Leaders TalkX 2 - Shaping Intelligent Societies: The Role of Multistakeholder Partnerships

Expanded Summary: Shaping Intelligent Societies - The Role of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

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Introduction and Framing

The session was moderated by Lucien Castex of AFNIC, the French Internet Registry, who opened by establishing the central premise of the discussion: that no single actor can shape the digital society alone . Cooperation across the full spectrum of stakeholders - from government and the private sector to civil society, the technical community, and academia - is therefore essential to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are broadly shared . Castex framed the session as a practical exploration of what effective digital governance looks like in action, promising a tour of concrete national experiences and perspectives from across the world .

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Tanzania: Partnerships as the Foundation of Human-Centred Digital Transformation

Tanzania's contribution was delivered by Minister Angellah Jasmine Mbelwa Kairuki, who opened by situating the discussion within the WSIS Plus 20 review process, marking two decades since the world first gathered around the vision of an inclusive information society , and reflecting a collective desire to examine how far that vision had been realised and what remained to be done . She articulated a vision of intelligent societies grounded in human values rather than technological sophistication alone, with a clear statement of Tanzania's conviction: partnerships are not merely useful but essential, and it is through partnerships that citizens are kept at the centre of digital development . Crucially, she drew a sharp philosophical distinction between advancement and intelligence, arguing that technology which leaves people behind cannot genuinely be described as intelligent - it is merely advanced . This redefinition of intelligence as inherently inclusive set a moral benchmark that resonated throughout the remainder of the discussion.

Minister Kairuki described how Tanzania's multi-stakeholder approach has produced tangible results in infrastructure deployment. Through partnerships with the Universal Access Fund for Communication and mobile operators in the private sector, Tanzania deployed 2,352 telecommunications towers, bringing digital connectivity to 32 million citizens who had previously been unserved . This infrastructure expansion enabled the rollout of broadband and mobile services, with positive downstream effects on financial inclusion, e-learning, e-health, and e-government . Tanzania also connected 90 per cent of its districts through its national ICT broadband backbone and collaborated with partners including Giga and Connect to link schools and communities . For Tanzania, connectivity is not a privilege for the few but a foundation for all .

Beyond infrastructure, Minister Kairuki highlighted three further pillars of Tanzania's approach. On skills and innovation, partnerships with universities, development partners, and technology companies are being used to equip local talent and support startups, with the explicit goal of building national capacity so that Tanzania can power its own development without relying on external expertise . On inclusion, she stressed that the voices of women, youth, and the most vulnerable and marginalised communities must be heard through community-driven projects, ensuring that digital solutions address real societal needs rather than imposing technological solutions from above . On trust, she emphasised that data-driven services must be trustworthy, and that Tanzania is investing heavily in cybersecurity, governance frameworks, and a personal data protection commission to ensure that AI and digital services are safe, transparent, fair, and aligned with national values . Tanzania also reinforces its digital sovereignty through multi-stakeholder partnerships and actively engages with the ITU, the African Union, the WSIS action lines, and the Global Digital Compact, aligning national ambitions with continental and international agendas . In her conclusion, she described multi-stakeholder partnerships as the bridge connecting innovation with inclusion and ambition with accountability .

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Cyprus: From Principles to Operational Implementation at Scale

Georgios Komodromos, representing Cyprus, built on Tanzania's human-centred framing by addressing the structural challenge of translating principles into practice. He argued that intelligent societies cannot be built by technology alone, nor by government alone, and outlined a model in which each stakeholder brings a distinct and complementary responsibility . Governments set the public interest direction, encompassing trust, inclusion, safety, interoperability, and the protection of rights . The private sector contributes innovation, investment, and the capacity to scale . Academia and research organisations provide evidence, experimentation, and talent . The technical community ensures systems are secure, interoperable, and robust . Civil society keeps the process grounded in the real needs of people .

Komodromos then identified what he described as the critical next phase: moving from principles, strategies, and regulatory frameworks - which remain essential - to implementation at scale . For artificial intelligence specifically, this means moving beyond isolated pilots and ensuring that trustworthy AI is deployed across public services including health, education, mobility, energy, agriculture, and business processes . He was direct in his challenge to the governance community: trustworthy AI should not remain a policy concept but must become a practical capability that improves the daily lives of citizens and the productivity of economies . For small member states such as Cyprus, this also requires attention to enabling conditions - secure connectivity, high-quality data, cloud computing capacity, digital skills, cybersecurity, and trusted digital public infrastructure - which are the foundations upon which AI and digital technologies can be adapted safely and effectively .

