We must remain a trusted and integral partner in these discussions, so that we can implement effective solutions and partnerships that facilitate adoptions of new technologies. The convening power of WSIS has been pivotal, providing a neutral space for constructive dialogue. This is particularly true for the Internet Governance Forum, which allows all stakeholders to be heard on an equal footing.

Meta has been an engaged participant and a trusted founder of the IGF over the years, and we fully support the continuation of this annual and truly global and inclusive meeting. As the digital cooperation landscape continues to evolve and grow, we must be vigilant against greatest risks to implementation, fragmentation, and duplication of our efforts. Our collective resource, time, expertise, and funding are too precious to waste on duplicative processes.

That’s why we support the parallel yet aligned implementation of the Global Digital Compact and the WSIS Plus 20 Action Lines. We are looking forward to engaging on the GDC implementation, including a global AI dialogue and the scientific body on AI, to drive AI adoption around the world and advance economic growth. And we support initiatives like the WSIS Forum, where the WSIS Action Lines’ roadmaps are developed, aligning public and private sectors’ efforts with development priorities.

In closing, we remain committed to the effective implementation of the WSIS outcomes. and the multistakeholder approach to Internet governance and to the renewal of the IGF mandate permanently. We would like to thank the UN and the co-facilitators carrying out this review process and obtaining consensus successfully.

Let’s build on the two decades of RISA’s progress to champion the multistakeholder model and together work together cohesive, coordinated global processes that can promote innovation while keeping a resilient, secured and open Internet.

Thank you.

I thank Meta. I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of China.

President, 20 years ago, the World Summit on the Information Society mapped out a vision for an information society that is people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented. Thanks to the concerted efforts of all countries, this vision is gradually coming to fruition. Over the past two decades, China has actively implemented RISA’s outcomes, promoted digital innovation, access and application, and shared digital dividends with the international community through open-source cooperation.

China has also fostered inclusive partnerships under the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative to help countries in the Global South implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Today, as the digital and smart transformations sweep across the world, it is necessary for the international community to coordinate actions and seize the opportunity to address challenges and shape a better, more prosperous and sustainable future.

First, we need an inclusive information society that delivers benefits to all. First, we wish to deepen cooperation with all partners to develop a new infrastructure such as 5G network, computing infrastructure, and satellite internet, enhance the resilience of international submarine cable, and strengthen capacity building for developing countries to bridge the digital divide.

Second, we need an open information society that is shared by all. We wish to work with all partners to foster an open and cooperative innovation ecosystem for digital industries, remove barriers that impede the flow of innovation inputs, further integrate innovation in emerging technologies such as AI with industrial innovation, and ensure that the benefits generated are shared by all people.

Third, we need an information society that is green and environment-friendly. We wish to work with all partners to advance the synergic progress of digital and green transformations to effectively address global challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity, and to harness ICTs to empower all countries, especially developing ones, to achieve SDGs.

President, the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping advocates a five core tenets, sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, and people-centered approach and a focus on concrete actions, which are highly consistent with this consensus.

On December 9th, over 40 countries jointly established the Group of Friends of the Global Governance here at the UN headquarters. Six days ago, the ITU adopted a decision to hold the 2027 World Radio Communication Conference in Shanghai, China. China stands ready to work with all partners to uphold multilateralism and strengthen international cooperation to turn WSIS vision into reality and jointly build a community with a shared future for humankind.

Thank you.

I thank the Distinguished Representative of China. I now give the floor to Internet Governance Forum Leadership Panel.

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, I am grateful to be given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Leadership Panel of the Internet Governance Forum. Internet governance is more important than ever, and that is why debates and resolutions like NetMundial plus 10 and WSIS plus 20 are important together with IGF. The multistakeholder model of IGF, the Leadership Panel, and Multistakeholder Advisory Group MAG, is a unique construct because of the diversity of voices it brings together.

Governments, technology experts, civil society, academia, and the private sector, all under the same umbrella. This model ensures that decisions are not made in isolation, but rather through dialogue among those who build it, regulate it, and most importantly, use it. Furthermore, increasing ubiquity and resilience of the Internet is vital to the goals of the WSIS.

