WSIS+20 High-Level Dialogue: WSIS Legacy in Motion: Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future

Summary

This discussion was a panel session titled “WSSIS Legacy in Motion, Honoring the Past and Shaping the Future” that brought together key figures who participated in the original World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process from 2003-2005. The panel was moderated by Anriette Esterhuysen from APC and included Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Latvia’s Ambassador Janis Karklins who facilitated the Tunis phase, IEEE’s President Kathleen Kramer, AFNIC’s CEO Pierre Bonis, and Maria Fernanda Garza from the International Chamber of Commerce.

The discussion focused on lessons learned from the 20-year WSIS journey and how to apply them to future digital cooperation challenges. Panelists highlighted the remarkable progress achieved, noting that internet users grew from less than one billion to 5.6 billion, with 94% of the world’s population now having connectivity access. They emphasized that the multi-stakeholder model bringing together governments, private sector, and civil society has been a key success factor that should be preserved and strengthened.

However, participants also acknowledged significant remaining challenges, including the 2.5 billion people still unconnected and growing concerns about digital sovereignty replacing the original vision of a global information society. Ambassador Karklins noted that while the early WSIS dream of global cooperation wasn’t naive, society’s understanding of technology’s complexities lagged behind technological evolution. The panel stressed the importance of high-quality STEM education, robust technical standards, and addressing climate change through technology.

Looking forward, panelists urged avoiding duplication between the WSIS process and the new Global Digital Compact, instead advocating for integration and complementary approaches. They concluded that collaborative, merit-based multi-stakeholder leadership remains essential for building inclusive digital societies that serve all of humanity.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **Evolution and achievements of WSIS over 20 years**: Panelists reflected on remarkable progress since 2003, including growth from less than 1 billion to 5.6 billion internet users, advancement from dial-up to broadband connectivity, and successful implementation of multi-stakeholder cooperation models across governments, private sector, and civil society.

– **Challenges in maintaining global cooperation vs. digital sovereignty**: Discussion highlighted the tension between the original WSIS vision of a “global information society” and current trends toward “digital sovereignty” and national borders in digital governance, with concerns about fragmentation of the internet’s global nature.

– **Integration of new technologies and avoiding process duplication**: Panelists emphasized the need to incorporate emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing into existing WSIS frameworks rather than creating parallel processes, particularly regarding the integration of the Global Digital Compact with WSIS structures.

– **Importance of education, standards, and multi-stakeholder governance**: Strong emphasis on the critical need for high-quality STEM education globally, robust technical standardization processes, and continued commitment to multi-stakeholder approaches that include all sectors rather than purely intergovernmental models.

– **Addressing remaining digital divides and future priorities**: Recognition that despite progress, 2.5 billion people remain unconnected, and discussion of priorities for the WSIS+20 review process, including climate change integration and ensuring the Internet Governance Forum becomes a permanent, sustainably funded entity.

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion aimed to reflect on 20 years of progress since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), extract key lessons learned, and provide guidance for the WSIS+20 review process and future digital cooperation initiatives. The session sought to honor past achievements while identifying priorities and approaches for the next phase of global digital development.

## Overall Tone:

The discussion maintained a predominantly positive and constructive tone throughout, celebrating significant achievements while acknowledging remaining challenges. Panelists demonstrated mutual respect and collaborative spirit, with moments of nostalgia balanced by pragmatic forward-looking perspectives. The tone remained diplomatic and solution-oriented, emphasizing cooperation over conflict, though there were underlying concerns about increasing geopolitical tensions and the risk of fragmenting digital governance processes.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Introduction**: Session opener/announcer

– Role: Session introduction and speaker presentation

– **Anriette Esterhuysen**: Moderator and panelist

– Role: Session moderator, member of civil society, Association for Progressive Communications (APC)

– Title: Member of official South African delegation

– **Prasert Jantararuangtong**: Government official

– Title: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy from Thailand

– Role: His Excellency

– **Janis Karklins**: Diplomat and former WSIS facilitator

– Title: Ambassador at Large on United Nations and Global Agenda Matters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Latvia

– Role: His Excellency, facilitated the WSIS Tunis phase

– **Kathleen A. Kramer**: Technology leader

– Title: President and CEO of the IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

– Role: Professor, representing IEEE’s 500,000+ members from 190 countries

– **Pierre Bonis**: Internet infrastructure executive

– Title: Chief Executive Officer of AFNIC

– Role: Manages .fr (France country code top-level domain)

– **Maria Fernanda Garza**: International business and governance expert

– Title: Member of the IGF Leadership Panel, Honorary Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce

– Role: Represents ICC’s 45+ million companies in 170+ countries

**Additional speakers:**

None identified beyond the provided speakers names list.

# WSIS Legacy in Motion: Honoring the Past and Shaping the Future – Discussion Report

## Executive Summary

This panel session brought together distinguished figures who played pivotal roles in the original World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process from 2003-2005 to reflect on two decades of progress and discuss future directions for digital cooperation. Moderated by Anriette Esterhuysen from the Association for Progressive Communications, the discussion featured Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, Latvia’s Ambassador Janis Karklins who facilitated the Tunis phase, IEEE President Kathleen Kramer, AFNIC CEO Pierre Bonis, and International Chamber of Commerce representative Maria Fernanda Garza.

The session celebrated remarkable achievements over the past 20 years while addressing emerging challenges, particularly the tension between global cooperation and digital sovereignty trends. Speakers demonstrated strong consensus on the value of multi-stakeholder governance models while acknowledging the need for continued adaptation to new technologies and changing geopolitical realities.

## Opening Context and Community Evolution

Moderator Anriette Esterhuysen opened the session by noting that few hands were raised when she asked who had attended the original WSIS events in 2003 and 2005. Rather than viewing this as concerning, she interpreted it positively as demonstrating the growth and evolution of the digital governance community. She reflected on her own journey from attending as a civil society representative in 2003/2005 to now being part of South Africa’s official delegation, illustrating how roles and perspectives have evolved over two decades.

