Global Digital Compact | Rev.2

1. Digital technologies are dramatically transforming our world. They offer immense potential benefits for the wellbeing and advancement of people, societies, and for our planet. They hold out the promise of accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

2. We can only achieve this through strengthened international cooperation that closes all digital divides between and within countries. We recognize the challenges that these divides pose for many countries, in particular developing countries which have pressing development needs and limited resources. Closing digital divides will require adequate, sufficient and predictable means of implementation.

3. We recognize the pace and power of emerging technologies are creating new possibilities but also new risks for humanity, some of which are not yet fully known. We recognize the need to identify and mitigate risks and to ensure human oversight of technology in ways that put sustainable development at the centre, and enable the full enjoyment of human rights.

4. Our goal is an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe and secure digital future for all. This Global Digital Compact sets out the objectives, principles, commitments and actions we undertake to achieve it.

5. We have strong foundations on which to build. Our digital cooperation rests on international law, including the United Nations Charter, international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We remain committed to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) reflected in the Geneva Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. The United Nations provides a critical platform for the global digital cooperation we need, and we will harness existing processes to do so.

6. Our cooperation must be agile and adaptable to the rapidly changing digital landscape. We will work in collaboration and partnership with all other stakeholders, within their respective roles and responsibilities, including the private sector, civil society, international and regional organizations and the technical and academic communities, to realize the digital future we seek.

Objectives 

7. To achieve our goal, we will pursue the following objectives:

(1) Close all digital divides and accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals;

(2) Expand inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all;

(3) Foster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promote human rights;

(4) Advance equitable and interoperable data governance;

(5) Enhance international governance of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies for the benefit of humanity.

Principles 

8. Our digital cooperation will be guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter and the following cross-cutting and mutually-reinforcing principles:

(a) Inclusive: The equitable participation of all states and other stakeholders is the cornerstone of this Compact. Our cooperation will close the digital divides within and between states and advance an inclusive digital environment for all;

(b) Development-oriented: This Compact is rooted in the 2030 Agenda and takes into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities. Our cooperation will harness technologies to fast-track progress, eradicate poverty and leave no one behind. This includes targeted efforts to address the needs of developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states, as well as the specific challenges facing middle-income countries;

(c) Human rights: This Compact is anchored in international law, including international human rights law. All human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and fundamental freedoms, must be respected, protected and promoted online and offline. Our cooperation will harness digital technologies to advance all human rights, including the rights of the child, the rights of persons with disabilities and the right to development;

(d) Gender equality and empowerment: The full, equal, and meaningful participation of all women and girls in the digital space is essential to close the gender digital divide and advance sustainable development. Our cooperation will encourage leadership of women, mainstream a gender perspective and prevent and eliminate all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence that occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology;

(e) Environmentally sustainable: Digital technologies unlock new capabilities and opportunities for measuring, monitoring and solving environmental challenges and implementing multilateral environmental agreements. The infrastructure required to deliver digital goods and services already consumes substantial resources and produces significant carbon emissions as well as e-waste. Our cooperation will leverage digital technologies for sustainability while minimizing their negative environmental impacts;

(f) Equitable: Meaningful inclusion in the digital economy requires tackling existing concentrations of technological capacity and market power. Our cooperation will aim to ensure that the benefits of digital cooperation are fairly distributed and do not exacerbate existing inequalities or impede the full achievement of sustainable development.

(g) Accessible: Accessible and affordable data and digital technologies and services are essential to enable every person to participate fully in the digital world. Our cooperation will promote digital accessibility for all and support linguistic and cultural diversity in the digital space;

(h) Interoperable: Digital systems that communicate and exchange are critical catalysts for development. Our cooperation will advance interoperability between digital systems and compatible governance approaches;

(i) Responsible: Safe, secure and trustworthy emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, offer new opportunities to turbocharge development. Our cooperation will advance responsible, accountable, transparent and human-centric design, development, deployment and use of digital and emerging technologies, with effective human oversight;

(j) Innovation-friendly: Creativity and competition drive digital advances. Our cooperation will foster innovation and the potential for societies and businesses, regardless of size or origin, to reap the benefits of digitalization and thrive in the digital economy;

(k) Multi-stakeholder: Governments and other stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, the technical community, academia and international and regional organizations, have roles and responsibilities in advancing an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital future. We will implement this Compact in a spirit of global solidarity and partnership; and

(l) Forward-looking: The digital world is evolving at pace. Our cooperation must be capable of identifying, anticipating, assessing, monitoring and adapting to emerging technologies so that we can seize opportunities and respond to new and emerging risks and challenges.