A strengthened IGF, measuring the progress on digitalization, can support member states as the issues they grapple with become complex, interconnected, and central to sustainable development. The IGF’s ecosystem, with the active network of 176 national and regional IGFs, the NRIs, is the most important vehicle for reaching the world’s most underrepresented communities. And through them, voices from the remote and marginalized people can feed into global discussions either directly or digitally.

We saw that in the last IGF in Norway that reached more than 9,000 participants with 6,000 online. What began as a technical conversation in 2006 now draws upon representatives from groups interested in every aspect of our lives. Just as the Internet itself is woven into the fabric of modern society, its governance must be too.

The dialogue has an impact on how we shape the digital future. The IGF embodies those values. It is where global challenges meet local realities, where innovation meets accountability.

To continue or diminish this forum would be to shut out voices that matter the most. Voices shaping the future of a connected world. And I would like to thank the WSIS plus 20 co-facilitators for creating the informal multi-stakeholder sounding board and by this bringing in more voices to the debate around WSIS plus 20 resolution and the future of IGF and digital governance.

To conclude, on behalf of the leadership panel and the whole IGF, I thank you for the strong support for a permanent mandate to IGF and the multi-stakeholder approach it represents. Together we can ensure that the Internet remains a force for inclusion, development and human dignity. Thank you.

I thank the Internet Governance Forum leadership panel. I now give the floor to Microsoft.

Thank you, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, WSIS Plus 20 is a moment to reflect on something far larger than any single institution or company. The open, global, and interoperable Internet has become one of humanity’s most important global public goods, a foundation for economic opportunity, scientific progress, and social connection. Microsoft is here because our work depends on that shared foundation, and because we recognize a responsibility to help protect and strengthen it for everyone.

As we look ahead, one principle remains essential. The governance of the digital environment works best when those who build it, use it, and regulate it are all part of the conversation. The multi-stakeholder model has helped the Internet remain stable and interoperable through periods of rapid technological and geopolitical change, and it has allowed countries to pursue their national priorities while still benefiting from a connected global system.

For Microsoft, the message is simple. If the Internet is a global public good, then its governance must continue to reflect shared responsibility. WSIS Plus 20 gives us an opportunity to reaffirm this approach in a way that respects national contexts while preserving the global connectivity that underpins development, innovation, and security for all.

The WSIS vision has always rested on a few essential pillars – people-centered, inclusive, and a development-oriented information society. This is best implemented through a predictable policy landscape that enables innovation and investment. These are the conditions that allow every country, regardless of size or level of development, to benefit from the digital economy.

Microsoft has engaged throughout this review in the spirit of genuine partnership. We have submitted detailed inputs, participated in every stakeholder consultation, engaged with the WSIS ecosystem, offering private sector expertise to ensure the WSIS process serves the international community well, as it has done for the last two decades.

In practice, we have worked alongside governments, international organizations, and civil society to align public and private sector efforts and deliver tangible progress on the WSIS action lines. This includes joint initiatives to expand connectivity, support digital skills development, and advance responsible AI adoption. Through collaborations such as the ITU’s AI for Good initiative, which complements WSIS efforts by bringing industry innovation into global dialogue, we have helped translate WSIS principles into real-world impact, demonstrating the value of sustained partnership across sectors.

Going forward, what matters most is ensuring that the next generation inherits an Internet that expands possibilities. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization to achieve more, and that mission is only possible when the Internet remains open, secure, and accessible to all. We stand ready to work with all stakeholders to support a digital future where opportunity is not limited by geography and where the benefits of technology can reach everyone.

Thank you.

I thank Microsoft. I now give the floor to Foundation Cibervoluntarios.

I’m honored to be here after 20 years working with high-level institutions from WSIS in Tunis and Geneva. We’ve been giving a voice to citizenry and civil society in this process, and this is why our organization has been helping people understand technology since 2001. We highlight the need to be active agents, front-runners in building an open and transparent, ethical, sustainable and inclusive digital ecosystem.

We want and we claim a seat at the table for citizenry, a space where people can participate actively and where our voice is going to be critical in the decision-making for sustainability and development and use of technology.