The session also celebrated having a woman Secretary General of ITU as one of the achievements since the original WSIS process, highlighting progress in gender representation in digital governance leadership.

## Key Achievements Over 20 Years

Speakers unanimously acknowledged extraordinary progress across multiple dimensions. Ambassador Karklins provided compelling statistics, noting that internet users had grown from less than one billion to 5.6 billion, while connectivity had evolved dramatically from dial-up to broadband access. He recalled the early days when dial-up internet was the norm and broadband was just emerging.

Pierre Bonis, speaking in French, offered a striking perspective that the internet had become “mainstream infrastructure like running water,” fulfilling promises envisioned two decades earlier. This transformation demonstrated the successful realization of WSIS aspirations to make digital technologies integral to daily life.

Maria Fernanda Garza emphasized that connectivity had reached 94% of the world’s population alongside the deployment of innovative digital solutions across various sectors. However, she noted that 2.5 billion people remain unconnected, making the digital divide more severe for those left behind.

Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong highlighted Thailand’s progress, mentioning their AOC center that uses AI to fight online fraud, demonstrating practical applications of digital technologies in governance.

## Multi-Stakeholder Governance Evolution

A significant focus was placed on the evolution and success of multi-stakeholder governance models. Ambassador Karklins provided historical context, sharing an anecdote about early tensions when civil society representatives were asked to leave a meeting room, and he told them to “sit on the floor in the gallery” rather than leave entirely. This illustrated how multi-stakeholder participation evolved from initial resistance to broad acceptance.

Pierre Bonis emphasized the stability of the multi-stakeholder approach, noting that the system allowing the internet to function had evolved without being fundamentally challenged. However, Maria Fernanda Garza acknowledged that “the multi-stakeholder model is not embraced by all,” indicating ongoing challenges in achieving universal acceptance.

Kathleen Kramer highlighted the importance of “collaborative leadership based on merit with multi-stakeholder input,” suggesting that effectiveness rather than institutional hierarchy should guide decision-making processes.

## Emerging Challenges and Concerns

Despite celebrating achievements, speakers identified concerning trends. Ambassador Karklins raised perhaps the most significant concern, noting a shift from the global information society vision toward digital sovereignty and border-setting. He questioned whether current developments aligned with foundational WSIS principles, asking if “everything that we have decided and implementing now has been leading us towards idea of global information society, or something was not overly right and we missed some turns.”

Karklins also observed that understanding about the complexities associated with technology use was “seriously lagging behind technological evolution.” He noted that educational systems continued to apply principles developed in the 19th century to digital society challenges.

Moderator Esterhuysen observed that international cooperation had become more challenging than it was in 2003, though Pierre Bonis countered that international cooperation had been possible even during crisis situations like the 2003 Iraq War, suggesting historical precedent for cooperation during difficult periods.

## Integration of New Technologies

The discussion addressed incorporating emerging technologies like artificial intelligence into existing governance frameworks. Speakers demonstrated consensus on avoiding duplication while ensuring comprehensive coverage.

Ambassador Karklins emphasized that WSIS and Global Digital Compact processes should be complementary and merge rather than compete. Pierre Bonis reinforced this view, advocating the need to include new topics like AI within current frameworks without creating separate governance structures.

Maria Fernanda Garza provided specific recommendations, suggesting initiatives should avoid creating parallel duplicative processes and leverage existing WSIS structures. She specifically advocated for making the Internet Governance Forum “a permanent entity with sustainable funding.”

## Education and Technical Standards

Kathleen Kramer highlighted the need for robust STEM education and a strong standardization ecosystem to support technological advancement. However, Esterhuysen noted significant inequality in access to high-end technical education globally, highlighting a fundamental challenge in building inclusive digital societies.

The speakers recognized that addressing educational challenges required comprehensive approaches supported by appropriate regulatory environments and international cooperation in developing technical standards.

## Climate and Holistic Approaches

Climate change emerged as a consideration for future digital governance. Maria Fernanda Garza briefly mentioned that climate change must be integrated as part of a holistic approach going forward, while Deputy Prime Minister Prasert identified it as an important topic for future cooperation.

Garza emphasized the need for comprehensive approaches addressing economic, technical, socio-cultural, and governance factors, reflecting lessons learned about the interconnected nature of digital development challenges.

## Future Priorities and Recommendations

In the final round, speakers shared key priorities. The discussion emphasized establishing more interconnected and inclusive frameworks for digital governance by integrating Global Digital Compact commitments with existing WSIS structures.

Pierre Bonis specifically warned against recreating “the battle that we saw 20 years ago between a so-called multi-stakeholder model and the so-called intergovernmental model,” noting that significant work had been done to bring these approaches together.

Key unresolved challenges identified included connecting the remaining 2.5 billion unconnected people, balancing digital sovereignty with global cooperation, ensuring equitable access to quality STEM education, and governing emerging technologies when understanding lagged behind technological evolution.

## Conclusion

The discussion demonstrated strong consensus on core principles while revealing the complexity of implementation. Speakers showed agreement on the value of multi-stakeholder approaches, the need to avoid process duplication, and the importance of addressing persistent digital divides.

The session affirmed that the WSIS legacy remained relevant while acknowledging the need for continued evolution. The speakers’ commitment to collaborative, merit-based leadership and integration rather than duplication provided a constructive foundation for addressing future challenges while building on the achievements of the past two decades.

Introduction: WSSIS Legacy in Motion, Honoring the Past and Shaping the Future I’d like to invite Ms. Anriette from APC to please lead this session. She’s going to be the moderator and will lead you through the session. Anriette, the floor is yours.

