Bridging Visions: Aligning the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and WSIS+20 Overall Review by the UN GA

Summary

This discussion focused on aligning the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Plus 20 review process with the implementation of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) to ensure coherence and prevent duplication in digital governance mechanisms. The session was moderated by Thomas Schneider and featured co-facilitators from Kenya and Albania, along with representatives from various UN agencies and organizations. The primary concern addressed was how to meaningfully integrate these two processes while maintaining the WSIS vision of an inclusive, people-centered information society.

Multiple speakers emphasized the critical need to avoid creating parallel or fragmented digital governance mechanisms, particularly given UN efficiency requirements and resource constraints. Angel González Sanz from the CSTD highlighted that consensus emerged around leveraging existing WSIS mechanisms and building on established institutional strengths rather than creating new frameworks. The discussion revealed four key priorities for alignment: closing the digital divide, fostering safe digital transformation, supporting sustainable development goals, and strengthening international cooperation.

Amandeep Singh Gill noted that the GDC already endorses WSIS principles and emphasizes relying on existing mechanisms like the Internet Governance Forum and WSIS Forum. The European Union proposed developing roadmaps for WSIS action lines as a practical instrument to embed GDC principles while maintaining multi-stakeholder consultation processes. Several speakers stressed the importance of preserving the multi-stakeholder approach that has been WSIS’s hallmark, while others advocated for hybrid governance models combining intergovernmental legitimacy with multi-stakeholder inclusivity.

The discussion concluded with broad agreement on the need for complementarity rather than competition between the processes, emphasizing that both should ultimately deliver concrete solutions that impact communities and individuals’ lives rather than merely creating additional bureaucratic frameworks.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **Integration and Alignment of WSIS Plus 20 and Global Digital Compact (GDC)**: The central focus was on how to meaningfully integrate these two processes to ensure coherence and prevent duplication, with speakers emphasizing the need to leverage existing WSIS mechanisms rather than creating parallel frameworks.

– **Avoiding Fragmentation in Digital Governance**: Multiple speakers stressed the importance of not creating overlapping institutional mechanisms or duplicating efforts, particularly given UN efficiency mandates and resource constraints. The emphasis was on consolidating rather than fragmenting global digital governance.

– **Multi-stakeholder Approach and Inclusive Governance**: Discussion of how to maintain and strengthen the multi-stakeholder model that has been central to WSIS success, while addressing the challenge that digital governance issues cannot be solved by governments alone and require broad participation from civil society, private sector, and technical communities.

– **Practical Implementation Mechanisms**: Speakers proposed concrete solutions including roadmaps for WSIS action lines, leveraging existing forums like the WSIS Forum and Internet Governance Forum, and using established reporting mechanisms rather than creating new ones.

– **Focus on Outcomes and Real-World Impact**: Emphasis on ensuring that governance discussions translate into tangible results for communities, with references to successful digital solutions reaching remote areas and the importance of substance over process.

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion aimed to explore pathways for coherent integration between the WSIS Plus 20 review process and the Global Digital Compact implementation, ensuring alignment while maintaining the WSIS vision of an inclusive, people-centered information society and avoiding duplication of efforts.

## Overall Tone:

The tone was consistently collaborative and constructive throughout the discussion. Speakers demonstrated strong consensus on the need for alignment and integration, with no apparent disagreements on fundamental principles. The atmosphere was professional yet passionate, particularly evident in the closing remarks that emphasized the real-world impact of digital solutions. There was a sense of urgency about getting the integration right, but also confidence in the existing WSIS infrastructure and achievements over the past 20 years.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Thomas Schneider** – Moderator of the session

– **Ekitela Lokaale** – Co-facilitator of the WSIS plus 20 process, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the UN

– **Suela Janina** – Co-facilitator, Representative of Albania to the UN

– **Angel Gonzalez Sanz** – CSDD Secretary

– **Amandeep Singh Gill** – Under-Secretary General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technology

– **Thibaut Kleiner** – Director of the European Commission at the DG Connect (participated online)

– **Cynthia Lesufi** – Chair of the ITU Council Working Group on WSIS and SDGs

– **Tawfik Jelassi** – Assistant Director for Communications and Information at UNESCO

– **Tomas Lamanauskas** – Deputy Secretary General from the ITU

**Additional speakers:**

– **Thomas Lamanouskas** – Mentioned at the beginning but appears to be the same person as Tomas Lamanauskas with a slight name variation

# Comprehensive Report: Aligning WSIS Plus 20 and Global Digital Compact Implementation

## Executive Summary

This 44-minute session, moderated by Thomas Schneider, brought together key stakeholders to address the critical challenge of aligning the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Plus 20 review process with the implementation of the Global Digital Compact (GDC). The discussion featured co-facilitators from Kenya and Albania, alongside representatives from various UN agencies and organisations, all focused on ensuring coherence whilst preventing duplication in digital governance mechanisms.

Thomas Schneider opened the session with three specific guiding questions:

1. How can we meaningfully integrate the WSIS plus 20 review process and the GDC to ensure coherence and prevent duplication?

2. How can the WSIS framework serve as the foundation for embedding the GDC’s principles and avoiding the creation of parallel or fragmented digital governance mechanisms?

3. What is a pragmatic way forward for the co-facilitators to align both processes and advance shared objectives in multi-stakeholder digital cooperation?

The discussion revealed strong alignment amongst speakers on fundamental principles, with participants emphasising the need to leverage existing WSIS infrastructure rather than creating parallel frameworks, maintain the multi-stakeholder approach, and focus on practical implementation that delivers tangible results.

## Key Participants and Their Perspectives

### Co-facilitators’ Vision

**Ekitela Lokaale**, representing Kenya as co-facilitator of the WSIS Plus 20 process, emphasised the importance of alignment with the GDC whilst avoiding duplication, particularly given UN efficiency requirements. She highlighted the process’s strong legacy of multi-stakeholder engagement, welcoming views from all stakeholders rather than limiting participation to member states alone.

**Suela Janina**, Albania’s representative and co-facilitator, experienced significant technical difficulties during her remarks, making much of her contribution unclear in the transcript. What was audible reinforced the commitment to hearing from stakeholders throughout the consultation process about concrete implementation approaches.

### UN Agency Perspectives

**Amandeep Singh Gill**, Under-Secretary General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technology, provided crucial context by noting that the GDC already endorses WSIS principles from the outset and emphasises relying on existing mechanisms rather than creating new ones. He stressed the importance of maintaining progressive language from the GDC without negotiation down, whilst advocating for substance and outcomes over processes. Referencing the moderator’s earlier comment about avoiding too many processes, he emphasised the need for practical implementation.

**Tawfik Jelassi**, Assistant Director for Communications and Information at UNESCO, introduced a thought-provoking dimension by questioning whether consensus exists on the vision for the digital future before diving into implementation details. He proposed a hybrid governance approach that combines the normative legitimacy of states with the inclusivity and diversity of multi-stakeholder processes, drawing from UNESCO’s practical experience in managing six WSIS action lines.

**Tomas Lamanauskas**, ITU’s Deputy Secretary General, grounded the discussion in concrete achievements, noting WSIS’s progress from 12% to 12.5% internet penetration in 2005 to two-thirds of the world connected today. He made a humorous reference to how civil society used to sit on the floor during early WSIS meetings in 2003, contrasting it with ambassadors now sitting on the floor due to crowded rooms. His closing remarks emphasised that success should be measured by game-changing solutions that directly impact communities.

