Leaders TalkX 5 - Building Resilience: Secure and Trusted Digital Public Infrastructure

Samba Diouf outlined Senegal's DPI strategy as comprising three interconnected pillars: a digital identity project, a data exchange platform to resolve institutional fragmentation, and a payment gateway to drive the digital economy. This roadmap was established under the new deal technology authority and is part of a broader national digital transformation agenda. The ambition is to significantly grow the digital economy's share of GDP over the coming years.

Diouf explained that Senegal's DPI evolution is divided into three parts: digital identity, data exchange, and a payment gateway . He noted that the digital economy currently contributes 7% to Senegal's GDP and that the strategy aims to push this figure to 15% by 2029 .

Diouf highlighted that Senegal currently suffers from fragmentation across institutions, platforms, and public infrastructure, which hampers efficient service delivery. The data exchange platform is intended to bridge these silos, allowing all platforms to interact and share data in a secure and efficient manner. This is positioned as a critical enabler of a trusted and functional digital ecosystem.

Diouf described the current situation as one of fragmentation across institutions, platforms, and public infrastructure , and explained that the data exchange platform will enable all those platforms to see each other and exchange data securely and efficiently .

Mohamed Adan Moalim Ali described how Somalia developed a National DPI Roadmap following its first National Digital Public Infrastructure Summit, which brought together government, private sector, development partners, academia, and civil society. The roadmap sets out a phased strategy for integrating digital identity, digital payments, and secure data exchange into a resilient, interoperable, and citizen-centric ecosystem. This positions DPI as a national development priority aligned with Somalia's national development plan.

He noted that Somalia convened its first National Digital Public Infrastructure Summit to establish a shared national vision , and subsequently developed a National DPI Roadmap setting out a phased strategy for integrating digital identity, digital payment, secure data exchange, and trust services . He also emphasised that DPI is fully aligned with Somalia's national development plan .

Mohamed Adan Moalim Ali stressed that trust and security are not afterthoughts but must be built into DPI from the outset. Somalia has taken concrete steps to embed these principles institutionally, including enacting a data protection law and establishing a data protection authority. The country is also advancing cybersecurity, cybercrime, and electronic transaction legislation to underpin digital trust.

He stated explicitly that trust and security must be enabled by design from the very beginning . He cited the enactment of Somalia's data protection law and the establishment of a data protection authority in 2023 , and noted that Somalia is advancing cybersecurity, cybercrime, and electronic transaction legislation .

Mohamed Adan Moalim Ali articulated a vision in which DPI fundamentally changes how citizens interact with government, making everyday transactions simple, seamless, and secure. Rather than merely digitalising existing services, the goal is to place citizens at the centre of service design. This citizen-centric approach is framed as a transformation of the social relationship between the state and its people.

He stated that Somalia's ambition is not merely to digitalise government services but to transform the relationship between citizens and the government , giving examples such as registering a birth, starting a business, accessing social protection, or paying government fees as services that should be simple, seamless, secure, and centred on citizens' needs .

Mohamed Adan Moalim Ali emphasised that no single actor can build resilient DPI in isolation, and that meaningful collaboration across sectors is essential. This lesson was reinforced through Somalia's own experience of convening diverse stakeholders at its National DPI Summit. He framed this multi-stakeholder approach as a prerequisite for sustainable and inclusive digital infrastructure.

He stated that resilient digital public infrastructure cannot be built by government alone and requires strong partnership between government, regulatory bodies, and the private sector . He also noted that Somalia's first National DPI Summit brought together government institutions, private sector, development partners, academia, and civil society .

Sarah Maria Q. Sison outlined the Philippines' framework for resilient digital infrastructure as resting on three pillars: connectivity, trusted digital identity, and interoperable digital governance. She emphasised that the burden of navigating digital systems should fall on government, not on citizens. This whole-of-nation approach, called 'digital bayanihan', requires cooperation across government, industry, and civil society.