Anriette Esterhuysen: It’s good that I have a backup. Good morning, everyone, and thank you very much for being here. This is our first interactive session of this morning. And I am privileged to be here as somebody who was here in 2003 and in Tunis in 2005. This panel is very unique because we’re going to have the opportunity to listen to people, countries and institutions from who were here during the WSSIS process. So I’m going to welcome the panel on stage. First, His Excellency, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy from Thailand, Minister Prasit Jarangtong. Please come and take a seat. The one just to my right here. And give him a big hand of applause. And next we have His Excellency Ambassador Karklins, Janis Karklins, Ambassador at Large on United Nations and Global Agenda Matters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Latvia. And Janis had a very special role during WSSIS, but you’ll hear more about that. And next we have Professor Kathleen Kramer. She is the current President and CEO of the IEEE, the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. And then we have Mr. Pierre Bonny, who is the Chief Executive Officer of AFNIC, who manages .fr, the France country code top-level domain. And then we have Maria Fernanda Garza, member of the IGF Leadership Panel. Special welcome to Maria Fernanda. And she is the current Honorary Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce. And I think that is it. We have a full panel. So just before I ask the panel the first questions, I just want to reflect on the fact that, you know, earlier when people were asked who were here during 2003 and who were here in 2005, we saw very few hands. But I actually think that’s an achievement. We should celebrate that. It’s a demonstration of the fact that the WSSIS process has continued to evolve, that it continues to be relevant. And I think it’s also a testimony of the fact that groups like the WSSIS Forum organizers and the Internet Governance Forum as well have really succeeded in bringing new people, more people, and younger people into the WSSIS process. They’ve grown the ecosystem and they’ve grown the people that are part of it. But now we really do need to look ahead. What are the challenges that lie ahead? And this panel is going to look at how we can draw on the lessons of the WSSIS process, what worked and what did not work so well, in taking that road forward. So I’ll ask the first question, and he can answer from his chair, then I’ll take a seat as well. Your Excellency, Minister Jantarang Tong, from your perspective and looking back at the early days of the WSSIS, what lessons do you think we’ve learned around global digital cooperation that can guide us at the moment in approaching future digital development? But I also think doing that in the context of a world that is very different, and I think where international cooperation has become so much more challenging than it was in 2003. Yes.

Prasert Jantararuangtong: Yes, very good question. Thank you. Excellency, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I would like to thank the Secretary-General of the ITU for inviting me to the World Summit on Information Society this year and to this high-level dialogue. One important lesson is the power of working together. From the beginning, WSSIS brought together government, private sector, civil society, and the private sector. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Welcome to AOC. It is a one-stop service. A center that uses AI and cross-sector collaboration to fight against online fraud. So far, AOC has blocked thousands of scammed accounts and prevented significant financial losses. This reflects our commitment to putting safety at the heart of digital development in Thailand. We now have high-speed internet in most of the villages. But beyond connectivity, we also focus on digital skills enhancement to reduce the digital divide in our community so that everyone, including women, youth, elders, and people in remote areas can truly benefit from the digital economy. In closing, we are proud to be part of the VC journey. Thailand will continue working with the ITU and our partners to shape a digital future that is open, far, and safe for everyone. Thank you so much.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thank you very much, Your Excellency. Is the mic live? Yes. Yanis, you facilitated the difficult phase of the WSIS, the second phase, the TUNIS, where some of those issues which were not resolved in 2003 were having to be dealt with, such as financial mechanisms and internet governance. And I think you sometimes even had to expel civil society from the room when they were unruly, which maybe that’s just an urban myth among civil society. But you are known for having been somebody that really succeeded in dealing with these very complex issues. So based on that experience, what reflections do you have? What lessons do you think that you’ve learned and that we should all have learned that can guide us as we go into this post-WSIS plus 20 process, particularly as we now also try to integrate a new process, the global digital compact?

Janis Karklins: Yes, thank you, Andrea. Actually, there was a pressure to expel civil society representatives or non-governmental representatives from the room. And I was kind of, because of my duties, I had to do it. But while doing it, I told them that you can go to the gallery of the room in Palais des Nations, but don’t sit on the chairs because then you will be seen, but sit on the floor. And this is how civil society followed the discussions at the time when multi-stakeholder participation was not yet fully accepted in the WSIS process. But jokes aside, looking back to 2005 preparations, I think that one strategic decision which was made to separate discussions on funding issues and the Internet governance issues proved to be right. In the second PrepCon, we finally… H.E. Mr. Sofiène Hemissi, H.E. Mr. Prasert Jantararuangtong, Mr. Pierre BONIS, Ms. Maria Fernanda Garza, Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen H.E. Mr. Prasert Jantararuangtong, Mr. Pierre BONIS, Ms. Maria Fernanda Garza, Mr. Pierre BONIS, Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen H.E. Mr. Prasert Jantararuangtong, Mr. Pierre BONIS, Ms. Maria Fernanda Garza, Mr. Pierre BONIS, Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen And the progress in past 20 years has been remarkable. Less than a billion Internet users that time, 5.6 today. The quality has improved since it is custom seems to ask, raise hands. We were talking about dial-up Internet. How many in this room remember what dial-up Internet is? Yeah, not that many actually. Because today we’re talking about broadband Internet. And broadband was not used as a term in 2005. So I think also looking backwards we can see that the multi-stakeholder cooperation has brought a benefit for all. To governments but also to the other stakeholders. And finally, I would maybe put a little bit of negative spin to reflection. Because at that time we were talking and dreaming about global information society, putting emphasis on global. Global digital village also was used at that time. Increasingly today we are hearing that we need to go to digital sovereignty. Which means putting borders on the global idea. And probably we need to reflect whether everything that we have decided and implementing now has been leading us towards idea of global information society. Or something was not overly right and we missed some turns in order to preserve that dream we had in 2005. Thank you.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks, Yanis. I just want to ask you a quick follow-up question on that. Do you think that we were naive in having that dream and that focus? Or do you think we’ve just become more preoccupied with risks and harms and less focused on possibilities and opportunities? And is that perhaps why it’s harder to cooperate? Or do you think it was naivety?