### Regional and Organisational Contributions

**Thibaut Kleiner** from the European Commission presented a concrete operational proposal, suggesting the development of roadmaps for WSIS action lines as practical instruments to embed GDC principles. His proposal, which he noted was warmly received at IGF, included forward-looking instruments developed through inclusive consultations whilst maintaining facilitator ownership, with the WSIS Forum serving as a venue for presentation and discussion. He also suggested enhancing the Internet Governance Forum’s position within this “galaxy of activities.”

**Angel Gonzalez Sanz** from the CSTD Secretariat reported strong consensus from consultations on the need for alignment. He referenced six specific paragraphs (125-135) of a resolution dealing with GDC-WSIS alignment and noted that CSTD has launched a working group on “fundamental principles of data governance at all levels as relevant for development.” He proposed that UNGIS develop a joint implementation roadmap for presentation to the CSTD session.

**Cynthia Lesufi**, chairing the ITU Council Working Group on WSIS and SDGs, positioned WSIS as uniquely positioned to support digital development due to its comprehensive implementation ecosystem developed over two decades. She highlighted the upcoming WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Event 2025 as a key opportunity to “evaluate progress, identify gaps, and define a shape” for future work, offering ITU’s support as a coordination leader.

## Areas of Consensus

### Preventing Duplication and Leveraging Existing Infrastructure

The strongest consensus emerged around avoiding duplication and building upon existing WSIS infrastructure. All speakers acknowledged member state concerns about UN system inefficiencies and the imperative to consolidate rather than fragment global digital governance. This included recognition of the comprehensive ecosystem developed over 20 years, encompassing the WSIS Forum, Internet Governance Forum, UNGIS coordination mechanisms, and stocktaking processes.

### Multi-stakeholder Governance Commitment

Participants emphasised the critical importance of maintaining and strengthening multi-stakeholder governance as a core strength of the WSIS process. This commitment extended beyond diplomatic rhetoric to practical recognition that digital governance challenges cannot be addressed by governments alone.

### Focus on Practical Implementation

There was clear agreement on moving beyond process discussions to focus on practical implementation approaches and measurable outcomes. Speakers consistently emphasised the need for substance over process, with particular attention to solutions that deliver real impact to communities.

## Constructive Differences and Varied Approaches

### Governance Philosophy

Whilst all speakers supported multi-stakeholder approaches, there were nuanced differences in emphasis. Tawfik Jelassi advocated for a hybrid governance model combining intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder approaches, arguing that neither approach alone is sufficient. He also emphasised the need for consensus on digital future vision before proceeding with detailed implementation planning.

### Implementation Mechanisms

Speakers proposed different complementary approaches: the EU suggested action line roadmaps developed by facilitators, the CSTD proposed UNGIS-developed joint roadmaps, and ITU focused on the 2025 High-Level Event as the key opportunity for evaluation and planning.

## Concrete Proposals and Next Steps

### Roadmap Development

The EU’s proposal for developing roadmaps for WSIS action lines received support through similar suggestions from other speakers. These roadmaps would serve as practical instruments to embed GDC principles whilst combining them with existing WSIS frameworks.

### UNGIS Coordination

Angel Gonzalez Sanz proposed that UNGIS develop a joint implementation roadmap for GDC-WSIS alignment, leveraging the existing coordination mechanism that brings together UN agencies.

### Forum Enhancement

Rather than creating new mechanisms, speakers agreed on strengthening existing forums such as the WSIS Forum and Internet Governance Forum, with suggestions for enhancing their positioning and capacity.

## Outstanding Challenges

### Operational Details

Whilst there was consensus on principles, specific modalities for operationalising the alignment between WSIS Plus 20 and GDC remain to be developed, including detailed coordination mechanisms, resource allocation frameworks, and implementation timelines.

### Governance Model Implementation

The practical implementation of hybrid governance approaches requires further development and stakeholder consultation.

### Measurement and Accountability

Speakers acknowledged the need for measurement and reporting on integrated implementation without creating additional reporting burdens.

## Conclusion

This session demonstrated strong consensus on the fundamental need to align WSIS Plus 20 and GDC processes whilst avoiding duplication. The agreement on leveraging existing WSIS infrastructure, maintaining multi-stakeholder governance, and focusing on practical implementation provides a solid foundation for moving forward.

The different approaches proposed for implementation mechanisms reflect complementary rather than competing visions, suggesting multiple pathways for achieving shared objectives. The concrete proposals for roadmap development, UNGIS coordination, and forum strengthening provide actionable next steps.

As the session concluded with limited time remaining, the emphasis on real-world impact and community-level outcomes ensures that institutional coordination serves the broader purposes of digital inclusion and development. The path forward requires continued multi-stakeholder consultation, careful attention to governance model development, and sustained focus on practical implementation that delivers tangible benefits to communities worldwide.

Thomas Schneider: Thomas Lamanouskas, Inter Alia, so let’s give us one more minute. Okay, so I think, let’s start, given that we only have 44 minutes for this short but important session. The purpose of this is to discuss synthesis, identify gaps and explore pathways towards coherent integration, emphasizing the continued relevance of the WSIS vision for inclusive people-centered information society, and of course, trying to see how we can align the implementation work of the Global Digital Compact and WSIS plus 20. I’ve been given a few guiding questions that our speakers are supposed to help us find answers to. The first one is how can we meaningfully integrate the WSIS plus 20 review process and the GDC to ensure coherence and prevent duplication? Very important question. The second one is how can the WSIS framework serve as the foundation for embedding the GDC’s principles and avoiding the creation of parallel or fragmented digital governance mechanisms? And the third one is what is a pragmatic way forward for the co-facilitators to align both processes and advance shared objectives in multi-stakeholder digital cooperation? The co-facilitators, of course, I’m happy to again see you after Oslo at the IGF. Mr. Ekitela Lokale, co-facilitator of the WSIS plus 20 process, permanent representative of Kenya to the UN, and Ms. Suella Yanina. facilitator representative of Albania to the UN. Let me give you the floor to say a few words.

Ekitela Lokaale: Thank you very much and good afternoon. I’m very happy to be here as one of the co-facilitators and to see quite a good number of you that we met at the IGF. I think for us as co-facilitators the purpose of coming here is to listen to the views that you’re going to share, the presenters as well as the different stakeholders, bearing in mind that this is a process in which in a very strong and rich legacy of multi-stakeholder engagement. So we are very much looking forward to receiving the views not just of member states but also of all the other stakeholders. The second thing we are mindful, just as I’m sure all of us are, that the WSIS plus 20 review is happening hot on the heels of adoption of the GDC. So I think it’s incumbent upon us as a community to just see how best to undertake the review in a manner that’s cognizant of the GDC but that’s also keen to make sure that we don’t perhaps have any duplication and all this, you know, happening as it is at a time when at the UN they talk of UNAT and they need to improve efficiencies and remove duplication and so on. So very much looking forward to hearing from all of you. Thank you.