She described the three pillars as connectivity (supported by the National Digital Connectivity Plan and National Fiber Backbone) , trusted digital identity (with over 90 million Filipinos registered under the national IT system) , and interoperable digital governance (through the e-governance act and unified digital gateway) . She articulated the principle that government must do the connecting, not the citizen .

Sison argued that digital public infrastructure has moved beyond being a convenience and is now an essential public good comparable to roads, power systems, and financial networks. She stressed that access to public services must be universal and not contingent on geography or economic status. The Philippines' 'digital bayanihan' principle reflects this commitment to collective action and inclusion.

She stated that access to public services should no longer depend on where one lives, how much one earns, or whether one possesses the resources to overcome institutional barriers , and that digital public platforms now form part of the foundation upon which modern societies function, much like roads, power systems, and financial networks . She introduced the concept of 'digital bayanihan' as a whole-of-nation approach requiring cooperation amongst government, industry, and civil society .

Sison described how the Philippines is constructing integrated public services through its e-governance act and a unified digital gateway, ensuring that government services are accessible through a single, coherent platform. She articulated four guiding principles for digital infrastructure: public in purpose, secure by design, inclusive in reach, and interoperable. These principles are intended to ensure that the infrastructure serves all citizens while respecting sovereignty and human rights.

She noted that through the enactment of the e-governance act and the expansion of the e-government platform, the Philippines is building integrated public services through a unified digital gateway . She stated that digital infrastructure must be first public in purpose, second secure by design, third inclusive in reach, and fourth interoperable .

Rafał Rosiński argued that the convergence of satellite and mobile technologies is essential to ensure sufficient resilience in public digital infrastructure. Poland's experience during the 2024 floods, when terrestrial base stations lost connectivity, demonstrated in practice the critical value of satellite communications as a backup. He noted that work on 6G standardisation, which will integrate mobile and satellite systems by default, is a welcome development in this regard.

He cited Poland's experience during the 2024 floods, when terrestrial base stations lost connectivity and the country relied on satellite communications to provide emergency connectivity . He also referenced the ongoing work on 6G standardisation through ITU's IMT 2030 and standard development organisations such as 3GPP, which will include the integration of mobile and satellite systems by default .

Anil Kumar Lahoti described India's DPI as a unique three-layer system comprising Aadhaar for digital identity, UPI for payments, and a data management layer, all engineered to work together at population scale. Each layer was designed to solve a specific friction: identity verified trust, payments enabled instant value exchange, and data made consent and standardisation real. This integrated approach has enabled the secure democratisation of online resources across the country.

He explained that India's DPI is built on a three-layer system of identity (Aadhaar), payments (UPI), and data management , with each layer solving a specific friction: identity verified trust, payments enabled instant value exchange, and data made consent and standardisation real . He noted that this led to the secure democratisation of online resources .

Lahoti explained that India embedded security directly into the architecture of its DPI systems rather than treating it as an add-on. Security protocols were integrated into the source code of Aadhaar and UPI, and a zero-trust network approach was applied. Crucially, data processing and ownership were separated, using encrypted single-use digital tokens to enable secure information transfer without storing or exposing personal data.

He stated that security protocols were integrated directly into the source code of Aadhaar and UPI, applying zero-trust networks and data-based cloud architecture . He further explained that Aadhaar and UPI were designed to separate data processing from ownership, enabling secure transfer of information between financial institutions using encrypted single-use digital tokens without storing or viewing personal data, thereby preventing large-scale tracking or user profiling .

Lahoti highlighted how India uses the Aadhaar payment bridge system to transfer welfare funds directly to beneficiaries using only their 12-digit Aadhaar number, automatically routing money to the linked bank account. This approach eliminates duplicate or fake beneficiaries and reduces institutional leakages. Biometric-based verification further ensures that citizens who are illiterate or lack traditional identification documents are not excluded from welfare programmes.

He explained that the government transfers welfare funds using just the beneficiary's 12-digit Aadhaar number via the Aadhaar payment bridge system, which automatically routes money to the linked bank account . He noted that biometric-based verification ensures inclusion of citizens who cannot read, write, or lack traditional identification documents .