Janis Karklins: No, it was not naivety. I think our understanding about complexities associated with use of technology was seriously lagging behind of technological evolution. And that was one of the reasons. And I think that today is even more that with the development of new technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum soon coming. So we have no idea where that is going and what we will do. Especially when we’re using in our education system principles that have been developed in 19th century. And we’re applying our knowledge of analog society to this new digital society. And there is a physical difference in both.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks, Yanis. Kathleen, let’s move on to you. And actually stay on that same challenge that I think Yanis has just led us into. Which is how do we shape? What do we need to do to shape the future of digital technology for development? And particularly I would say in a way that retains that focus on the WSIS vision of people-centered development and inclusive information society.

Kathleen A. Kramer: Well, thank you for the question. So I’m honored to be here today. Secretary General, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I’m here on behalf of IEEE. And looking back at the 20 years, which I confess to not being here at that time. But certainly I was not even I wish I could say I was just starting my technical journey. But that’s not even true. IEEE is a community of over 500,000 members from 190 countries. And all of us, including many of you that are not here as part of my delegation, we’re dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. And it’s through our communities of dedicated and expert members that we’re working to develop global standards and to provide excellence in education to build and sustain the future. And we stand at a remarkable juncture in human history characterized by unprecedented technological advancement. AI, quantum computing, sustainable energy solutions, advanced robotics. The pace of innovation can be breathtaking and seems potentially limitless. But to harness the potential of such advancements to address the grand challenges and to ensure these technologies really serve humanity, the two critical pillars to answer your question a roundabout way are robust education with strength from and for STEM that are sufficient to support that future of innovation. And a strong standardization ecosystem supporting needed and timely development of standards. To consider the qualities of education that is necessary to support this future of innovation and contributing as an engineer or to the future of computing builds fundamentally upon the quality of your studies in science, technology, engineering, and math. Not just being enthusiastic, not just being inspired, not just being happy to be part of it. But to have really high quality education. These are the essential gateways to our fields to allow you to contribute to the future of technology, designing, building, and even just maintaining our complex systems. But even the most brilliant of individuals and our work in our IEEE fields has from the very beginning focused on education and we’re an unsung leader worldwide in education in our fields of interest. But even these most brilliant of individuals need a common language and a set of agreed upon guides and benchmarks to collaborate in design and to enable the practical development of technology to ensure interoperability, promote safety, guarantee quality, and that means the standard development. And IEEE standards do this because they are developed through transparent, bottom up, collaborative efforts, bringing together experts worldwide from across sectors. And as technologies like AI, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, quantum computing, as they’ve evolved, the timely development of these standards is the fundamental necessity to enable these technologies to scale, to be adapted, and for society as a whole to respond. So in essence, education in our fields provides the fuel for innovation and standards provide that ability to go further. And together, these are the critical links that form an unbreakable chain, enabling and empowering us not only to meet, but to truly master the challenges and realize the opportunities presented. And WSWIS 20 is the opportunity to reflect, renew, and reimagine this process. And we are very much a champion of the multi-stakeholder process that WSOWIS has come to represent and empower worldwide. Thank you very much.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks very much for that, Kathleen. And that touches on the challenge of ensuring that there’s equitable access to that level of high-end education that you’re talking about all over the world, which currently is simply not the case. There’s so much inequality at that level. And I think similarly, we need to… So that is a really important challenge for us to look at. And I think, Janis, just to come back to what you said, yes, we have made enormous progress in connecting people, but there are still billions that are not connected. And many that are connected are not able to be connected meaningfully. So yes. And Kathleen, also thank you for reminding us that technical standards and technical cooperation remains as important as the social and economic development cooperation that we work on. Very much so. Pierre, going to you. You manage an entity that runs a critical internet resource, the country code top-level domain for France, .fr, and you were involved in the WSIS process. What are your takeaways? What have you learned? And what do you think we should all still draw on from that early WSIS process, where we were much more focused on potential and opportunity and the good of the internet, as Janis reminded us?

Pierre Bonis: Thank you, Henriette. I am going to speak in French. So, I am going to speak in French, so you are going to have to put on your headsets, which is going to bring us back to the good old days of WSIS, where we were speaking five languages. Maybe this has kind of gotten, this habit got lost since Geneva 2005. So, what I remember mainly of what happened at the WSIS is that internet is still there. It’s become mainstream. It’s just like the running water when you turn on the tap. It shouldn’t be an issue. There shouldn’t be any issues with it. When 20 years ago, when we met civil society, private sector, governments, authorities, the community, we all insisted on that. Internet was full of promises. Today, internet is a reality, almost obvious. And of course, it can be bearing threats, but let’s be mindful of this. Internet has grown in the last 20 years. The multi-stakeholder system that allows us to allow it to function has not been really challenged. It has evolved. And I don’t want to be naive, but as Henriette was saying, I think you need to recognize that that’s good news. You need to remember maybe also that 20 years ago, when the WSIS met, more than 20 years ago, in 2003, in Geneva, we were already in an international crisis situation. Today, we can talk about tensions, very strong tensions between the countries. I just want to remind you that the beginning of the Iraqi war is March 2003. It’s not new that we are talking about internet, about international cooperation, of flows of ideas in a context of tensions, of accusation between North and South, East and West, and East and West. How have we managed 20 years ago to get along and to agree on the promises of the internet? Because we had this mix in the room, even though we were in an intergovernmental summit, this mix of expertise and of expectations that were not just represented by governments, but a number of other stakeholders for an entity that manages part of the critical infrastructure of the internet, only a very small party, part of it, the .fr domain, top-level domain. This world summit for us, and its results particularly, represent a guarantee of stability of the underlying infrastructure of the internet. It was recognized as being a carrier of innovation, and like every infrastructure, it needs to remain stable, not changing according to new trends or conflicts or disputes among the states. It should always allow for each part of the world to remain connected. From this point of view, you can say that it was a success, even though we still have – I was reminded numerous times here – even if the number of netizens have grown from 60% to 70% today, it’s precisely the remaining 2.5 billion world citizens are even still more victims of the digital divide than there were the 80%. The less you are connected, of course, and the more people are connected, the more the fact of not being connected is weighing hard on your shoulders, and this challenge has not been resolved.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks very much, Pierre, and thanks for reminding us of that. Maria Fernanda, to go to you and to talk not just about the substantive challenges in achieving the WSIS vision, but also as we are entering deeper, I think we have not that many months left of the WSIS plus 20 review process. What do you think? What are the lessons we’ve learned? What are the priorities that we should be taking into account as we continue and complete this WSIS review process?