Suela Janina: Thank you, Tomas. Also from my side, good afternoon, President. In fact, I was just thinking it’s turning to a good health. H.E. Mr. Ekitela Lokaale, Amandeep Singh Gill, Mr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter H.E. Mr. Ekitela Lokaale, Amandeep Singh Gill, Mr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter H.E. Mr. Ekitela Lokaale, Amandeep Singh Gill, Mr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter H.E. Mr. Egitela Lokaale, Amandeep Singh Gill, Mr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter H.E. Mr. Ekitela Lokaale, Amandeep Singh Gill, Mr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter H.E. Mr. Egitela Lokaale, Amandeep Singh Gill, Mr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter , Dr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter, Dr. Angel González Sanz, Dr. David Souter, So, these are a few elements that will be on our attention but we want to hear from you during this event, this discussion, but also through the entire week. So, let us hear from you, what will be the concrete ways, the principle of putting synergies together? What kind of bridges can you propose that GDC and WSIS serve to the same purpose, to the same objectives that they are creating? To secure a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented digital and information society. Thank you.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you very much, Agittela and Azuela. We will now move on to a technical update from the CSDD Secretary. The CSDD is responsible since 2005 for the UN system-wide follow-up and implementation. So, Mr. Angel González Sanz. Thank you.

Angel Gonzalez Sanz: Thank you, Moderator, and thank you to the organizers for inviting the CSDD Secretary to give you this technical update, which is a rather cryptic theme. I am not quite sure what technical information I can convey to this group of stakeholders. But anyway, I am trying to convey to you basically the elements of the work that has taken place already within the formal structures of the UN. As most of you know, the CSTD is a functional commission of the ECOSOC and includes in its mandate a role of being the focal point for the system-wide follow-up to the implementation of the WSIS outcomes. And as part of that role, the ECOSOC in 2023 mandated the commission to undertake a wide process of multi-stakeholder consultations leading to the elaboration of a substantive contribution to the WSIS Plus 20 review by the General Assembly. So that substantive contribution is reflected in the WSIS resolution that is expected to be adopted by the ECOSOC at the end of this month. And that resolution, together with a summary of the discussions on WSIS Plus 20 and a report by the Secretariat that documents these two years of multi-stakeholder consultation will be transmitted by the ECOSOC to the General Assembly as an input to the deliberations of the Assembly on WSIS Plus 20. Of course, one of the main messages that emerged from all this process of consultation and discussions among member states and stakeholders is the crucial need for alignment between the GDES and the WSIS process that came across very, very clearly throughout the process. Looking into the future, the discussions by member states at the annual session, but also during the two years of consultation, identified four priorities, substantive priorities for this alignment to take place. One is the absolute need to close the digital divide along all its dimensions. The second, to foster a safe, secure, and trustworthy digital transformation. The third, to ensure that that digital transformation supports the implementation of the Global Sustainable Development Goals. Global Sustainable Development Goals, and fourth, strengthening international cooperation, particularly in the sense of empowering the participation of developing countries in global digital decision-making. During the discussions itself last April, the discussion reaffirmed the vision of WSIS and a submission that is useful to address the challenges that speak both to the WSIS outcomes, but also to those priorities that were identified in the GDC. And in fact, the resolution that I referred to a moment ago includes six paragraphs specifically dealing with the question of how to align the GDC and WSIS. Those are six out of the ten paragraphs between paragraph 125 and 135 of the resolution. Again, one of the clearest messages that one can see coming from that is that there is a clear consensus to recommend that the commitments of the GDC should leverage WSIS mechanisms and build on the institutional strengths that have been developed. A concrete proposal that is included in the resolution is that the outcome of WSIS plus 20 should ask ANGIS, the UN group on the information society, to develop a joint implementation roadmap and to present that roadmap to the 2020 session of the CSTD. This proposal aims to integrate the GDC principles into the WSIS follow-up processes and to ensure that there is a coordinated system-wide implementation. Similarly, during the CSTD, all stakeholders agreed that leveraging and strengthening existing forums, such as the WSIS forum and the Internet Governance Forum, rather than creating parallel mechanisms, is essential for ensuring a source-efficient and impactful implementation. The question of insubordination is only one of the issues that need to be addressed. The CSTD participants also stress the need for inclusive governance. The challenges that lie ahead of us cannot be addressed by governments alone. We need multi-stakeholder involvement, and they cannot be addressed in a fragmented way. A clear example of this is the question of data governance that, as you know, is one important objective identified in the GDC. The CSTD has already launched a working group, a multi-stakeholder working group, that is in fundamental principles of data governance at all levels as relevant for development. And that’s both a contribution to the mandates coming from the GDC and to the long-term objectives of WSIS. With this, I will stop, and I will reiterate that the CSTD provides multi-stakeholder platform for consensus building around these themes. Thank you very much.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you very much, Angel. Now we have a number of speakers that are quite experienced in what we are looking very much forward to, their ideas on how to align the 550,000 trillion processes that we have linked to WSIS-related issues. Let me start with Amandeep Singh Gill. You all know him, Under-Secretary General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technology. Thank you.

Amandeep Singh Gill: Thank you very much, Thomas. Standing room only, so I’m sorry for those who are up against the wall and those who are uncomfortable sitting down there. Just the importance of the subject today. Thank you to DESA for bringing us together for this discussion, and thank you to the co-facilitators, ambassadors, for leading this important work. Thomas, you said it, you know, a trillion processes. I think while we should worry about processes and try and make negotiations, they strived very hard to ensure that we move forward with complementarity. We don’t duplicate. So for example, right at the outset of the GDC, you have a strong endorsement of the WSIS principles, the WSIS approach, multi-stakeholder, people-centric, development-oriented. So even if these principles are laid out, 13 principles, we start with that, that we are not reinventing the wheel. And then again, if you go further down, this reliance on existing mechanisms, that was part of, you know, the previous remarks, there again, the specific language that says we should rely on existing mechanisms, there’s very progressive language on the IGF, for example, but other forums as well, the WSIS forum. And then in terms of reporting, again, you know, thank you to UNCTAD, CSTD, for what’s been presented, the result of the consultations. There’s a strong emphasis on not creating additional tracks of reporting. Member states and other stakeholders are obviously tied of, you know, multiple reporting channels, so how can we use the existing channels of reporting to move forward on the GDC? So that said, as part of the overall implementation architecture, in the sense of, like, you know, how do we keep ourselves accountable? How do we… Hello everyone. The secretary general created a steering committee, which he himself chairs, the Pact steering committee. Part of it you have groups, there’s a working group on digital technologies that I have the honor to co-chair with Doreen, the secretary general of ITU, so that we bring the Geneva ecosystem, the New York ecosystem, different parts of the system together. And this is a time-limited mechanism. And Thomas is here, you know, we worked on it to make sure that this is not, this doesn’t become, you know, a self-perpetuating mechanism. So for a while, you give the push to the implementation of different aspects of chapter three, and then you wrap up, you know. And then there is the critical, I think this is what I really want to emphasize today. So in the GDC, there are intergovernmental processes that have been set in motion. For example, on the AI governance modalities, there is, of course, a new mechanism on data governance, which is being dealt with for the first time in the UN. So these are kind of necessary additionalities. And they, in a sense, they, in a sense, you know, still uphold the vision. As you remember, though some of you are old timers, I see Yanis over there, over there. So, you know, there was this debate at that time on enhanced cooperation, but we moved on and we have taken forward this idea of digital cooperation, where, you know, in certain areas where we have complex challenges that cut across different aspects of the UN’s mandate, peace and security, human rights development, you need stronger engagement of governments. So you have created those additional avenues for governments to engage on some of these issues while upholding the multistakeholder of this domain. I think Going forward, we, as you know, the ambassadors mentioned, you know, there is progressive language. I think one of, I don’t want to say concern, but I think certainly desire is that the progressive language be upheld and not be negotiated down at a time when, you know, there are these political and other challenges on human rights, on the digital economy, on internet governance. Many at GDC kind of broke new ground, took up the language to the next level. So I think the safest way is to uphold that language and also to try and see if there is something, if we have the bandwidth for, let’s say, reinforcing complementarity, try and see how we can bring more dynamism into the action lines. Because as I said, substance should lead, outcomes should matter. And then try and see if the system itself, where, you know, you have players, new mandates, the Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies with a clear mandate from the General Assembly for strengthening system-wide coordination. So how we can improve our system-wide response, again, something that links strongly back to the UNAT agenda of the Secretary General. So those are areas for improvement. And then at the end of the day, we have to ensure that one of the biggest achievements of those summits, which is the IGF, this epitome of multi-stakeholder collaboration, is taken forward, is strengthened. There is going on for its core foundational mandate. There are new challenges coming up in terms of infrastructure, energy use, some of the problems we see in digital spaces. So how can we succeed? celebrate in December a continuation of these great achievements of the WSIS agenda. Thank you, Thomas, back to you.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you very much, Amandeep. Our next speaker is, I hope it works, connected online. It is Mr. Thibault Kleiner. He is the director of the European Commission at the DG Connect. Yes, hello.

