WSIS+20 review: What’s in it for Africa? 

7 May 2025

Geneva, Switzerland

Event webpage

This expert-guided dialogue, organised by DiploFoundation under the EU-funded Knowledge Hub Digital initiative, and co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania and the EU Delegation, provides African Permanent Missions in Geneva with an exclusive opportunity to reflect on Africa’s digital development priorities within the context of the WSIS+20 review process and broader UN digital governance discussions.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in 2003 and 2005, laid the groundwork for global cooperation on ICTs and digital development. Now, twenty years later, the WSIS+20 review presents a critical moment to assess progress, address persistent digital divides, and strengthen multilateral frameworks—including their synergy with the Global Digital Compact (GDC), launched in 2024.

Taking place against the backdrop of the April 2025 session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) and in anticipation of the UN General Assembly’s high-level WSIS+20 meeting in December, the 7 May event will:

  • Provide African Permanent Missions with a concise briefing on the WSIS+20 review process and the broader context of digital governance developments at the UN. 
  • Facilitate an informal exchange among diplomats on Africa’s interests, expectations, and potential contributions to the WSIS+20 review. 
  • Explore how African countries can engage effectively in shaping the outcomes of the review, including through enhanced coordination. 
  • Discuss the future of multilateral processes in matters of AI and ICTs: WSIS Action Lines; GDC commitments, and the respective follow-up processes. 

The event’s programme features opening remarks by the co-sponsors, followed by an in-depth expert briefing on the WSIS+20 process and a moderated diplomatic dialogue addressing Africa’s priorities and expectations. The session will also examine concrete steps for ensuring that African voices shape the future digital governance agenda.

This closed-door discussion is part of a broader effort to equip African missions with the tools and insights needed to navigate and influence complex digital policy negotiations at the UN.

For inquiries, please contact: [email protected].