Commitments and actions

9. We commit to pursue meaningful and measurable actions to achieve our objectives.

Objective 1. Closing all digital divides and accelerating progress across the Sustainable Development Goals

Connectivity

10. We acknowledge the pivotal role of universal and meaningful connectivity and affordable access in unlocking the full potential of digital and emerging technologies. We commit to connect all persons to the Internet. We recognize that this will require strong partnerships and increased financial investments in developing countries from governments and other relevant stakeholders, in particular the private sector. We recognize that innovative solutions can help deliver high-speed connectivity to, inter alia, underserved, remote and rural areas.

11. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Develop targets, indicators, and metrics for universal meaningful and affordable connectivity, building on existing work, including the work of the ITU, and integrate these into international, regional and national development strategies (SDG 9);

(b) Develop innovative and blended financing mechanisms and incentives, including in collaboration with multilateral development banks, relevant international organizations and the private sector, to connect the remaining 2.6 billion people to the Internet and to improve the quality and affordability of connectivity. We will aim for entry-level broadband subscription costs at less than 2 percent of average income of the bottom 40 percent of national populations (SDGs 1 & 9); 

(c) Invest in and deploy resilient digital infrastructure, including satellites and community networks, that provides safe and secure network coverage to all areas, including rural, remote and “hard-to-reach” areas. We will aim for universal access at sufficient speeds and reliability to enable meaningful use of the Internet (SDGs 9 & 11);

(d) Map and connect all schools and hospitals to the Internet, building on the Giga initiative of ITU and UNICEF (SDGs 3 & 4);

(e) Develop principles for environmental sustainability across the life cycle of digital technologies, including context-specific measures to reduce their energy, water and mineral consumption in national and industry strategies (SDGs 4, 6, 7, 8, 12 & 13); 

(f) Aim to ensure that digital infrastructure, including data centres, and equipment are sustainably designed to be able to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 (SDG 11, 12, 13 & 14);

(g) Include the needs of persons in vulnerable situations and those in underserved, rural and remote areas in the development and implementation of national and local digital connectivity strategies (SDGs 10 &11);

(h) Mainstream a gender perspective in digital connectivity strategies to address structural and systematic barriers to meaningful and affordable digital connectivity for all women and girls (SDG 5).

Digital literacy, skills and capacities

12. To fully harness the benefits of digital connectivity we must ensure that people can meaningfully and securely use the Internet and safely navigate the digital space. We recognize the importance of digital skills and lifelong access to digital learning opportunities, taking into account the specific social, cultural and linguistic needs of each society and persons of all ages and backgrounds. We recognize the need to scale up international cooperation and financing for digital capacity development in developing countries to support the development of local content and content relevant to local realities online and retain talent.

13. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Establish and support national digital skills strategies, adapt teacher training and education curricula and provide for adult training programmes for the digital age. Our target is to achieve at least 80 percent of persons with basic digital skills and at least 60 percent with intermediate or advanced digital skills (SDGs 4 & 5);

(b) Increase the availability, accessibility and affordability of digital technology platforms, services, software and educational curricula in diverse languages and formats (SDGs 4 & 10);

(c) Target and tailor capacity-building for women and girls, children and youth, as well as older persons, persons with disabilities and persons in vulnerable situations, and ensure their meaningful engagement in the design and implementation of programmes (SDGs 5 & 10);

(d) Develop and undertake national digital inclusion surveys with systematic disaggregation of age, disability and gender data, to identify learning gaps and inform priorities in specific contexts (SDGs 5 & 10);

(e) Prioritize and set targets for the development of digital competencies of public officials and institutions to enact, develop and implement strategies and policies for inclusive, secure and user-centred digital public services, including the development of cybersecurity capacity and skills in the non-military domain (SDG 16);

(f) Develop vocational, upskilling and reskilling training for workers in occupations impacted by digitalization and automation to mitigate potential negative consequences for workforces and promote decent work (SDG 8); and

(g) Develop interoperable digital competency frameworks and training standards to facilitate pooling of training resources, the mobilization of public and private funds in support of capacity-building and its continuous adaptation to address rapid technological change and the prevention of brain drain (SDGs 4 & 17).