We believe in the power of technology to address real needs, to reduce inequalities and to create new economic, social and cultural opportunities that previously were unthinkable. We believe in the power of a technology that was born open and decentralized and designed for sharing to ensure the utmost knowledge sharing in history. But we are also aware that we are at a time of a change of paradigms.

If we do not take action now, if we are not part of this process, this tool could become a new form of control. Today we have been witnessing with concern how technological power is being concentrated in the hands of a very small number and how the digital system in one form or another is being privatized. This technological concentration is creating subordination to interests that build wealth and endanger sustainability in the mid to long term of our identity and of our rights.

Above all, this limits our ability to imagine alternatives. and given all of the opportunities that technology offers us. If it is well designed, technology can promote greater equality and social justice and this is why we highlight our right to build a digital ecosystem that passes through every part of our lives and we must guarantee technology as a capacity, the ability to understand and use technology to broaden opportunities.

And to protect privacy, to ensure access to data and this right to decide and to be a part of this process. Technology can create inequalities or it can be a lever for social justice. The stakeholders must serve all of our interests and this is why our organization has decided to appropriate technology for the citizens.

We are choosing citizens’ sovereignty over technology and we say here that citizens must be and must have an active part in this process for technology to be a lever to help us build a better world. Thank you.

I thank the Foundation Cibervoluntarios. I now give the floor to Wikimedia.

Thank you, Madam President. Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, 20 years ago the World Summit on Information Society may have felt like an experiment. It may have felt risky to bring in stakeholders outside of government to discuss and shape Internet regulation, digital policy.

and the information society that we want to live in. But today, we see that what has started as an experiment has evolved into a very productive framework for effective collaboration between governments, the private sector, civil society, and the technical community.

Championing an open internet that supports freedom of expression and participation in culture, the economy, and society, these stakeholders have worked together to foster a mutually beneficial digital future for everyone.

However, in those 20 years, we’ve not only seen progress in digital policy, we’ve also seen the development of digital public goods, open source projects that further the sustainable development goals.

These digital public goods have been built by the stakeholders that the WSIS process has brought together. I’m honored to speak today on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation, which supports a global group of volunteers who have built one such digital public good. It is called Wikipedia, and I’m sure everyone in this hall has used it.

I’m sure many of you continue to use it frequently. This open and free encyclopedia is the result of online collaboration across borders and across cultures. The Wikipedia article about the United Nations, for instance, exists in 292 different languages, a greater number than the countries represented here.

These are not just automatic translations, but they are individual articles that have in large parts been written from scratch using external verified sources in those specific local languages. This kind of volunteer work is only possible in an open internet that we must all support and defend. The people who build Wikipedia and other digital public goods and the digital commons that we all share and participate in.

Need a seat at the table of Internet governance. This is the essence of multi-stakeholderism for digital policy. Multi-stakeholderism is not just a hollow term, but a tool to involve the people who built the digital public goods that we need for a prosperous and peaceful future.

Member states have already committed to supporting digital public goods in the Global Digital Compact. Now they must create the conditions for continued success in the WSIS process as well. Thank you very much.

I thank Wikimedia. I now give the floor to the Association for Progressive Communications.

Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates from all stakeholder groups and colleagues. I speak on behalf of the Association for Progressive Communications, a civil society network dedicated to ICTs for development and human rights founded in 1990, working in more than 70 countries around the world.

We have been involved in WSIS since the prepcoms in 2002. While global Internet penetration is projected to reach 74% in 2025, this figure masks profound digital inequality. It includes anyone who has used the Internet once in a three-month period, thus giving a hyper-connected individual working on Wall Street the same statistical relevance as a farmer in a rural area who buys a small data bundle a few times a year.

We cannot afford to underestimate this divide. But at the same time, we must acknowledge that digitalization alone does not create equity. If equitable economic and social development are not placed at the heart of the next phase of WSIS, we risk perpetuating a new quality-based digital divide, and at the same time missing the opportunity to harness connectivity for a more inclusive and just world.

From this perspective, APC offers the following reflections on the outcome document. We congratulate all involved, but we must also raise concerns. We value in particular the continuation of the WSIS process itself and its integration with the global digital compact.