Komodromos identified three concrete ways in which multi-stakeholder partnerships can support this transition. First, they can help identify real use cases with measurable public value, shifting the question from how to use AI everywhere to where AI can genuinely improve services, reduce burdens, and support better decisions . Second, they can create trust by design, meaning that users, regulators, technical experts, and affected communities must be involved early in the process, not only after systems have already been deployed . Third, they can enable scale that works, addressing the persistent problem of successful pilots remaining local by developing interoperable solutions, common standards, reusable digital building blocks, and stronger cross-border cooperation . He concluded that the real challenge is not only technological but institutional - building the partnerships, governance models, and trust frameworks that allow innovation to move from ambition to impact .

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Bahrain: Joined-Up Regulation in an Always-Online Society

Philip Marnick, representing Bahrain's telecommunications regulator, offered a perspective grounded in the operational realities of governing a society that is already deeply digital. He opened by observing that almost everything people do today is online, making digital society not a future aspiration but a present reality . In this context, he argued, no single regulatory body or global organisation coordinates everything, and making the digital environment work requires collaboration across operators, regulators, builders, local municipalities, and all other relevant actors .

Marnick highlighted a particular challenge that he described as one of the biggest facing regulators: the instinct to treat every new technology as requiring an entirely new regulatory framework, when in most cases digital transformation is simply the digitisation of activities that already exist . He argued that regulators should first ask what was wrong with existing laws and regulations before creating new ones, and should focus on making existing frameworks more efficient rather than multiplying regulatory complexity . This pragmatic perspective was reinforced by his observation that regulation consistently moves too slowly relative to the pace of technological change , creating the risk that different regulatory bodies - for example, a telecommunications regulator and a central bank - might issue conflicting requirements that prevent a single company from operating effectively . The solution, he argued, lies in working across the ecosystem, collaborating, understanding, and being willing to change rapidly as new developments emerge .

Bahrain's approach to human-centricity is anchored in a single central national vision for 2030, which provides coherence and direction for digital policy . Marnick also emphasised the importance of protecting people online, describing initiatives with the Ministry of Education and schools aimed at ensuring people understand digital challenges and that regulators can respond to them effectively . He concluded that in a digital world, connectivity must be everywhere, everything must be online, nobody should be disconnected, and all regulators and civil players involved must be joined up, communicating, and able to react quickly to solve problems .

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Mozambique: Progress, Persistent Challenges, and the Meaning of Meaningful Access

Helena Fernandes, representing Mozambique, offered a perspective that combined genuine progress with an honest account of the significant challenges that remain. She framed Mozambique's digital journey as one that has evolved from expanding telecommunications infrastructure to pursuing meaningful digital inclusion, with the objective no longer simply to connect people but to ensure that every citizen can participate fully in the digital economy and society, regardless of where they live . Achieving this requires resilient infrastructure, affordable broadband, inclusive regulation, digital skills, and trusted digital services .

Mozambique has achieved important milestones across several dimensions. Mobile network coverage has expanded significantly, bringing voice and broadband services to most of the population . The main fibre-optic backbone has been extended, strengthening connectivity between provinces and supporting high-speed internet services . The rollout of 3G and 4G networks has made mobile broadband the primary means of internet access for citizens and businesses . Universal access initiatives through the communications regulator and universal access fund have extended connectivity to schools, health centres, public institutions, and underserved communities . Government services are progressively being digitalised to improve efficiency, transparency, and access . Mobile money services have expanded rapidly, improving financial inclusion particularly for people without access to traditional banking . The regulatory environment has also been strengthened to encourage investment, competition, and innovation in the ICT sector .

Despite this progress, Fernandes was candid about the challenges that persist. Rural and remote communities still have limited access to broadband, reflecting a significant rural-urban digital divide . The cost of smartphones, computers, and internet services remains high for most households . Many citizens still lack the digital skills needed to benefit fully from online services . Infrastructure resilience is a particular concern, as cyclones, floods, and other climate-related disasters frequently damage communications infrastructure and disrupt connectivity . Limited and unreliable electricity access in some areas constrains both network expansion and digital service adoption . Gender and social inclusion gaps also remain, with women, girls, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups continuing to face barriers to digital inclusion . Fernandes called for continued investment in extended fibre networks, 5G deployment where appropriate, and improvements to service quality .