Thibaut Kleiner: I hope you can hear me indeed, dear Ambassador Thomas Schneider, Excellencies, distinguished delegates and esteemed colleagues. Indeed, I’ll be joining you tomorrow evening, but today I still had to be in Brussels. And thanks for accommodating my online participation today. As we know, this is a great opportunity this year with the WSIS Plus 20 review and the implementation of the Global Digital Compact to really forge a united path between these two initiatives. And as some of the previous speakers said, it’s an opportunity to focus on results, on delivery, but also to ensure coherence and strategic alignment between the WSIS action lines and the way we are implementing the Global Digital Compact. And really, we should avoid duplication and fragmentation in the global digital governance. I think that this should be our starting point because the tasks ahead at the moment are very significant. And I think also we’ve had quite a lot of discussions in the context of the EC and consensus was built. And I think we can build on this also now for the WSIS Plus 20 review. But also we should look at the future in terms of how we can implement in an effective manner whatever we discuss and agree upon. So, to that extent, I think that the discussions in the GDC, they have triggered comprehensive dialogues, for instance, around artificial intelligence, around data governance. But what we see from the EU’s perspective is that there are also other UN processes on these, also other processes on cyber security and cyber crime. So, what I think we believe is that we must be efficient. We should avoid to replicate in different fora what is effectively being discussed in one place. And it is very much imperative that the YSYS plus 20 does not establish overlapping frameworks, or even worse, overlapping institutional mechanisms, because this would introduce redundancy implementation at a time where we need to stick together, and also we need to avoid that conversations get diluted, which would only complicate our digital governance landscape. So, from the EU, we have made a proposal to that extent. We think that we can actually meaningfully combine the YSYS plus 20 and the digital compact, but for that we need structured coordination and transparency. So, basically, our proposal is to develop roadmaps for the YSYS action line. This could be something that is taken in the hands of the factors, and we believe that these roadmaps could be a practical instrument to embed the global digital compact’s principles explicitly, and to combine them with existing YSYS frameworks so that we have one conversation where we directly align also this with the sustainable development goal. So, Basically, it’s a practical proposal, and we’ve already tried to test this concept at the IGF a few weeks ago, and I was happy to meet a number of people also in Oslo. Basically, when we presented the idea, it was quite a warm reception. We had many stakeholders embracing this concept, and also recognizing that in the past, maybe we’ve had attempts to look at this, but without an integration effort. So, in a way, with the roadmaps, we can have a forward-looking instrument where we actually try to deliver, which I think is exactly the right message, and where also the facilitators would maintain full ownership of these roadmaps, but also making sure that they are developed through inclusive multi-stakeholder consultations, and where they can reflect the priorities that we all share around digital inclusion, respect for human rights, and equitable participation. So, with this, we believe that we have a process, an instrument, and actually that this could be also something that the WISIS Forum could take also as one of the tasks. The WISIS Forum could be the venue where we present, where we discuss these roadmaps, and where the co-facilitators with the other stakeholders leverage such an instrument for transparency, for coherence, and for support. And in that context, we also believe that the Internet Governance Forum would be enhanced, because it could also get positioned in terms of this galaxy of activities that we would describe. So, essentially, from the side of the European Union, we, as you know, remain very committed to advancing the We are ready to present some non-paper in the coming weeks to illustrate how such roadmaps could be effective. But we need to work together, that’s also today my message, to consolidate, not to fragment, to align, and not to duplicate. And this, I think, this coherence, this consistency at this moment is very much needed, because I think that what we are talking about, this global digital governance, these challenges are really what our populations need for prosperity, for unity, and for inclusion. Thank you.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you. But let’s move on from north to south to my dear friend Cynthia Lesufi. She is a very known person here in Geneva, in particular at the ITU, because not only, but also is she the chair of the ITU Council Working Group on WSIS and SDGs. Thank you.

Cynthia Lesufi: Thank you, Ambassador Schneider, and good afternoon to all. And I also want to thank the co-facilitators to join us in this session, and I really want to congratulate you in all the great work that you’re doing. But I also want to congratulate all my panelists, my fellow panelists for doing a great job in all your areas that you’re focusing on with regard to this important process that we are talking about today. So for me, I really want to address the questions that are being, the guiding questions that are being asked in terms of this session. I will start with the first question on how can we meaningfully integrate WSIS with GDC. For us, you know, as South Africa, as the chair of the Council Working Group of the ITU Council, we believe that over the past 20 decades, WSIS has, I mean, two decades So WSIS has developed a comprehensive implementation ecosystem, which includes Action Lines, the WSIS Forum, UNGIS Coordination, and the WSIS Stock Taking process. And for us, this remains a uniquely positioned to support digital development and cooperation. And therefore, by aligning the GDC priorities with the WSIS Action Lines and leveraging the existing multi-stakeholder architecture, the international community can translate high-level digital governance principles into coherent and measurable actions. But also, this approach will not only reinforce synergy between both processes, but it will also enhance accountability, continuity, and inclusiveness in the evolving digital cooperation landscape. So moving on to the second question on how can WSIS framework serve to avoid fragmented governance? Again, WSIS has established itself as an effective multi-stakeholder mechanism and effectively bringing together a diverse array of stakeholders, including national governments, international organizations, the private sector entities, the civil society organizations, as well as academic institutions. And this comprehensive collaboration fosters an environment where various interests and perspectives can be represented and addressed. With its extensive global reach and commitment to inclusivity, WSIS serves as an optimal platform for embedding priorities of the global digital compact. And by leveraging the collaborative nature of WSIS, the GDC can engage wider audiences and are met without the need to create separate, potentially conflicting frameworks. This integration not only streamline the efforts, but also enhances the collective of all participating stakeholders on the digital landscape. Now moving on to the third question, which is the last question, what is a pragmatic path forward for alignment? Our view as a council chair of the ITU is that strengthening collaboration between GDC and WSIS. ITU, as a leader in WSIS coordination, stands ready to support the co-facilitators, the UN agencies, in fostering alignment. And for us, again, WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Event 2025 is providing an opportunity to evaluate progress, identify gaps, and define a shape. Thank you very much.