Maria Fernanda Garza: Sorry. Thank you, Anriette Esterhuysen. Well, good morning to everybody. Just let me begin by saying that ICC is the institutional representative of more than 45 million companies in over 170 countries, and through a unique mix of advocacy, solutions, and standard setting, we promote international trade, responsible business conduct, and a global approach to regulation. And our members include not only the major leading companies, millions of SMEs and mid-sized companies, business associations, and chambers of commerce. And ICC has been the focal point for the WSIS process since it began here in Geneva over 20 years ago. So that’s why we established the business action to support the Information Society initiative to engage with the WSIS follow-up work streams. So ICC bases have been convening here at the WSIS Forum every year to take stock of the implementation of the WSIS action lines and chart a path forward together with partners from all stakeholders. With this as a background, I know that the substantial progress has been made in implementing the WSIS vision. And three key advancements include expanding connectivity to covering 94% of the world’s population, deploying innovative digital solutions, and an increased application of the multi-stakeholder model across various levels of digital governance. Business innovation tied with the collective contributions of the multi-stakeholder community is the designated vehicle to drive the WSIS vision into the future. But despite that there has been significant progress, recent developments continue to show that the multi-stakeholder model is not embraced or considered by all, indicating that continued challenges in extending the benefits for the next billions, and this must be addressed. The multi-stakeholder model is how to leverage all stakeholder collective expertise to realize a better future. The WSIS Plus 20 review should aim to continue to strengthen, spread, and enable this model. Furthermore, to fully achieve the WSIS vision, ICTs must be accessible, affordable, and ready are relevant to the needs of everyone, everywhere. And this requires policy frameworks that are built on stable legal and regulatory grounds, on impinged global data flows that are built on trust, and policy frameworks that take a holistic approach across economic, technical, socio-cultural and overarching governance factors. Finally, we urge that the WSIS Plus 20 outcomes establish a more interconnected and inclusive framework for digital governance by integrating the commitments of the Global Digital Compact. We should avoid creating parallel duplicative processes and instead leverage the strength of the existing structures within the WSIS architecture, especially the IGF, which should become a permanent entity with sustainable funding. ICC stands ready to continue to contribute to the views of the global private sector as we take forward the WSIS process in the coming decade. Thank you.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks very much, Maria Fernanda. And just a quick, that holistic approach, which I think the WSIS vision does direct towards that, do you feel that something like climate change should be part of that approach as we go into the next phase of WSIS? Absolutely. Everything has to be part of this, because we need technology to address the challenges of climate change as we need it to address other many challenges. Thanks very much. So now we have just a few minutes left because we started late. I want to ask each of the panels, and we can start from Pierre going up to Maria Fernanda, keeping this in mind, this holistic approach, this non-duplication that Maria Fernanda talked about and everything else that you’ve all reflected on, the achievements as well as the remaining challenges. What is the one thing you most want to see as we review 20 years of WSIS and hopefully plan for the next 20 years? And if you want to add in your one minute something you don’t want to see, you can add that as well. One thing you want to see, and optionally, one thing you do not want to see. Pierre.

Pierre Bonis: Thank you. So I’m going to switch to English because not everyone had the ears.

Anriette Esterhuysen: But we can follow the transcript, so please feel free to speak in French.

Pierre Bonis: Something I really want to see is the inclusion of the new topics, just like AI, for instance, and ICU is having a great even on AI for good, but others within the current framework without creating different frameworks to deal with different or new technologies. So what I want to see is the inclusion of the modernity within the current framework. And what I would not like to see is to see again the battle that we saw 20 years ago between a so-called multi-stakeholder model and the so-called intergovernmental model. I think a lot of intelligence has been put in place since 20 years to bring these two approaches together, and the splits that we could see again would be a disaster for the future of the Internet governance.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks Pierre. Yanis.

Janis Karklins: Probably I would like to see us not being dogmatic and camping on ideas that we cherish ourselves. Where I’m going to is we have WSIS process, which is 20 years now old, but we are also approaching the discussions about implementation of global digital compact. And as Maria Fernanda very explicitly said, we should avoid duplications. So if we would camp on our sort of belief that WSIS is unique and it should stay as is without looking what’s happening in the world, and those who will negotiate implementation of global compact would say, no, no, no, we do not want to see anything else but just this one. We will end up with the two parallel processes, which would be very bad from a rational point of view, but also from a substantive point of view. These processes are complementary. They should merge at one point under which title doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we’re building inclusive digital society where everyone can benefit from it.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks very much Yanis. Your Excellency.

Prasert Jantararuangtong: Thank you so much. I think one thing that I want to say is one important lesson is the power of working together. And that you talked before, one thing that’s important in the next topic is the climate change. I think it’s so important too. Thank you.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks, Your Excellency. Kathleen.

Kathleen A. Kramer: So in the end, the most important thing is collaborative leadership, and that’s not whoever can win the most votes, but it needs to be based on merit, and that means multi-stakeholder input. So that’s the most important thing.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks, Kathleen. Maria Fernand.