We also value the expanded consideration given to human rights in the context of digital development. We are very pleased with the permanent mandate granted to the Internet Governance Forum. And we are pleased at this recognition of alternative connectivity models, including community networks.

And we are pleased that the action lines are called on to address gender equality in the implementation. And we are very pleased with the support for an inclusive multi-stakeholder implementation and governance process and the recognition of the São Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines. But we regret that financing and financial mechanisms are not given serious consideration, in spite of the interagency taskforce being convened by UNGASS.

Financing is a critical and non-negotiable component of implementing the WSIS vision. We also regret that the call for government participation in the IGF is directed primarily at developing country governments. We need equal footing participation from governments of all parts of the world in the IGF and its intersessional modalities for a sustainable IGF.

Going forward, we urge all stakeholders and member states to remember that WSIS is primarily about harnessing digital tools for people-centered development, not about developing digital tools and processes.

We urge all of you to work with UNGASS and the ITU as its secretariat to make the interagency task force inclusive of all stakeholder groups and member states and financing institutions, and to approach the IJF’s permanent mandate with creativity and courage, not complacency.

In closing, ABC and its members commit to be partners in this process and, when necessary, to also share constructive criticism with governments and with all other stakeholders. Thank you.

I thank the Association for Progressive Communications. I now give the floor to HitRecord.

Good afternoon, Madam President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for having me here at the United Nations for this World Summit on the Information Society. I want to acknowledge the co-facilitators of this year’s summit, Kenya and Albania, as well as the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

So this is a special milestone summit marking 20 years since the UN first adopted a shared set of principles for a human-centric digital world. And, certainly, a lot has happened in the digital world in these past 20 years. We’ve seen the rise of social media, which in so many ways made good on the promise of what the Internet could be a place where any voice could be heard and where anybody looking for connection and belonging could find their community.

But then market pressures set in and we saw social media gradually change. What had been about connection became more about addiction. Addiction to an algorithmic feed maximized for user engagement and ad revenue.

And the side effects of these profit-driven algorithms have been hugely damaging. We’ve seen a global crisis in mental health and loneliness, especially for younger people. We’ve seen a rise in extremism, polarization, authoritarianism, with the impacts often worst for people in developing countries.

So here’s my question. Looking back at the past 20 years, how are we going to learn from our mistakes? Because today we face a crossroads with a new revolutionary technology on the rise, AI.

And just like social media, AI has the potential to do so much good. But let’s be clear. Today’s biggest AI companies are running the same engagement-maximizing algorithms driven by the same advertising business models as the biggest social media companies.

So if we let the design and the deployment of this incredible new technology be guided solely by market forces, we can expect to see the same damaging side effects that we’ve seen with social media. I don’t think this is inevitable. I think the AI revolution can be guided by more than just market forces.

Governments need to get in the game. Now, for the past 20 years, governments have mostly stayed hands-off with digital technology. We’ve let these businesses run their experiment, deploying their products to billions of people with no practical guardrails.

It hasn’t worked out well, but I think things are changing. I just met with a gentleman here from the Australian government, and as you all know, Australia just enacted landmark legislation, standing up to these big social media companies to protect their youth against these predatory algorithms, and now more and more countries are moving in that direction.

So change is possible, and I really believe that it is you all here in this room and around the world. Civil servants who serve civilization, who don’t just serve a bottom line, who serve people, who serve everybody, especially the most vulnerable amongst us. Now’s your time to step up, to work together with business and industry, and to build a brighter future.

And so I just want to say thank you. As a father of three kids, as a citizen of a democracy, and just as a human being, thank you for all the work you are doing. Keep going.

It is greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

I thank the HitRecord. I now give the floor to Global Partners Digital.

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, we would like to thank the co-facilitators, all delegations, and the wider stakeholder community for the seriousness and openness with which this review process has been conducted.

Now, the consensus reached here today builds on months of substantive discussion and provides important grounding for how the WSIS framework continues to evolve. Twenty years on, the WSIS vision of a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society remains deeply relevant. It has helped guide national policy, shape the work of UN entities, and anchor digital cooperation in a shared set of goals and principles.

At a time of profound technological and geopolitical change, that common reference point matters more than ever. We particularly welcome the reaffirmation of two foundations without which the WSIS vision cannot be realized, the centrality of human rights and the multi-stakeholder character of digital governance. These are not abstract commitments.