Thomas Schneider: Next is your neighbor, Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director for Communications and Information at UNESCO.

Tawfik Jelassi: Thank you very much, Thomas. Being the number seven speaker, I don’t want to repeat what has been already said, but I want to give you a perspective from UNESCO. UNESCO has been the lead implementer of six action lines of WSIS-11. These six action lines are access to information, e-learning, e-science, cultural diversity and multilingualism, media, and the ethics of information. So that’s where we come from, having been the lead implementer of six action lines out of 11 of the WSIS. I fully agree with Amandeep when he said substance, content, and outcomes matter because it’s an issue of impact. Yes. I would put above that vision and governance. Before we talk about outcomes and substance and processes, what is our vision for the digital future? Do we have a consensus on that? How do we see the world evolving? The world is changing. Have we changed enough in the face of these disruptive changes? Digital is the name of the game, not today, for years to come. What is our vision for the future? and to governmental authorities. These are societal issues that impact every one of us, every community, every society. So we cannot let the governments decide through an intergovernmental process what is good for society at large. And then we can go to the other approach of governance, which is the multi-stakeholder. Of course, it has pluses, inclusivity, diversity by involving civil society, academia, research institutions, the technical community, the sectors concerned. Yes, diversity and inclusivity, but they don’t have the power nor obviously the legitimacy of setting up normative standards. It is the states that have the legitimacy of defining normative instruments and standards. So we see the pluses and we see the minuses of each governance approach. So where do we go from here? What’s the solution? I think we should take the best of each. We should leverage the normative legitimacy of states, but also leverage the inclusivity and the diversity of the multi-stakeholder. We have done this at UNESCO recently. Although our 2021 UNESCO recommendation on the ethics of AI followed a purely intergovernmental process through intergovernmental negotiations. And at the end, the vote by a hundred ninety-three member states for that recommendation. Our more recent 20-23 UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms, for stakeholder approach that brought from day one to the fold the platform companies and the tech players. From day one, the Facebook, the Meta, the TikTok, the Instagram, and so on and so forth. From day one, alongside governments, civil society, academia, technical community, etc. And then subsequently, they were endorsed by member states. So I think a hybrid governance approach maybe is one model to consider going forward. The good hands of the two co-facilitators, the esteemed ambassadors of Albania and Kenya. We know all the launch consultations, the process still continuing. We know that next month, by the middle of August, we’ll have draft zero, I believe. So there is a process launch, etc., through a multi-stakeholder, open, global consultations. But I just want to give you a view from some experiences we had. And so the question is, yes, no duplication. I agree. I think we heard it from many previous speakers. No overlapping. I agree when resources are becoming more and more scarce. And I know that member states, at least I heard that UNESCO say, you guys within the UN, get your acts together. WSIS was initiated by the UN, IGF is the largest UN forum so far, GDC initiated by the UN Secretary-General. So these are all UN processes. Member states said, you know, we don’t like duplication. We don’t want to see overlap. Get your act together. We need to get our act together. I mean, this is again, my dear friend, Mandeep, he knows my views, we talked. We need to find a way to create this complementarity, to create this synergy, while of course using effectively the scarce resources that we have nowadays. Thank you, Thomas.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you, Tafik. Last but not least, you came in last, so you can also speak last, of course, Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General from the IT.

Tomas Lamanauskas: Thank you very much, Thomas, and I really apologize for that, you know, we had to open an intergenerational dialogue. That’s a good excuse. So I think hopefully we’re seeing active discussion there, and I think here, for now, we seem to all agree, you know, so hopefully we’ll also find some ways to find some issues where we not always agree but can progress very well forward. But I think I’m back when I was preparing this panel, and I was thinking about what I wanted to say, I was like, I went back to my thoughts this morning, to the winners and champions awards. I was sitting in this front row and seeing people very happily coming on the stage, and this video is playing, you know, of video playing how digital ID is reaching remote communities, video playing how health services are reaching remote communities, video playing how we can deal with scams online. And this came, these winners, I think a total of 19 of them, with another 92 champions, came with a real solution. So I think for me, that was envisioning what this is all about, you know, this is about those solutions changing the world and their communities directly. And I think it’s so tempting for us to talk about modalities of reviews, and they are very important, and a big thanks for Ambassadors McAuley and Yenina being here today with us, you know, these are really important. We think they’re only important when they deliver these results, you know, if they deliver those game-changing solutions straight in their communities to change everyone’s lives. So they don’t end up by being, you know, modalities, discussion between GDC and WSIS, but end up being discussion how this specific digital solution, specific community will impact everyone. I have to be proud that WSIS has done quite a bit, since we gathered here in these halls. I mean, I wasn’t here, I have to admit, I was in 2005, but since the community has gathered here, we did a bit. From very high-level numbers, so 12% to 12.5% of internet penetration in 2005, to two-thirds of the world connected now. These are our own achievements. If you look at the community we gathered, so our WSIS stocktaking has today around 15,000 entries that represent all these different projects around the world, with more than 2 million subscribers that are engaged in that. 50,000 people have passed through the WSIS forums. And it’s actually today, so it’s not only overflowing today, it’s also always overflowing in the morning. We need to remember where we’re coming from. I’ll put on the spot here, Oslav, from our team, he was there when it all started with this forum. That’s probably where, in a couple of dozen, we now have thousands, the CA, with the Eye for Good, more than 10,000 people in these halls, creating these solutions together. And again, not only discussing here, but then going back and delivering that result back, and then feeding this back in. This is, for me, the achievements. Now, the achievements was also in the process. And I think, first of all, it’s really focused on multistakeholder, which is now we’re taking as granted. I think Yanis this morning said that when you went in 2003, civil society had to sit on the floor. Now, apologies, Ambassador, now you are sitting on the floor. So I think it also shows a bit of a dynamics, but I see UNDP colleagues next to you, and other UN colleagues, so hopefully you’re not insulted with that. Exactly, very comfortable in this way. And that took time. The first time I worked for IT was 10 years ago. And I went to some civil society meetings, and the people were not friendly to me, I have to say. In the beginning, people were not friendly to me, because people didn’t understand each other. Now, I think we have a lot of civil society in these halls and I think it’s really productive work, and people understand each other. People know how to work. They understand they do not always think the same thing, and they shouldn’t be, but they’re coming to the same objective. Focus on inclusion. I already mentioned how much we achieved in terms of the digital divide, but also broad approach. And I think also sometimes missing our digital discussions, what we haven’t discussed is that digital is not about digital. Digital about education, health, disaster management, agriculture. All these areas that we impact there. And again, the Swiss’s approach, we bring the UN community, around 50 UN agencies together, we bring different ministries. And today, again, if you see on the stage, it’s not only telecoms ministry, which they’ve come to pick up the prizes, you know, they’re from various… If that’s really broad approach, it really matters. So now, when we move forward, you know, how we can leverage that and not lose it. Because sometimes it’s easy to say, well, just do military colder, don’t worry. You know, but opening up the floor for a few minutes for civil society, you know, it doesn’t mean we’ll just stay colder. You know, it really needs a lot of work. So I think, how do we really making it work? How we bring the governments also with the meaningful voices to our table is a lot. And I think we have a lot of leverage. We have a lot of work. And 20 years, we’re building that here. So really, so my call would be to really look at those things we already have. This infrastructure that we developed, I already mentioned some of that. But also, of course, Swiss’s Forum here, IGF, which next year will celebrate 20 years of its existence. You know, UNGIS with the 50 UN agents is coming together. This is a community that can deliver. And, you know, I really welcome the words of the… I really welcome the provisions in GDC that will encourage joining up the forces and leveraging further. Of course, GDC pushes… …for us that we were not going that far before, like either in artificial intelligence, on data governance. Of course, we need to push those areas. But at the same time, we shouldn’t forget of all this impact in every single area there. We can reuse the frameworks. We can use this convening. We can use reporting. We’re also building up with our partnership for measuring ICTs, the data hub to allow not only with this reporting, but the global digital compact reporting that allow us to better targeting, setting the better targets. We can use this better for reporting. So really, let’s work together to make sure that those integrated frameworks are not just, you know, not just slide down in the modalities resolutions, which are, again, very important, but also impact everyone’s life every day. Thank you very much.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you, Thomas, for these passionate words in the end. I have seven seconds or something like this left to wrap up. So I’m going to try. I think what we heard is very clear. Everybody is willing to align, to unite forces, to work together. The how, of course, is probably more tricky, but I think what we’ve heard is it’s not an either or. It’s about complementarity and using synergies. today but the week has still only begun. So enjoy the week and talk to each other, listen to each other. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