Maria Fernanda Garza: The biologist E.O. Wilson said that the problem with humanity is that we have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technologies. So we do not just need to govern the technologies. We need to learn how to govern transformation itself, and that means building multi-stakeholder institutions that are not just rules-based, but also change-ready.

Anriette Esterhuysen: Thanks very much, and thanks to the panel. I do think we have achieved a lot, even if not enough. I can just, on a personal note, I was here in 2003 and in 2005 as a member of civil society, the Association for Progressive Communications, a large civil society network. Today I’m here as APC, but I’m also here as a member of civil society of the official South African delegation, so that is also an achievement. I think you’ve all actually summed it up. I think, Yanis, you are telling us to be pragmatic. We do not need to duplicate initiatives, but we also need to recognize the evolution, the change in scope, and the additional topics that we need to address. But let’s address them in a way that actually still provides common platforms for collaboration, and I think for public participation, and I think that’s the power of the WSIS Forum and the power of the Internet Governance Forum. They’ve become the public participation facilities, dimensions, of this process, which is, as Pierre said, both multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental. I think we have the São Paulo guidelines from earlier this year that really gives us ways of integrating those processes, recognizing that they also operate separately sometimes, but both can be more inclusive and more accountable. So thanks very much to this panel. I hope that you inspire all the new people that are here, and I urge everyone to have a very productive, empowering WSIS high-level event, and to keep in mind that the power of the WSIS vision is immense. I mean, I’m speaking now, I don’t care how many people were here in 2003. I care that we keep this vision of a people-centered, inclusive information society at the heart. And just another little final achievement. We have a woman as the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union. I think that was really hard to imagine. And I think as a woman in this space, to see how it’s been transformed and how much more prominent gender as a concern and how much more prominent women are in this space is also something we should celebrate. So thanks very much. And please give the panel a huge round of applause.

Agreement points

Multi-stakeholder approach has been successful and should be preserved

Speakers

– Janis Karklins
– Pierre Bonis
– Maria Fernanda Garza
– Prasert Jantararuangtong
– Kathleen A. Kramer

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder cooperation has brought benefits to all stakeholders and enabled remarkable progress

Multi-stakeholder system allowing internet to function has evolved without being fundamentally challenged

Significant progress made in expanding connectivity to 94% of world’s population and deploying innovative digital solutions

The power of working together across government, private sector, and civil society was demonstrated

Most important thing is collaborative leadership based on merit with multi-stakeholder input

Summary

All speakers strongly endorsed the multi-stakeholder model as a proven successful approach that has delivered tangible benefits over 20 years and should continue to guide future digital governance

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development | Human rights

Need to avoid duplication and integrate WSIS+20 with Global Digital Compact

Speakers

– Janis Karklins
– Pierre Bonis
– Maria Fernanda Garza

Arguments

WSIS and Global Digital Compact processes are complementary and should merge rather than compete

Need to include new topics like AI within current framework without creating separate governance structures

Should avoid creating parallel duplicative processes and leverage existing WSIS structures

Summary

Strong consensus on avoiding parallel processes and instead integrating new initiatives like the Global Digital Compact within existing WSIS frameworks

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Significant progress achieved in connectivity and digital development

Speakers

– Janis Karklins
– Pierre Bonis
– Maria Fernanda Garza
– Anriette Esterhuysen

Arguments

Internet users grew from less than 1 billion to 5.6 billion, with quality improvements from dial-up to broadband

Internet has become mainstream infrastructure like running water, fulfilling the promises envisioned 20 years ago

Significant progress made in expanding connectivity to 94% of world’s population and deploying innovative digital solutions

WSIS process has successfully evolved and grown the ecosystem by bringing in new, more, and younger people

Summary

Universal acknowledgment of substantial achievements in expanding internet access and digital infrastructure over the past 20 years

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Digital divide remains a significant challenge despite progress

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Anriette Esterhuysen

Arguments

2.5 billion people remain unconnected, making digital divide more severe for those left behind

Billions remain unconnected and many connected users lack meaningful connectivity

Summary

Recognition that while connectivity has expanded dramatically, the remaining unconnected population faces increasingly severe disadvantages

Topics

Development | Human rights

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the importance of avoiding governance model conflicts and instead finding ways to integrate different approaches constructively

Speakers

– Janis Karklins
– Pierre Bonis

Arguments

Should avoid battles between multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental models

WSIS and Global Digital Compact processes are complementary and should merge rather than compete

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Both emphasize the need for governance institutions that combine stability with adaptability and are based on expertise rather than political power

Speakers

– Maria Fernanda Garza
– Kathleen A. Kramer

Arguments

Need to build multi-stakeholder institutions that are both rules-based and change-ready

Most important thing is collaborative leadership based on merit with multi-stakeholder input

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Infrastructure

Both recognize the critical importance of high-quality technical education while acknowledging the global inequality in access to such education

Speakers

– Kathleen A. Kramer
– Anriette Esterhuysen

Arguments

Need for robust STEM education and strong standardization ecosystem to support technological advancement

There is significant inequality in access to high-end technical education globally

Topics

Sociocultural | Development

Unexpected consensus

Climate change integration into digital governance

Speakers

– Maria Fernanda Garza
– Prasert Jantararuangtong

Arguments

Climate change must be integrated as part of the holistic approach going forward

One important lesson is the power of working together. And that you talked before, one thing that’s important in the next topic is the climate change

Explanation

Unexpected consensus emerged on integrating climate change considerations into digital governance frameworks, showing recognition that environmental challenges must be part of comprehensive digital policy approaches

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

International cooperation was possible during crisis periods

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Anriette Esterhuysen

Arguments

International cooperation was possible even during crisis situations like the 2003 Iraq War

International cooperation has become more challenging than it was in 2003

Explanation

Unexpected consensus on the historical context of international cooperation challenges, with recognition that WSIS succeeded during previous crisis periods, providing hope for current cooperation despite increased difficulties

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

Strong consensus on multi-stakeholder approach success, need to avoid process duplication, significant progress achieved in connectivity, and remaining digital divide challenges

Consensus level

High level of consensus among speakers with remarkable alignment on core principles and future directions. The consensus suggests strong foundation for continued WSIS implementation and integration with new initiatives like the Global Digital Compact. Implications include potential for unified approach to digital governance that builds on proven multi-stakeholder model while addressing emerging challenges like AI governance and climate change integration.