Digital public goods and digital public infrastructure

14. We recognize that digital public goods, which include open-source software, platforms, data, AI models, standards and content that can be freely used and adapted, empower societies and individuals to direct digital technologies to their development needs and can facilitate digital cooperation and investment.

15. Resilient, safe, inclusive and interoperable digital public infrastructure has the potential to deliver services at scale and increase social and economic opportunities for all. We recognize that there are multiple models of digital public infrastructure, and that each society will develop and use shared digital systems according to its specific priorities and needs. Transparent, safe and secure digital systems and user-centred safeguards can promote public trust and use of digital services.

16. We consider digital public goods and digital public infrastructure to be key drivers of inclusive digital transformation and innovation. We recognize the need to increase investment in their successful development with the participation of all stakeholders.

17. We commit by 2030 to: 

(a) Develop, disseminate and maintain, through multistakeholder cooperation, safe and secure open-source software, platforms, data, AI systems and standards that benefit society as a whole (SDGs 8, 9 &10);

(b) Promote the adoption of open standards and interoperability to facilitate the use of digital public goods across different platforms and systems (All SDGs);

(c) Develop and decide on a set of safeguards for safe, inclusive, secure and user-centred digital public infrastructure that can be adopted by and tailored to the specific needs of each country (SDG 16);

(d) Exchange and make publicly available best practices and use cases of digital public infrastructure to inform governments, the private sector and other stakeholders, building on existing UN and other repositories (SDGs 16 & 17);

(e) Increase investment and funding toward the development of digital public goods and digital public infrastructure, especially in developing countries (SDG 17);

(f) Encourage the formation of partnerships that bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, technical and academic communities and international and regional organizations to design, launch and support initiatives that leverage digital public goods and digital public infrastructure to advance solutions for the SDGs (SDG 17).

Objective 2. Expanding inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all

18. We recognize that equitable and affordable access to digital technologies can unlock the potential of the digital economy for every society. We recognize digital access to encompass opportunities for the acquisition and development of knowledge, research, and capacity as well as technology transfers on mutually agreed terms. 

19. Advancing digital inclusion requires an enabling environment that encompasses policy, legal and regulatory frameworks that support innovation, protect consumer rights, nurture digital talent and skills, promote digital entrepreneurship, and enhance consumer confidence and trust in the digital economy. Such environments, at international and national levels, accelerate digital transformation, support investment and the transfer of digital technologies on mutually agreed terms to developing countries.

20. We consider that robust cyber-security standards and capacity in the non-military domain are also essential to facilitate commercial transactions and enable safe, secure and trustworthy online environments.

21. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Foster an open, fair, inclusive and non-discriminatory digital environment for all that enables micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to access and compete in the digital economy (SDG 9);

(b) Support international, regional and national efforts to develop enabling environments for digital transformation, including predictable and transparent policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, and sharing of best practices (SDGs 10 & 16);

(c) Conduct national and regional assessments to inform actions to address gaps and needs in digital transformation and strengthen the collection and use of data to inform decision making (All SDGs);

(d) Call on all stakeholders, where requested, to provide technical assistance to developing countries, in line with national digital transformation policies and priorities (SDGs 17);

(e) Promote knowledge-sharing and technology transfer initiatives on mutually agreed terms (SDG 17);

(f) Encourage North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation, including among universities, research institutes and the private sector, to accelerate digital knowledge development and access to research capacity (SDG 17);

(g) Exchange knowledge and best practices on digital enterprise to support innovation programmes and local technological solutions in developing countries (SDG 9); 

(h) Foster innovation and entrepreneurship, including among women, youth, and other under-represented entrepreneurs with the goal of increasing the number of digital start-ups and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries and facilitate their access to markets through the use of digital technologies (SDGs 8 & 9); and

(i) Promote cybersecurity-related capacity building and skilling in the non-military domain in national digital transformation efforts (SDG 9).