Agreement points

Need to prevent duplication and ensure coherence between WSIS Plus 20 and GDC

Speakers

– Thomas Schneider
– Ekitela Lokaale
– Angel Gonzalez Sanz
– Amandeep Singh Gill
– Thibaut Kleiner
– Tawfik Jelassi

Arguments

Need to prevent duplication and ensure coherence between WSIS Plus 20 review and GDC implementation

WSIS Plus 20 review must be cognizant of GDC adoption while avoiding duplication, especially given UN efficiency requirements

Strong consensus emerged from consultations on the crucial need for alignment between GDC and WSIS processes

GDC endorses WSIS principles from the outset and emphasizes reliance on existing mechanisms rather than creating new ones

Must avoid establishing overlapping frameworks or institutional mechanisms that would introduce redundancy

Need to get UN acts together as member states don’t want duplication between UN-initiated processes

Summary

All speakers strongly agreed on the fundamental need to align WSIS Plus 20 and GDC processes while avoiding duplication, with particular emphasis on UN efficiency requirements and member state concerns about overlapping mechanisms.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Leverage existing WSIS infrastructure and mechanisms rather than creating new ones

Speakers

– Angel Gonzalez Sanz
– Amandeep Singh Gill
– Cynthia Lesufi
– Tomas Lamanauskas

Arguments

Recommendation that GDC commitments should leverage WSIS mechanisms and build on institutional strengths already developed

Agreement on leveraging existing forums like WSIS Forum and IGF rather than creating parallel mechanisms

GDC endorses WSIS principles from the outset and emphasizes reliance on existing mechanisms rather than creating new ones

WSIS has developed comprehensive implementation ecosystem over two decades, uniquely positioned to support digital development

Existing infrastructure includes WSIS Forum, IGF, UNGIS coordination, and stocktaking process that can deliver results

Summary

Speakers unanimously supported building upon the existing WSIS infrastructure, including forums, coordination mechanisms, and processes that have been developed over 20 years, rather than creating parallel systems.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Importance of multi-stakeholder governance and inclusive participation

Speakers

– Ekitela Lokaale
– Angel Gonzalez Sanz
– Amandeep Singh Gill
– Cynthia Lesufi
– Tawfik Jelassi
– Tomas Lamanauskas
– Suela Janina

Arguments

Process has strong legacy of multi-stakeholder engagement and welcomes views from all stakeholders, not just member states

Challenges cannot be addressed by governments alone and require multi-stakeholder involvement without fragmentation

Progressive language in GDC on multi-stakeholder approach should be upheld and not negotiated down

WSIS serves as optimal platform for embedding GDC priorities due to its multi-stakeholder nature and global reach

Hybrid governance approach combining normative legitimacy of states with inclusivity of multi-stakeholder model

Multi-stakeholder approach took time to develop but now enables productive work despite different perspectives

Co-facilitators want to hear from stakeholders during the entire week about concrete implementation approaches

Summary

All speakers emphasized the critical importance of maintaining and strengthening multi-stakeholder governance, recognizing it as a core strength of the WSIS process that should be preserved and enhanced in alignment with GDC.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Focus on practical implementation and concrete outcomes

Speakers

– Amandeep Singh Gill
– Thibaut Kleiner
– Cynthia Lesufi
– Tomas Lamanauskas

Arguments

Focus should be on substance, outcomes, and results rather than just processes

EU proposal to develop roadmaps for WSIS action lines as practical instrument to embed GDC principles

WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Event 2025 provides opportunity to evaluate progress and identify gaps

Success should be measured by game-changing solutions that directly impact communities and change lives

Summary

Speakers agreed on the need to move beyond process discussions to focus on practical implementation approaches and measurable outcomes that deliver real impact to communities.

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers specifically highlighted UNGIS (UN Group on Information Society) as a key coordination mechanism, with Angel proposing it develop joint implementation roadmaps and Tomas emphasizing its role in bringing 50 UN agencies together.

Speakers

– Angel Gonzalez Sanz
– Tomas Lamanauskas

Arguments

Proposal for UNGIS to develop joint implementation roadmap to be presented to 2020 CSTD session

Existing infrastructure includes WSIS Forum, IGF, UNGIS coordination, and stocktaking process that can deliver results

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Both speakers emphasized the importance of supporting co-facilitators in their coordination role, with Kleiner proposing roadmaps that maintain facilitator ownership and Lesufi offering ITU’s support as a coordination leader.

Speakers

– Thibaut Kleiner
– Cynthia Lesufi

Arguments

Roadmaps would be forward-looking instruments developed through inclusive consultations while maintaining facilitator ownership

ITU stands ready to support co-facilitators and UN agencies in fostering alignment as leader in WSIS coordination

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Both speakers recognized the need to balance intergovernmental processes with multi-stakeholder approaches, acknowledging that some issues require stronger government engagement while maintaining inclusive participation.