Lahoti described how India addressed language barriers within its DPI by integrating the AI-powered Bhashini translation platform, which allows citizens to interact with government welfare portals, banking services, and digital documents in any of 22 official Indian languages using voice commands. This innovation has been operational since 2023 and is a key tool for ensuring linguistic inclusion within the digital ecosystem. It demonstrates how AI can be harnessed to make DPI more accessible to diverse populations.

He stated that India integrated the AI-powered Bhashini translation platform into its DPI to allow non-English-speaking beneficiaries to access government welfare portals, banking services, and digital documents in 22 official Indian languages using voice commands, operational since 2023 .

Lahoti described India's convergence of DPI and AI in the public health domain as a forward leap towards population-scale preventive care. The existing health ecosystem is vast, encompassing hundreds of millions of health IDs, billions of digital health records, and extensive networks of healthcare facilities and professionals. This integration is intended to shift the health system from reactive treatment towards proactive, data-driven prevention.

He stated that the convergence of DPI and AI is driving India's public health system from reactive treatments towards population-scale preventive care . He cited the current ecosystem as holding 932 million health IDs, over 1 billion digital health records, half a million healthcare facilities, and about a million groups of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists combined .

Lahoti explained that India is extending its DPI philosophy to the domain of AI by making the building blocks of AI — compute, datasets, and open models — available to the public at affordable prices. This is complemented by extensive skilling programmes aimed at empowering youth and startups to participate in and benefit from the AI economy. The approach reflects India's broader commitment to democratising access to transformative technologies.

He stated that India's DPI experience is being extended to democratise the design, deployment, and use of AI, including making available compute, tested datasets, and open AI models and tools to the public at affordable prices, alongside an extensive skilling programme focused on enabling and empowering youth and their startups .

Bernadette Lewis argued that government occupies a uniquely privileged and responsible position in relation to DPI because it is the sole institution that interacts with citizens from birth to death. This means governments accumulate vast repositories of citizen data, making them the primary custodians of that information. With this custodianship comes a fundamental obligation to use that data to deliver services while protecting privacy and security.

She stated that government is the only institution with which a citizen has to interact at every stage of life, from birth registration through health, education, and taxation until death . She noted that governments consequently hold huge repositories of citizens' information and are the custodians of that information, obliged to use it to deliver services, protect privacy, and keep citizens secure .

Lewis argued that effective DPI is not merely a technical system but a mechanism for renewing the social contract between citizens and the state. She identified several characteristics that engender citizens' trust: universally affordable access, security, interoperability, and seamless government services. She also stressed that citizens must have the skills to use these systems and that accessible, timely recourse mechanisms are essential when things go wrong.

She listed the characteristics that engender citizens' trust as universally affordable access, security, the ability to use the technology, and interoperability of systems for seamless government . She emphasised that citizens must have the skills and literacy to benefit from DPI , and that when things go wrong, there must be systems of acceptable and timely recourse so that citizens are not left without remedy . She concluded that an effective DPI helps in the renewal of the social contract .

David Mugonyi described Kenya's decade-long deliberate investment in a digital fibre backbone that now reaches all 47 regions of the country and principal border points. This infrastructure has been complemented by the deployment of satellite communications and the development of interoperable payment and customs systems with regional neighbours. Kenya positions itself as a digitally ambitious nation that has laid the foundation for cross-border digital services.

He stated that Kenya has deliberately invested in a digital fibre backbone reaching all 47 regions and principal border points over the past decade , and that international organisations have also deployed satellite communications . He noted that Kenya has an interoperable system with integrated payments and customs systems with its neighbours , and that Kenya was the first country to launch mobile money transfer .

Mugonyi highlighted Kenya's progress in building cross-border digital integration, including interoperable payment and customs systems with neighbouring countries. Kenya collaborates through the East African Communications Organisation (EACO) to harmonise communication policy and regulation across the region, with the goal of achieving full interoperability and a one-area network. This regional approach is seen as essential for enabling seamless cross-border trade.