Different viewpoints

Approach to digital sovereignty vs. global information society vision

Speakers

– Janis Karklins
– Pierre Bonis

Arguments

Shift from global information society vision toward digital sovereignty and border-setting

Multi-stakeholder system allowing internet to function has evolved without being fundamentally challenged

Summary

Karklins expresses concern about the movement away from the original global vision toward digital sovereignty that emphasizes borders, while Bonis emphasizes the stability and success of the existing multi-stakeholder system without expressing the same concern about sovereignty trends

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Emphasis on technical vs. holistic approaches to digital development

Speakers

– Kathleen A. Kramer
– Maria Fernanda Garza

Arguments

Need for robust STEM education and strong standardization ecosystem to support technological advancement

Policy frameworks should be built on stable legal grounds with trusted global data flows

Summary

Kramer focuses primarily on technical education and standards as the critical pillars, while Garza emphasizes broader policy frameworks that address economic, technical, socio-cultural and governance factors holistically

Topics

Infrastructure | Legal and regulatory | Sociocultural

Unexpected differences

Assessment of current international cooperation challenges

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Anriette Esterhuysen

Arguments

International cooperation was possible even during crisis situations like the 2003 Iraq War

International cooperation has become more challenging than it was in 2003

Explanation

This disagreement is unexpected because both speakers are reflecting on the same historical period and current context, yet they reach opposite conclusions about whether international cooperation has become more or less challenging over time

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

The speakers showed remarkable consensus on most major issues, with disagreements being primarily about emphasis and approach rather than fundamental goals. The main areas of disagreement centered on the balance between global openness vs. digital sovereignty, technical vs. holistic approaches to development, and assessments of current cooperation challenges.

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level. The speakers largely agreed on core principles like multi-stakeholder governance, avoiding process duplication, and addressing the digital divide. Their disagreements were more about strategic emphasis and interpretation of trends rather than fundamental opposition to each other’s positions. This suggests a mature policy community with shared values but different perspectives on implementation approaches.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the importance of avoiding governance model conflicts and instead finding ways to integrate different approaches constructively

Speakers

– Janis Karklins
– Pierre Bonis

Arguments

Should avoid battles between multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental models

WSIS and Global Digital Compact processes are complementary and should merge rather than compete

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Both emphasize the need for governance institutions that combine stability with adaptability and are based on expertise rather than political power

Speakers

– Maria Fernanda Garza
– Kathleen A. Kramer

Arguments

Need to build multi-stakeholder institutions that are both rules-based and change-ready

Most important thing is collaborative leadership based on merit with multi-stakeholder input

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Infrastructure

Both recognize the critical importance of high-quality technical education while acknowledging the global inequality in access to such education

Speakers

– Kathleen A. Kramer
– Anriette Esterhuysen

Arguments

Need for robust STEM education and strong standardization ecosystem to support technological advancement

There is significant inequality in access to high-end technical education globally

Topics

Sociocultural | Development

Key takeaways

The WSIS process has achieved remarkable success over 20 years, with internet users growing from less than 1 billion to 5.6 billion and connectivity reaching 94% of the world’s population

Multi-stakeholder cooperation has proven effective and brought benefits to all stakeholders, with the governance model evolving without fundamental challenges

There has been a concerning shift from the original vision of a global information society toward digital sovereignty and border-setting approaches

Understanding of technology complexities has lagged behind technological evolution, particularly with emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing

The digital divide remains severe for the 2.5 billion people still unconnected, making their exclusion more impactful as connectivity becomes mainstream

Future success requires robust STEM education, strong standardization ecosystems, and policy frameworks built on stable legal grounds with trusted global data flows

Climate change must be integrated as part of a holistic approach to digital governance going forward

The power of working together across government, private sector, and civil society remains the most important lesson from the WSIS process

Resolutions and action items

WSIS+20 outcomes should establish a more interconnected and inclusive framework for digital governance by integrating Global Digital Compact commitments

IGF should become a permanent entity with sustainable funding

New topics like AI should be included within the current WSIS framework rather than creating separate governance structures

Policy frameworks should take a holistic approach across economic, technical, socio-cultural and governance factors

Need to build multi-stakeholder institutions that are both rules-based and change-ready

Unresolved issues

How to effectively connect and meaningfully serve the remaining 2.5 billion unconnected people

How to balance the shift toward digital sovereignty with the original vision of a global information society

How to ensure equitable access to high-quality STEM education globally to support technological advancement

How to govern emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing when understanding lags behind technological evolution

How to ensure the multi-stakeholder model is embraced by all stakeholders globally

Specific mechanisms for integrating climate change considerations into digital governance frameworks

Suggested compromises

Merge WSIS and Global Digital Compact processes rather than maintaining parallel duplicative structures, recognizing they are complementary

Avoid battles between multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental models by bringing these approaches together as has been done over the past 20 years

Avoid being dogmatic about existing frameworks while remaining open to evolution and new global developments

Include new technologies and topics within existing governance frameworks rather than creating entirely separate structures

Leverage existing WSIS structures, especially the IGF, as the foundation for expanded digital governance rather than building new institutions

Increasingly today we are hearing that we need to go to digital sovereignty. Which means putting borders on the global idea. And probably we need to reflect whether everything that we have decided and implementing now has been leading us towards idea of global information society. Or something was not overly right and we missed some turns in order to preserve that dream we had in 2005.