Speakers

– Amandeep Singh Gill
– Tawfik Jelassi

Arguments

GDC creates necessary intergovernmental processes for AI governance and data governance while upholding multi-stakeholder vision

Hybrid governance approach combining normative legitimacy of states with inclusivity of multi-stakeholder model

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Unexpected consensus

Strong support for EU’s practical roadmap proposal

Speakers

– Thibaut Kleiner
– Angel Gonzalez Sanz
– Cynthia Lesufi

Arguments

EU proposal to develop roadmaps for WSIS action lines as practical instrument to embed GDC principles

Proposal for UNGIS to develop joint implementation roadmap to be presented to 2020 CSTD session

WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Event 2025 provides opportunity to evaluate progress and identify gaps

Explanation

There was unexpected convergence around concrete roadmap proposals as a practical solution, with the EU’s specific proposal receiving implicit support through similar suggestions from other speakers, indicating readiness to move from conceptual alignment to operational planning.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Acknowledgment of member state frustration with UN process duplication

Speakers

– Ekitela Lokaale
– Tawfik Jelassi
– Thibaut Kleiner

Arguments

WSIS Plus 20 review must be cognizant of GDC adoption while avoiding duplication, especially given UN efficiency requirements

Need to get UN acts together as member states don’t want duplication between UN-initiated processes

Must avoid establishing overlapping frameworks or institutional mechanisms that would introduce redundancy

Explanation

There was surprising candor and consensus among speakers about member state frustration with UN system inefficiencies and duplication, with multiple speakers directly acknowledging this political reality and the need to address it proactively.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Recognition of WSIS’s concrete achievements and impact

Speakers

– Tomas Lamanauskas
– Cynthia Lesufi
– Tawfik Jelassi

Arguments

WSIS has achieved significant progress from 12% internet penetration in 2005 to two-thirds of world connected today

WSIS has developed comprehensive implementation ecosystem over two decades, uniquely positioned to support digital development

UNESCO leads implementation of six WSIS action lines covering access to information, e-learning, e-science, cultural diversity, media, and ethics

Explanation

There was unexpected consensus on celebrating WSIS’s concrete achievements with specific metrics and examples, moving beyond diplomatic language to acknowledge real impact and success stories, which strengthened the case for building on existing mechanisms.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion revealed remarkably strong consensus among all speakers on key principles: avoiding duplication between WSIS Plus 20 and GDC, leveraging existing WSIS infrastructure, maintaining multi-stakeholder governance, and focusing on practical implementation. There was also unexpected convergence on specific solutions like roadmap development and candid acknowledgment of member state concerns about UN system inefficiencies.

Consensus level

Very high level of consensus with no significant disagreements identified. This strong alignment suggests favorable conditions for successful integration of the two processes, with speakers demonstrating both political realism about constraints and practical commitment to moving forward with concrete implementation approaches. The consensus extends beyond general principles to specific mechanisms and approaches, indicating readiness for operational planning and implementation.

Different viewpoints

Governance approach for digital issues

Speakers

– Tawfik Jelassi
– Amandeep Singh Gill

Arguments

Hybrid governance approach combining normative legitimacy of states with inclusivity of multi-stakeholder model

Progressive language in GDC on multi-stakeholder approach should be upheld and not negotiated down

Summary

Tawfik Jelassi advocates for a hybrid governance model that combines intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder approaches, arguing that neither approach alone is sufficient. Amandeep Singh Gill emphasizes maintaining the progressive multi-stakeholder language from GDC without compromise, suggesting a stronger commitment to the multi-stakeholder model.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Unexpected differences

Emphasis on vision versus implementation

Speakers

– Tawfik Jelassi
– Amandeep Singh Gill

Arguments

Need consensus on vision for digital future and how governance should evolve to address societal impacts

Focus should be on substance, outcomes, and results rather than just processes

Explanation

This disagreement is unexpected because both speakers are senior UN officials who might be expected to align on priorities. Tawfik emphasizes the foundational need for consensus on vision before proceeding, while Amandeep argues for focusing on substance and outcomes, suggesting different philosophical approaches to policy development within the UN system.

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows remarkably high consensus on major objectives with disagreements primarily on implementation approaches and governance models. Main areas of difference include governance philosophy (hybrid vs. multi-stakeholder), implementation mechanisms (different roadmap proposals), and priority sequencing (vision-first vs. outcomes-first).

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level. The speakers demonstrate strong alignment on avoiding duplication, leveraging existing WSIS infrastructure, and ensuring multi-stakeholder participation. Disagreements are constructive and focus on methodology rather than fundamental objectives. This suggests good prospects for successful integration of WSIS Plus 20 and GDC processes, though careful negotiation will be needed on governance models and implementation frameworks.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers specifically highlighted UNGIS (UN Group on Information Society) as a key coordination mechanism, with Angel proposing it develop joint implementation roadmaps and Tomas emphasizing its role in bringing 50 UN agencies together.

Speakers

– Angel Gonzalez Sanz
– Tomas Lamanauskas

Arguments

Proposal for UNGIS to develop joint implementation roadmap to be presented to 2020 CSTD session

Existing infrastructure includes WSIS Forum, IGF, UNGIS coordination, and stocktaking process that can deliver results

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Both speakers emphasized the importance of supporting co-facilitators in their coordination role, with Kleiner proposing roadmaps that maintain facilitator ownership and Lesufi offering ITU’s support as a coordination leader.

Speakers

– Thibaut Kleiner
– Cynthia Lesufi

Arguments

Roadmaps would be forward-looking instruments developed through inclusive consultations while maintaining facilitator ownership

ITU stands ready to support co-facilitators and UN agencies in fostering alignment as leader in WSIS coordination

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Both speakers recognized the need to balance intergovernmental processes with multi-stakeholder approaches, acknowledging that some issues require stronger government engagement while maintaining inclusive participation.

Speakers

– Amandeep Singh Gill
– Tawfik Jelassi

Arguments

GDC creates necessary intergovernmental processes for AI governance and data governance while upholding multi-stakeholder vision

Hybrid governance approach combining normative legitimacy of states with inclusivity of multi-stakeholder model

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Key takeaways

There is strong consensus among all stakeholders on the need to align WSIS Plus 20 and Global Digital Compact (GDC) processes to avoid duplication and ensure coherence

The GDC already endorses WSIS principles from the outset and emphasizes leveraging existing mechanisms rather than creating new parallel structures

WSIS has built substantial infrastructure over 20 years (forums, stocktaking, UNGIS coordination) that should be utilized rather than replaced

Multi-stakeholder governance remains essential, though a hybrid approach combining state legitimacy with inclusive participation may be optimal

Focus should be on substance, outcomes, and real-world impact rather than just processes and modalities

Four key substantive priorities were identified: closing digital divide, fostering safe digital transformation, supporting SDG implementation, and strengthening international cooperation

WSIS has achieved significant progress (from 12% to 67% internet penetration) and has proven mechanisms that can support GDC implementation

Resolutions and action items

UNGIS to develop a joint implementation roadmap for GDC-WSIS alignment to be presented to the 2020 CSTD session

EU to present a non-paper in coming weeks illustrating how roadmaps for WSIS action lines could embed GDC principles

WSIS Plus 20 High-Level Event 2025 to evaluate progress, identify gaps, and define future direction

Co-facilitators to continue multi-stakeholder consultations with draft zero expected by mid-August

CSTD multi-stakeholder working group on data governance to continue work as contribution to both GDC and WSIS objectives

Strengthen existing forums (WSIS Forum, IGF) rather than creating new mechanisms

Unresolved issues

Specific modalities for how the alignment between WSIS Plus 20 and GDC will be operationalized in practice