He stated that Kenya has an interoperable system with integrated payments and customs systems with its neighbours , and that Kenya collaborates at the regional level through the East African Communications Organisation, the governmental body responsible for harmonising communication policy and regulation across the region, working towards full interoperability and a one-area network .

Mugonyi argued that Kenya's digital transformation has been built on a foundation of robust, collaborative, and inclusive policymaking, which he described as the country's defining approach. This regulatory rigour is being extended to emerging technologies, including AI and virtual assets, through dedicated strategies and legislation. He presented collaboration across policy, regulation, and security as the key idea underpinning Kenya's digital ambitions.

He stated that robust policy and regulatory frameworks are the foundation of digital transformation, and that robust policy is the product of collaborative, inclusive policymaking . He cited Kenya's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030, which emphasises ethical and innovation-driven deployment with a focus on infrastructure and data governance , and the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act 2025, passed by parliament to provide regulatory clarity for digital assets .

Aminu Maida presented Nigeria's approach to DPI trust as resting on three deeply interconnected foundations: trust in identity, trust in networks, and trust in markets. He argued that trust is not a one-time achievement but must be continuously earned and maintained throughout the lifecycle of digital systems. Each foundation is supported by concrete policy and regulatory measures, including mandatory SIM-NIN linkage, a cyber resilience framework, and transparent market regulation.

He stated that Nigeria intentionally builds trust on three interconnected foundations: trust in identity, trust in networks, and trust in markets . For trust in identity, he cited the mandatory linkage of SIM cards with the National Identification Number and the development of a telecommunications identity risk management system to track lifecycle events such as number recycling and fraudulent use . For trust in networks, he referenced the NCC's recently issued cyber resilience framework and work to operationalise the President's 2024 Executive Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure . He emphasised that trust must be continuously maintained, not just established at the point of initial onboarding , and concluded that trust is an ongoing journey .

Tatyana Kanzaveli proposed four non-negotiable design rules for AI-driven public infrastructure to ensure it is resilient, interoperable, auditable, and open to appeal. These rules address systemic vulnerabilities: the need for redundancy and offline alternatives, mandatory interoperability through open standards, full traceability of consequential decisions, and guaranteed human recourse for every person affected by automated decisions. She framed security, privacy, accessibility, and data minimisation as foundational requirements, not optional features.

She outlined four design rules: no single point of failure (requiring redundancy, graceful degradation, offline alternatives, and tested continuity plans) ; no single point of control (requiring mandatory interoperability, open standards, modular architecture, portable data, and well-governed APIs) ; no invisible decisions (requiring data provenance, system versioning, independent testing, and clear accountability, with ongoing oversight beyond deployment) ; and no automated dead end (requiring every person to be able to understand a decision, correct inaccurate information, reach a qualified human, and obtain timely review) . She stated that security, privacy, accessibility, multilingual inclusion, and data minimisation are not optional features but the foundation .

Kanzaveli argued that AI-enabled DPI carries profound consequences for citizens' fundamental rights, going far beyond technical functionality. When such systems fail, the impact is not merely a software bug but can result in citizens losing access to healthcare, benefits, education, or the ability to prove who they are. This framing positions DPI as rights infrastructure, demanding a correspondingly high standard of design, accountability, and protection.

She stated that when AI-enabled public infrastructure fails, citizens do not just experience a software bug but may lose access to healthcare benefits, education, public services, or even the ability to prove who they are . She therefore characterised digital public infrastructure as rights infrastructure, not simply technology .

Kanzaveli emphasised that accountability in AI-driven DPI cannot end at the point of deployment; it must be an ongoing process. Every consequential decision made by an automated system must be traceable through data provenance, system versioning, and independent testing, with clear lines of accountability. She highlighted that models drift, data changes, and threats adapt over time, making continuous oversight an essential design requirement.

She stated that every consequential action must be traceable, requiring governments to have data provenance, system versioning, independent testing, and clear lines of accountability . She noted that oversight cannot end at deployment time because models drift, data changes, and threats adapt .