Objective 3. Fostering an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rights

Human rights

22. We commit to respect, protect and promote human rights in the digital space. We will uphold international human rights law throughout the life cycle of digital and emerging technologies so that users can safely benefit from digital technologies and are protected from violations, abuses and all forms of discrimination. We recognize the responsibilities of all stakeholders in this endeavour and also call on the private sector to apply the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

23. We commit to:

(a) Ensure that the development and implementation of national legislation relevant to digital technologies is compliant with obligations under international law, including international human rights law (All SDGs);

(b) Establish appropriate safeguards to prevent and address any adverse impact on human rights arising from the use of digital and emerging technologies and protect individuals against violations and abuses of their human rights in the digital space, including through human rights due diligence and establishing effective oversight and remedy mechanisms. (All SDGs);

(c) Strengthen legal and policy frameworks to protect the rights of the child in the digital space, in line with international human rights law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (All SDGs).

(d) Refrain from imposing restrictions on the free flow of information and ideas that are inconsistent with obligations under international law (All SDGs).

24. We take note of OHCHR’s ongoing efforts to provide, upon request, expert advice and practical guidance on human rights and technology issues to governments, the private sector and other stakeholders, including through the establishment of a UN Digital Human Rights Advisory Service within existing resources. 

25. We call on:

(a) Digital technology companies and developers to respect international human rights and principles, including through the application of human rights due diligence and impact assessments throughout the technology life cycle (All SDGs);

(b) Digital technology companies, developers and social media platforms to respect human rights online, be accountable for and take measures to mitigate and prevent abuses, and to provide access to effective remedy in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other relevant frameworks (SDGs 5, 10 & 16);

Internet governance

26. We recognize that the Internet is a critical global facility for inclusive and equitable digital transformation. To fully benefit all, it must be open, global and interoperable. The stable and secure functioning of the Internet is critical to ensure this. 

27. We recognize that the governance of the Internet must remain global in nature, with the full involvement of all states and other stakeholders in accordance with the Tunis Agenda. We reaffirm multilateral and multistakeholder approaches to Internet governance and the central role of the Internet Governance Forum for multistakeholder discussion on public policy issues related to the Internet, as well as the NETmundial principles.

28. We commit to:

(a) Promote an open, global, interoperable and reliable Internet and take concrete steps to maintain a safe, secure and enabling online environment for all (SDG 9);

(b) Uphold and support the Internet Governance Forum through the provision of financial support and continue efforts to increase diverse participation by governments and stakeholders from developing countries (SDG 9 &10);

(c) Promote international cooperation among all stakeholders to prevent, identify and address risks of fragmentation of the Internet in a timely manner (SDG 16); and

(d) Refrain from Internet shutdowns and measures that target Internet access, and ensure that any restrictions on access to Internet services and freedom of expression are in compliance with international law, including with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and non-discrimination (SDG 16).

Digital trust and safety

29. We must urgently counter and address all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, which occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology, all forms of hate speech and discrimination, mis- and disinformation, cyberbullying and child sexual exploitation and abuse. We will establish and maintain robust national, regional and international risk mitigation and redress measures that protect privacy and freedom of expression.

30. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Create a safe and secure online space for all users by defining and adopting common standards, guidelines and industry actions that are in compliance with international law, promote safe civic spaces and address unlawful and harmful content on digital platforms, taking into account work underway by UN entities, regional organizations and multistakeholder initiatives (SDGs 3, 5, 9, 10, 16 & 17);

(b) Prioritize the development and implementation of national online child safety policies and standards, in compliance with international human rights law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (SDGs 3, 5 & 10); 

(c) Establish regular collaboration between national online safety institutions to exchange best practices and develop shared understandings of actions to protect privacy, freedom of expression and access to information while addressing harms (SDG 17);

(d) Ensure laws and regulations on the use of technology in areas such as surveillance and encryption, are in compliance with international law (SDGs 10 & 16);

(e) Develop, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, effective methodologies to measure, monitor and counter all forms of violence including sexual and gender-based violence which occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology (SDG 5); and

(f) Monitor and review digital platform policies and practices on countering child sexual exploitation and abuse which occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology (SDG 3).