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The Internet Society: Foundational Principles Must Not Be Abandoned

Dawit Bekele of the Internet Society offered what proved to be one of the most structurally significant contributions of the discussion, urging participants to take a step back from the excitement around AI and ask a more fundamental question: what makes intelligent futures possible in the first place ? His answer was unequivocal: before artificial intelligence, before data, before digital services, there must be an internet that is open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy . Yet approximately 2.2 billion people remain offline . Building intelligent societies without addressing this foundational gap, he warned, risks leaving billions of people behind before they even have the opportunity to participate .

Bekele also cautioned against forgetting why the internet has been such a remarkable platform for innovation. The internet succeeded not because it was designed by any one government or company, but because it evolved through open standards, collaborative technical development, and the multi-stakeholder model, in which governments, the technical community, the private sector, civil society, and academia each played distinct but complementary roles . That openness made it possible for anyone, anywhere, to innovate without first asking for permission . As AI increasingly shapes economies and societies, he argued, the governance community must be careful not to abandon the very principles that made the internet successful .

On the nature of genuine multi-stakeholder partnership, Bekele drew a crucial distinction between consultation and co-design. Genuine partnership, he argued, is not simply about consultation; it means involving all stakeholders, including the technical community, from the very beginning, when problems are being defined and solutions designed, rather than merely asking for comments after decisions have already been made . Better processes, he noted, lead to better policies, stronger implementation, and greater public trust . He framed the post-WSIS Plus 20 moment as an implementation phase in which the choices made today will determine whether AI and digital transformation strengthen an internet that remains open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy, or whether they gradually weaken the foundations that made innovation possible in the first place . He concluded that intelligent societies will only succeed if they continue to be built on an internet that works for everyone, through expanding meaningful connectivity, protecting the internet's open architecture, and strengthening the multi-stakeholder model .

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USCIB: The Private Sector's Role and the Urgency of Adaptive Governance

Whitney Baird of the US Council for International Business (USCIB) brought a private sector perspective that combined empirical urgency with a call for structured, inclusive governance. She opened with striking data to illustrate the unprecedented pace of AI adoption: American companies alone invested more than $335 billion in AI between 2013 and 2023, and more than 5,500 AI companies were launched during that period . Drawing on World Bank data, she noted that fixed-line telephones took nearly 75 years to reach 100 million users globally, mobile phones took 16 years, the internet took seven years, and ChatGPT reached the same milestone in only two months . Her conclusion was direct: the revolution is here and it is moving at pace .

Given this context, Baird argued that rapid technological change demands close collaboration between the private sector and the public sector . As institutions such as the WSIS Forum grapple with governance in this space, she argued that it is absolutely critical that there be a structured means for the private sector to weigh in, and in a way that accounts for the private sector broadly - not only large US companies, but all voices . This is particularly important as the governance community grapples with how to provide a human-centric, interoperable, and accountable system for governing cutting-edge technology . She specifically welcomed the ITU's approach of building in private sector business use cases .

Baird identified several key areas where business can support AI adoption and development: building upon existing AI frameworks to ensure a human-centric and accountable approach to AI governance ; addressing the emerging skills gap and prioritising the closure of the digital divide ; and creating a regulatory environment that supports the global deployment and diffusion of AI systems . She also called for a mechanism to evaluate and continually review governance structures, recognising that AI is not a static technology and will continue to change, potentially at an accelerating rate . She was careful to note, however, that business should not be the only stakeholder in the room - when the term multi-stakeholder is used, it must be meant genuinely, encompassing all voices . She also warned that without proper structures in place, partnerships between the private sector and governments or international organisations risk accusations of company capture or issue capture, which she described as the worst possible outcome . She concluded that building trusted and responsible AI systems will support inclusive digital transformation .

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Cross-Cutting Themes and Areas of Convergence

Across all six contributions, several themes emerged with remarkable consistency. The most fundamental was the universal affirmation that no single actor can manage digital transformation alone, and that multi-stakeholder partnerships are not merely desirable but structurally necessary . Every speaker, regardless of their institutional background, endorsed this principle, and several went further to argue that such partnerships must be genuine and structural rather than merely consultative .