Speaker

Janis Karklins

Reason

This comment is deeply insightful because it identifies a fundamental tension between the original WSIS vision of a borderless, global digital society and current trends toward digital sovereignty and fragmentation. It challenges participants to critically examine whether the current trajectory aligns with the foundational goals and suggests that the community may have ‘missed some turns’ along the way.

Impact

This comment shifted the discussion from celebrating achievements to critically examining whether the direction of digital development has strayed from core principles. It prompted Anriette to ask a follow-up question about whether the original vision was naive, leading to deeper reflection on the evolution of digital governance and the balance between global cooperation and national sovereignty.

I think our understanding about complexities associated with use of technology was seriously lagging behind of technological evolution… we’re using in our education system principles that have been developed in 19th century. And we’re applying our knowledge of analog society to this new digital society. And there is a physical difference in both.

Speaker

Janis Karklins

Reason

This observation is particularly thought-provoking because it identifies a fundamental mismatch between the pace of technological advancement and human institutional adaptation. It suggests that governance failures aren’t due to naivety but to a structural inability to keep pace with technological change, highlighting the need for new frameworks of understanding.

Impact

This comment deepened the analytical level of the discussion by moving beyond surface-level policy discussions to examine fundamental epistemological challenges. It influenced subsequent speakers to focus on education and standards as critical infrastructure for managing technological change.

The biologist E.O. Wilson said that the problem with humanity is that we have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technologies. So we do not just need to govern the technologies. We need to learn how to govern transformation itself, and that means building multi-stakeholder institutions that are not just rules-based, but also change-ready.

Speaker

Maria Fernanda Garza

Reason

This comment is exceptionally insightful because it reframes the entire governance challenge from managing specific technologies to managing continuous transformation. The E.O. Wilson quote elegantly captures the temporal mismatch between human evolution and technological development, while the concept of ‘change-ready’ institutions introduces a new paradigm for institutional design.

Impact

This comment served as a powerful synthesis that elevated the discussion to a philosophical level, connecting the technical and policy discussions to fundamental questions about human adaptation and institutional evolution. It provided a conceptual framework that tied together many of the earlier themes about education, standards, and governance.

What I would not like to see is to see again the battle that we saw 20 years ago between a so-called multi-stakeholder model and the so-called intergovernmental model. I think a lot of intelligence has been put in place since 20 years to bring these two approaches together, and the splits that we could see again would be a disaster for the future of the Internet governance.

Speaker

Pierre Bonis

Reason

This comment is insightful because it identifies a critical risk of regression in governance models and emphasizes the hard-won progress in bridging different approaches. It shows institutional memory and warns against recreating past conflicts that could undermine future cooperation.

Impact

This comment influenced the discussion’s focus on avoiding duplication and maintaining unity between different governance processes. It reinforced Janis Karklins’ later point about not being dogmatic and the need to merge complementary processes rather than create parallel ones.

These processes are complementary. They should merge at one point under which title doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we’re building inclusive digital society where everyone can benefit from it.

Speaker

Janis Karklins

Reason

This comment demonstrates pragmatic wisdom by prioritizing substance over institutional pride. It challenges participants to focus on outcomes rather than process ownership, which is particularly important when dealing with overlapping initiatives like WSIS and the Global Digital Compact.

Impact

This comment provided a practical framework for thinking about institutional coordination and helped establish consensus around the need for integration rather than competition between different digital governance processes. It influenced the moderator’s final synthesis about the importance of common platforms for collaboration.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by introducing critical tensions and deeper analytical frameworks that moved the conversation beyond celebratory retrospection to serious examination of systemic challenges. Karklins’ observations about digital sovereignty and institutional lag created a more nuanced understanding of why global digital cooperation has become more difficult. Garza’s synthesis using the E.O. Wilson quote provided a philosophical framework that connected technical, institutional, and human evolutionary challenges. The comments about avoiding governance model conflicts and prioritizing integration over institutional competition established practical principles for moving forward. Together, these interventions transformed what could have been a routine anniversary discussion into a substantive examination of fundamental challenges in digital governance, creating space for both critical reflection and constructive path-finding for the future.

How can we ensure equitable access to high-quality STEM education globally to support future technological innovation?

Speaker

Anriette Esterhuysen

Explanation

This addresses the challenge of inequality in access to advanced technical education needed for digital development, which is crucial for achieving inclusive technological progress

How do we effectively integrate climate change considerations into the WSIS framework and digital governance processes?

Speaker

Anriette Esterhuysen and Maria Fernanda Garza

Explanation

Both speakers emphasized the need for a holistic approach that includes climate change as part of digital governance, requiring further exploration of how technology can address climate challenges

How can we merge the WSIS process with the Global Digital Compact implementation to avoid duplication while maintaining the strengths of both?

Speaker

Janis Karklins and Maria Fernanda Garza

Explanation

This is critical for avoiding parallel processes and ensuring efficient use of resources while maintaining comprehensive digital governance frameworks

How do we address the challenge that our understanding of technology complexities lags behind technological evolution, particularly with AI and quantum computing?

Speaker

Janis Karklins

Explanation

This highlights a fundamental gap between technological advancement and our ability to govern and understand these technologies effectively

How can we build multi-stakeholder institutions that are not just rules-based but also change-ready to govern technological transformation?

Speaker

Maria Fernanda Garza

Explanation

This addresses the need for adaptive governance structures that can evolve with rapidly changing technology while maintaining stability and inclusivity

How do we ensure meaningful connectivity for those who are connected but cannot use the internet effectively?

Speaker

Anriette Esterhuysen

Explanation

This goes beyond basic connectivity to address digital literacy and meaningful access, which is essential for truly inclusive digital development

How can we integrate new technologies like AI into existing WSIS frameworks without creating separate governance structures?

Speaker

Pierre Bonis

Explanation

This is important for maintaining coherent governance while adapting to technological evolution and avoiding fragmented approaches to different technologies