They are practical conditions for ensuring the digital policy is credible, effective, and responsive to the people it is meant to serve. The conclusion from this review process reminds us that legitimacy in digital governance is not declared, it is built through inclusive processes, credible expertise, and the ability to translate principles into workable outcomes.

We also recognize the efforts made to strengthen implementation through greater system-wide coherence, implementation roadmaps, a strengthened role for human rights expertise within the UN system, and a renewed mandate for the Internet Governance Forum.

These steps reflect a shared understanding that legitimacy is reinforced through delivery. At the same time, as we’ve just heard as well, the challenges before us remain stark. Large parts of the world remain unconnected.

Freedom online is in decline and civic space continues to shrink. New technologies risk deepening inequalities rather than addressing them. Commitments on human rights and meaningful inclusion are essential, but they must translate into sustained action.

From the perspective of civil society and the broader stakeholder community, WSIS has always been more than an intergovernmental process. Its strength lies in the ecosystem it has enabled, one that brings together governments, technical experts, businesses and rights holders to solve shared problems. This review has shown, again, what becomes possible when that ecosystem is meaningfully engaged.

Looking ahead, the task is not simply to preserve the WSIS framework, but to reinforce it so that it continues to generate trust, enable participation and support effective problem solving in an increasingly complex digital environment.

As we move into the next phase, we call on delegations and the wider WSIS community to invest in inclusive implementation by resourcing participation, using the action line roadmaps as living tools and ensuring that human rights expertise meaningfully informs delivery.

We stand ready to continue contributing to that effort in close cooperation with all stakeholders. Thank you.

I thank the Global Partners Digital. I now give the floor to International Federation of Information Processing.

I thank the International Federation for Information Processing and now give the floor to Internet and Jurisdiction Policy Network.

Good morning, everyone, knowing that I’m probably the last person before lunch. I just wanted to share something, which is that we have a common problem, and not only problems with each other. This common problem is a civilizational challenge of how to organize the coexistence of billions of people in shared online spaces.

It is also the challenge of responsibly unlocking the value of data for all, not only the economic value of data, but also the social value of data. 21st century transnational problems need transnational structures and institutions. The IGF has been, in the last 20 years, the only true institutional innovation in our field.

It has evolved into a self-organized network of, as has been said, more than 170 national and regional IGFs. And generally speaking, the future of IGF has always been in the minds of everybody at the core of the discussion on the WSIS plus 20 review. And it is not a surprise that the final discussions are focusing on those very paragraphs about the future of the IGF.

It is a remarkable innovation, but it is, as we all know, far from fulfilling its complete potential. The good thing about the resolutions that you are considering adopting at the moment is that it says four things about the IGF. First of all, it recognizes that it is a network.

Second, it establishes, hopefully, that it is going to become a permanent forum of the United Nations. Third, it asks the forum itself to continue to improve its working modalities. And fourth, it asks the Secretary General to think about how to ensure the sustainable funding for the IGF, which, as we all know, has been plaguing this organization for basically since its inception.

The question of the institutional evolution of the IGF is closely interconnected with the question of its funding. If people don’t have a clear vision of where it is going to be and how it’s going to organize, there’s no reason why they would fund it, and if there’s no funding, there’s no way to improve it and make it fully functional.

So the final point is, 20 years in, it is now time for what could be called a constitutional moment for the IGF. It is time for the stakeholders to build and take the resolution that we will be adopting, that you will be adopting today, into a process in 2026 to report it at the next IGF, and it behooves all stakeholders to bottom up, take the initiative, to organize this structured discussion.

And in that regard, the Internet and Jurisdiction Policy Network is willing, with others, to help facilitate those discussions. I thank you very much.

I thank the Internet and Jurisdiction Policy Network. I now give the floor to WSIS plus 20 co-facilitators, informal multi-stakeholder sounding board.

I thank the WSIS Plus 20 co-facilitators, informal stakeholder Sounding Board. Distinguished delegates, we have heard the last speaker of this meeting. We shall continue this afternoon at 3 p.m.

in this hall. The meeting is adjourned.