31. We further urgently:

(a) Call on digital technology companies and developers to engage with users of all backgrounds and abilities to incorporate their perspectives and needs into the life cycle of digital technologies (SDGs 5 & 10);

(b) Call on digital technology companies and developers to co-develop industry accountability frameworks, in consultation with governments and other stakeholders, that increase transparency around their systems and processes, define responsibilities and commit to standards as well as auditable public reports (SDGs 9 & 17);

(c) Call on digital technology companies and social media platforms to provide online safety-related training materials and safeguards to their users, and in particular children and youth who utilize their services (SDG 3); and

(d) Call on social media platforms to establish safe, secure and accessible reporting mechanisms for users and their advocates to report potential policy violations, including special reporting mechanisms adapted to children and persons with disabilities (SDG 3).

Information integrity

32. Access to relevant, reliable and accurate information and knowledge is essential for an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space. We recognize that digital and emerging technologies can facilitate the manipulation and interference of information in ways that are harmful to societies and individuals, negatively affect the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and amplify risks for international peace and security.

33. We will work together to promote information integrity, tolerance and respect in the digital space, as well as to protect the integrity of democratic processes. We will strengthen international cooperation to address the challenge of mis- and disinformation and hate speech online and mitigate the risks of information manipulation in a manner consistent with international law.

34. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Design and roll out digital media and information literacy curricula to ensure that all users have the skills and knowledge to safely and critically interact with content and with information providers and to enhance resilience against the harmful impacts of mis- and disinformation (SDG 4);

(b) Promote diverse and resilient information ecosystems, including by strengthening independent and public interest media, and supporting journalists and media workers (SDGs 9 & 16);

(c) Provide, promote and facilitate access to and dissemination of independent, fact-based, timely, targeted, clear, accessible, multilingual and science-based information to counter mis- and disinformation (SDGs 3, 4, 9 & 16); and

(d) Promote access to relevant reliable and accurate information in crisis situations, to protect and empower persons in vulnerable situations (SDG 10).

35. We further urgently:

(a) Call on digital technology companies and social media platforms to enhance the transparency and accountability of their systems, including terms of service, content moderation and algorithms and handling of users’ personal data in local languages, to empower users to make informed choices and provide or withdraw informed consent (SDGs 9 & 10);

(b) Call on social media platforms to provide researchers access to data, with safeguards for user privacy, to ensure transparency and accountability to build an evidence base on how to address mis- and disinformation and hate speech that can inform government and industry policies, standards and best practices (SDGs 9, 16 & 17); and

(c) Call on digital technology companies and developers to continue to develop solutions and publicly communicate actions to counter potential harms, including hate speech and discrimination, from AI-enabled deceptive information and censorship. Such measures include incorporation of safeguards into AI model training processes, identification of AI-generated material, authenticity certification for content and origins, labelling, watermarking and other techniques (SDGs 10, 16 & 17).

Objective 4. Advancing equitable and interoperable data governance 

Data privacy and security

36. We recognize that data governance and data regulation have evolved in uncoordinated ways, contributing to asymmetric concentrations of data and capacities to use it. We recognize that responsible and interoperable data governance is essential to advance development objectives, protect human rights, foster innovation, and promote economic growth. The increasing collection, sharing and processing of data, including in AI systems, may amplify risks in the absence of effective personal data protection and privacy norms. 

37. We recognize the urgent need for strengthened international data governance with the equal participation of all countries to unlock the full potential of digital and emerging technologies. We recognize that this will require capacity-building for developing countries and the development and implementation of regional and national data governance frameworks that maximize the benefits of data use while protecting privacy and securing data. We call on the United Nations system to play a key role in promoting cooperation and harmonization of data governance initiatives. 

38. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Draw on existing international and regional guidelines on the protection of privacy in the development of data governance frameworks (All SDGs);

(b) Strengthen support to all Member States to develop effective and interoperable national data governance frameworks (All SDGs);

(c) Empower individuals and groups with the ability to consider, give and withdraw their consent to the use of their data and the ability to choose how that data is used, including through legally mandated protections for data privacy and intellectual property (SDGs 10 & 16);

(d) Ensure that data collection, access, sharing, transfer, storage and processing practices are safe, secure and proportionate for necessary, explicit and legitimate purposes, in compliance with international law (All SDGs); and

(e) Develop skilled workforces capable of collecting, processing, analyzing, storing and transferring data safely in ways that protect privacy (SDGs 8 & 9).

Data exchanges and standards

39. We acknowledge that data divides, including gender data gaps, can lead to inequitable distribution of benefits, the misuse and misinterpretation of data and biased results. 

40. We recognize that common data standards and interoperable data exchanges can increase the accessibility and sharing of data, and help close data divides. We will enable open data initiatives that support all stakeholders, including communities and individuals, to utilize and leverage data for their development and wellbeing. 

41. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Develop data and metadata standards designed to prevent and address bias, discrimination or human rights violations and abuses throughout the data life cycle, including through regular data auditing (SDGs 3, 5, 10 & 16);

(b) Develop basic definitions and data classifications to promote interoperability and facilitate data exchanges (All SDGs); and

(c) Develop common definitions and standards on the use and reuse of data for public benefit (All SDGs).

Data for sustainable development

42. We consider that safe and secure data systems and capacity are critical for evidence-based policy making and the delivery of public services. Underinvestment in public data systems and statistical activities can hamper progress in achieving sustainable development 

43. We recognize that quality data is critical for tracking, targeting and accelerating progress across the SDGs as well as responding effectively to crises. We commit to strengthen international cooperation to close the current serious gaps and increase the public availability of SDG data. We will champion the responsible use and sharing of data within and between countries to advance progress across the SDGs.

44. We commit by 2030 to:

(a) Increase financing for data and statistics, including through mobilization of domestic resources, and enhance efforts to build capacity in data and related skills, as well as responsible data use, particularly in developing countries. We will aim for a 50 percent increase in financing for sustainable development data (SDG 17);

(b) Strengthen efforts to collect, analyze and disseminate relevant, accurate, reliable and disaggregated data for better monitoring and policymaking to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, while respecting privacy and data protection. We will aim for a 50 percent increase in the data available to monitor the SDGs, disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts (SDGs 5 & 10);

(c) Develop open and accessible data systems to support effective disaster early-warning, early action and crisis response (SDG 11); and

(d) Create international data collection systems and shared data sets, to enhance monitoring and actions for climate action, life below water, life on land and other sustainable development goals. Our goal is the development of quality standard datasets such as a global environmental data set on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (SDGs 12 & 13).

Cross-border data flows

45. Cross-border data flows are a critical driver of the digital economy. We recognize the potential social, economic and development benefits of secure and trusted cross-border data flows, in particular for micro, small and medium enterprises. We will identify innovative, interoperable and inclusive mechanisms to enable data to flow with trust within and between countries while respecting relevant data protection and privacy safeguards and applicable legal frameworks. 

46. We commit by 2030 to advance consultations among all relevant stakeholders to better understand commonalities, complementarities, convergence and divergence between regulatory approaches on how to facilitate cross-border data flows with trust a view to developing publicly available knowledge and best practices (SDG 17).

47. We will promote and support interoperability between national, regional and international data policy frameworks. In this context, we look forward to the outcomes of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development’s multistakeholder dialogue on the fundamental principles of data governance at all levels. Building on these outcomes, as well as the ongoing work of other relevant bodies, including the United Nations Statistical Commission, we request the President of the General Assembly to appoint co-facilitators, one from a developing country and one developed country, by no later than the 81^st session, to initiate inclusive deliberations towards international data governance arrangements. These arrangements could include principles and common standards of data governance, including access, collection, storage, processing, use and transfer of data and related liabilities; proposals to support interoperability between national, regional and international data systems; and options to facilitate safe, secure and trusted data flows relevant for development (All SDGs)

Objective 5. Enhance international governance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, for the benefit of humanity 

48. We recognize the need for a balanced, inclusive and risk-based approach to the governance of emerging technologies, with the full and equal representation of all countries, especially developing countries, and meaningful participation of all stakeholders.