A second area of strong convergence was the treatment of connectivity and digital infrastructure as foundational prerequisites rather than optional extras. Tanzania stated explicitly that connectivity is not a privilege for the few but a foundation for all . Cyprus identified secure connectivity and related enabling conditions as the foundations upon which AI can be adapted safely . Bahrain insisted that nobody should be disconnected and that all relevant actors must be joined up . Mozambique described its ongoing efforts to expand coverage while acknowledging persistent gaps . The Internet Society provided the starkest framing, noting that 2.2 billion people remain offline and that intelligent societies risk leaving billions behind if this foundational gap is not addressed .

A third consistent theme was the insistence that digital inclusion must go beyond connectivity to address the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups. Tanzania argued that technology leaving people behind cannot be called intelligent and stressed the importance of community-driven projects for women, youth, and marginalised communities . Cyprus warned against creating new dependencies or new forms of exclusion . Mozambique identified specific barriers facing women, girls, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups . The Internet Society reinforced the risk of building intelligent societies that exclude billions before they can even participate .

Trust emerged as a fourth cross-cutting theme, with speakers agreeing that it must be built into systems by design rather than added as an afterthought. Tanzania described its investments in cybersecurity, data protection, and governance frameworks to ensure AI is safe, transparent, and fair . Cyprus called for trust by design, involving all relevant parties from the outset . Bahrain described cross-sector initiatives to build digital awareness and safety . The Internet Society argued that better processes lead to better policies and greater public trust . USCIB called for building trusted and responsible AI systems as a foundation for inclusive digital transformation .

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Analytical Observations: Areas of Differing Emphasis

Whilst the discussion demonstrated a high degree of consensus on core principles, the contributions also revealed some differences in emphasis worth noting. These observations are inferred from the overall shape of the discussion rather than from explicit disagreements between speakers.

The most notable difference in emphasis concerned the relationship between foundational internet connectivity and the development of AI-driven intelligent societies. Bekele explicitly argued that connectivity must come first, warning that 2.2 billion people offline represents a foundational gap that must be addressed before intelligent societies can be built inclusively . Baird, by contrast, focused on the extraordinary and accelerating pace of AI adoption and the urgency of governance frameworks keeping pace with it, without directly addressing the connectivity prerequisite. Kairuki's approach from Tanzania suggested a parallel track, pursuing AI and digital services alongside connectivity expansion .

A second difference in emphasis concerned the appropriate pace and structure of regulation. Marnick argued that regulation moves too slowly relative to technological change and called for agility and rapid adaptation . Komodromos, while also calling for operational implementation, emphasised the importance of trust by design and deliberate early involvement of all stakeholders , suggesting a more structured and careful approach. Baird called for continuous review mechanisms , positioning governance as an ongoing adaptive process.

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Conclusions and Forward-Looking Commitments

The session closed with Castex thanking all participants and acknowledging the importance of having all stakeholders around the table, given the fast-changing pace of technologies . He framed the session not as a conclusion but as a starting point, calling on participants to move forward .

The discussion as a whole demonstrated that the multi-stakeholder community has reached a mature shared understanding of the principles underpinning digital governance. All speakers agreed that intelligent societies must be human-centred, inclusive, and built on trusted foundations , and that genuine multi-stakeholder cooperation serves as the essential bridge between technological ambition and equitable, lasting impact. The convergence between business, civil society, the technical community, and government representatives on the need for structural rather than merely consultative multi-stakeholder engagement was particularly significant, reflecting the shared view expressed by multiple speakers that genuine partnership requires all voices to be involved from the outset .

Looking ahead, the key unresolved challenges identified across the discussion include: how to bridge the gap between the rapid pace of AI development and the slower pace of regulatory processes; how to scale successful pilots beyond local contexts through interoperable solutions and common standards; how to prevent company or issue capture in private sector governance engagement; how to address the connectivity gap for the 2.2 billion people still offline; and how to ensure that AI systems can be aligned with diverse national and cultural values whilst maintaining global interoperability. These challenges will need to be addressed concretely in the WSIS Plus 20 implementation phase if the vision of inclusive, human-centred intelligent societies is to be realised.