Cheryl Miller framed the panel discussion by highlighting that digital public infrastructure is central to building resilient, inclusive, and citizen-centred digital states. She consistently directed questions towards how countries are embedding these principles into their DPI strategies, signalling that these are the defining characteristics of successful digital transformation. Her framing positioned DPI not merely as a technical project but as a foundational national priority.

She introduced Senegal's DPI journey by asking how digital public infrastructures fit into the long-term vision for building a resilient, inclusive, and citizen-centred digital state . She similarly asked Somalia how it is ensuring that security, trust, and resilience are embedded from the outset in the design and implementation of digital public infrastructure .

Cheryl Miller drew attention to the particular geographic and environmental vulnerabilities of the Philippines, noting that its archipelagic nature and susceptibility to natural disasters create specific challenges for maintaining resilient digital infrastructure. She used the example of a recent earthquake in Mindanao to contextualise the question of how DPI can serve remote and vulnerable populations even in crisis conditions. This framing highlighted the intersection of disaster resilience and digital inclusion.

She noted that there had been an earthquake in the southern Philippines in General Santos, Mindanao , and asked how the Philippines is ensuring that digital public infrastructure remains available and resilient, particularly for remote and vulnerable communities .

Cheryl Miller identified the convergence of satellite and mobile technologies as a pressing contemporary issue for digital infrastructure resilience, framing it as a topic of growing relevance in current discussions. She invited Poland to elaborate on this convergence in the context of its own experiences and actions to ensure DPI resilience. This framing positioned satellite-mobile integration as a frontier issue for the global digital infrastructure agenda.

She asked Poland's representative to elaborate on the convergence of satellite and mobile technologies, noting that these issues are being discussed a lot more in the present day .

Cheryl Miller highlighted India's remarkable scale of digital transactions as evidence of the country's success in building population-scale DPI, framing this as a source of globally relevant lessons. She specifically noted that UPI accounted for half of the world's total digital transactions in May 2026, underscoring the extraordinary reach and impact of India's digital infrastructure. She positioned India's experience as a model for other countries seeking to build resilient, secure, trusted, and citizen-centric systems.

She stated that the Unified Payment Interface had reached 23.2 billion transactions in May 2026 , and that this accounted for 50% of the world's total digital transactions for that month . She then asked what lessons India's experience with population-scale DPI can offer to the global community in creating resilient, secure, trusted, and citizen-centric digital systems for inclusive development in the age of AI .

Cheryl Miller framed Kenya's DPI in terms of its significance for the business community, emphasising that cross-border trade is a key concern for the private sector. She acknowledged Kenya's powerful digital infrastructure and directed the question towards how security and regional availability are being ensured to support seamless cross-border commerce. This framing highlighted the economic and commercial dimensions of DPI beyond domestic service delivery.

She acknowledged that Kenya has built a powerful digital public infrastructure and asked how the country is ensuring the infrastructure is secure and available regionally to enable seamless cross-border trade, describing this as something extremely important to business .

Cheryl Miller posed a forward-looking question about the design principles that should govern AI-enabled DPI, covering identity, health, benefits, and education systems. She emphasised that these principles must address security, interoperability, auditability, and the right of citizens to appeal decisions made about them. This framing positioned the governance of AI-enabled DPI as a critical and urgent challenge requiring concrete, actionable responses.

She asked what concrete design principles governments should adopt as they build out AI-enabled digital public infrastructure for identity, health, benefits, and education, so that DPI is secure, interoperable, auditable, and open to appeal by those it serves .

Cheryl Miller observed that throughout the conference there had been much discussion about translating talk into action, and that the panellists were demonstrating precisely this through their concrete national DPI implementations. She used this observation to affirm the value of the panel's contributions and to signal that the global DPI agenda is advancing beyond rhetoric. This framing positioned the panel as evidence of real-world progress on digital transformation.

She noted that throughout the conference there had been a lot of discussion about putting talk into action, and that everything she was hearing from the panellists showed they were doing a lot on the action part .