How to balance intergovernmental processes for AI governance and data governance with multi-stakeholder principles

Detailed mechanisms for ensuring progressive language from GDC is upheld and not negotiated down in WSIS Plus 20

Specific resource allocation and coordination mechanisms between different UN agencies and processes

How to measure and report on integrated implementation without creating additional reporting burdens

Concrete timeline and milestones for the joint implementation roadmap development

Suggested compromises

Hybrid governance approach combining the normative legitimacy of states with the inclusivity and diversity of multi-stakeholder processes

Using WSIS action line roadmaps as practical instruments to embed GDC principles while maintaining facilitator ownership

Leveraging existing reporting channels and mechanisms rather than creating new ones to address stakeholder fatigue

Positioning new GDC mechanisms (AI governance, data governance) as necessary additions while upholding the overall multi-stakeholder vision

Using WSIS Forum as venue for presenting and discussing alignment roadmaps to ensure transparency and coherence

Time-limited implementation mechanisms (like the GDC steering committee) to provide initial push without creating permanent bureaucracy

Thomas, you said it, you know, a trillion processes. I think while we should worry about processes and try and make negotiations, they strived very hard to ensure that we move forward with complementarity. We don’t duplicate… we are not reinventing the wheel.

Speaker

Amandeep Singh Gill

Reason

This comment reframes the entire discussion by acknowledging the complexity (‘trillion processes’) while providing a clear strategic direction. It shifts focus from process management to substantive outcomes and establishes the principle of building on existing foundations rather than starting from scratch.

Impact

This comment set the tone for the entire discussion, with subsequent speakers consistently echoing the themes of avoiding duplication and leveraging existing mechanisms. It provided a conceptual framework that other participants built upon throughout the session.

I would put above that vision and governance. Before we talk about outcomes and substance and processes, what is our vision for the digital future? Do we have a consensus on that?… We cannot let the governments decide through an intergovernmental process what is good for society at large.

Speaker

Tawfik Jelassi

Reason

This comment challenges the fundamental assumptions of the discussion by questioning whether there’s consensus on the basic vision before diving into implementation details. It also introduces a critical governance dilemma about the legitimacy of different stakeholder groups in decision-making.

Impact

This shifted the conversation from technical coordination to deeper philosophical questions about governance models. It introduced tension between intergovernmental legitimacy and multi-stakeholder inclusivity, prompting Jelassi to propose a ‘hybrid governance approach’ as a potential solution.

So I think a hybrid governance approach maybe is one model to consider going forward… We should leverage the normative legitimacy of states, but also leverage the inclusivity and the diversity of the multi-stakeholder.

Speaker

Tawfik Jelassi

Reason

This comment offers a concrete solution to the governance dilemma he raised earlier, proposing a synthesis that combines the strengths of both intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder approaches. It’s backed by practical examples from UNESCO’s recent work.

Impact

This introduced a new conceptual framework for governance that hadn’t been explicitly discussed before. It provided a potential pathway forward that could influence how the WSIS+20 and GDC processes are structured, moving beyond the traditional either/or debate about governance models.

I was sitting in this front row and seeing people very happily coming on the stage… came with a real solution… this is about those solutions changing the world and their communities directly… We think they’re only important when they deliver these results.

Speaker

Tomas Lamanauskas

Reason

This comment grounds the entire technical discussion in human impact by connecting abstract policy processes to real-world outcomes. It challenges the group to remember that institutional arrangements only matter if they deliver tangible benefits to communities.

Impact

This comment served as a powerful reality check, shifting the discussion from institutional mechanics back to ultimate purpose. It provided emotional resonance and practical grounding that influenced how other concepts were framed, emphasizing delivery over process.

Our proposal is to develop roadmaps for the WSIS action line… these roadmaps could be a practical instrument to embed the global digital compact’s principles explicitly, and to combine them with existing WSIS frameworks.

Speaker

Thibaut Kleiner

Reason

This comment introduces the most concrete operational proposal in the discussion – a specific mechanism (roadmaps) for achieving the integration that everyone agrees is necessary. It moves from abstract principles to actionable implementation tools.

Impact

This provided the discussion with a tangible next step and implementation mechanism. It gave substance to the general agreement on avoiding duplication by proposing a specific tool that could be developed and tested, influencing how other speakers framed their contributions around practical implementation.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by establishing a progression from strategic framing to philosophical questioning to practical solutions. Gill’s opening reframing set collaborative rather than competitive parameters, while Jelassi’s governance challenge forced deeper thinking about legitimacy and representation. His hybrid governance proposal offered a conceptual breakthrough, while Lamanauskas’s human-centered intervention ensured the discussion remained grounded in real-world impact. Kleiner’s roadmap proposal provided concrete next steps. Together, these comments moved the conversation from abstract coordination challenges to a more sophisticated understanding of governance models and practical implementation pathways, creating a foundation for actionable outcomes rather than just procedural agreements.

How can we meaningfully integrate the WSIS plus 20 review process and the GDC to ensure coherence and prevent duplication?

Speaker

Thomas Schneider

Explanation

This is one of the core guiding questions for the session that requires concrete answers and implementation strategies

How can the WSIS framework serve as the foundation for embedding the GDC’s principles and avoiding the creation of parallel or fragmented digital governance mechanisms?

Speaker

Thomas Schneider

Explanation

This addresses the fundamental structural relationship between WSIS and GDC frameworks to prevent institutional fragmentation

What is a pragmatic way forward for the co-facilitators to align both processes and advance shared objectives in multi-stakeholder digital cooperation?

Speaker

Thomas Schneider

Explanation

This seeks actionable guidance for the co-facilitators on implementation and coordination strategies

How can we develop roadmaps for the WSIS action lines that embed the global digital compact’s principles explicitly?

Speaker

Thibaut Kleiner

Explanation

The EU proposal for structured coordination through roadmaps needs further development and stakeholder input

How can we ensure that progressive language from the GDC is upheld and not negotiated down during the WSIS Plus 20 process?

Speaker

Amandeep Singh Gill

Explanation

There is concern about maintaining the advanced digital governance language achieved in the GDC

How can we bring more dynamism into the action lines while maintaining complementarity?

Speaker

Amandeep Singh Gill

Explanation

This addresses the need to revitalize WSIS action lines while ensuring they work effectively with GDC implementation

What is our vision for the digital future and do we have consensus on that?

Speaker

Tawfik Jelassi

Explanation

This fundamental question about shared vision needs to be addressed before discussing processes and outcomes

How can we create a hybrid governance approach that leverages both intergovernmental legitimacy and multi-stakeholder inclusivity?

Speaker

Tawfik Jelassi

Explanation

Based on UNESCO’s experience, this explores new governance models that combine the strengths of both approaches

How can ANGIS develop a joint implementation roadmap integrating GDC principles into WSIS follow-up processes?

Speaker

Angel Gonzalez Sanz

Explanation

This is a concrete proposal from the CSTD resolution that requires detailed development and coordination

How can we ensure that digital solutions directly impact communities rather than just being discussed in forums?

Speaker

Tomas Lamanauskas

Explanation

This addresses the need to focus on practical outcomes and real-world impact rather than just process discussions