49. We recognize international, regional, national and multistakeholder efforts underway to advance safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the non-military domain. We urgently need to inclusively assess and address the potential impact, opportunities and risks of AI systems on sustainable development and the wellbeing and rights of individuals. International cooperation is required to promote coordination and compatibility of emerging AI governance frameworks. 

50. We commit to advance equitable and inclusive approaches to harnessing AI benefits and mitigating risks in full respect of international law, including international human rights law, and taking into account other relevant frameworks such as the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of artificial intelligence. 

51. We recognize the immense potential of AI systems to accelerate progress across all the SDGs. We will govern AI in the public interest and ensure that the application of AI fosters diverse cultures and languages and supports locally-generated data for the benefit of countries and communities’ development. This includes, in particular, international cooperation to support developing countries in developing AI talent, data and compute capacities as well as efforts to address potential negative impacts of emerging digital technologies on labour and employment and on the environment. 

52. We consider that international governance of emerging digital technologies requires an agile, multi-disciplinary and adaptable multistakeholder approach. We recognize that the UN has a critical role to play in enabling and supporting such governance.

53. We have a unique opportunity, through this Compact, to advance international governance of AI and other emerging digital technologies in ways that complement international, regional, national and multistakeholder efforts. We will: 

(a) Assess the future directions and implications of AI systems and promote scientific understanding (All SDGs); 

(b) Support compatibility of AI governance approaches and interoperable norms, safety standards as well as risk management (All SDGs);

(c) Help build capacities, especially in developing countries, to access, develop, use and govern AI systems and direct them toward the pursuit of sustainable development (All SDGs); and

(d) Promote transparency, accountability and robust human oversight of AI systems in compliance with international law(All SDGs).

54. We therefore commit to:

(a) Establish, under the auspices of the UN, an International Scientific Panel on AI with balanced geographic representation to conduct independent multi-disciplinary evidence-based impact and risk assessments. The Panel will issue annual reports, drawing on national and regional horizon-scanning initiatives and research networks; and contribute to identifying knowledge gaps and areas of emerging opportunities and challenges (SDG 17);

(b) Initiate, under the auspices of the UN, an Annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance that brings together Member States to build shared understandings and emerging best practices on AI governance. This dialogue would be informed by the reports of the International Scientific Panel on AI and the inputs of relevant stakeholders, and could take place in the margins of relevant major UN conferences and meetings as well as ITU’s AI for Good Summit (SDG 17). 

55. We therefore request the President of the General Assembly to appoint at the 79th session of the General Assembly co-facilitators to consult with Member States and other relevant stakeholders on terms of reference and modalities for the composition, functioning and review of the International Scientific Panel on AI and an Annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance for the adoption by the General Assembly;

56. We call on standards development organizations, to collaborate through, inter alia, the World Standards Cooperation to promote the development and application of interoperable AI standards that uphold safety, reliability, sustainability and human rights (SDGs 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 16 & 17).

57. We will promote safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems that advance, protect and preserve linguistic and cultural diversity and take into account multilingualism throughout the life cycle of these systems (SDG 16).

58. We encourage the development of international partnerships on AI capacity-building to develop education and training programmes, increase access to resources including open AI models and systems, open training data and compute, facilitate AI model training and development, and promote the participation of micro, small and medium enterprises in the digital economy (SDG 4 & 17).

59. We will leverage existing UN and multistakeholder mechanisms to support AI capacity building to bridge AI divides, facilitate access to AI applications and build capacity in high-performance computing and related skills in developing countries (All SDGs).

60. We will promote North-South, South-South and triangular collaboration to support the development of representative high quality data sets, affordable compute resources, local solutions that reflect linguistic and cultural diversity and entrepreneurial ecosystems in developing countries (SDGs 4, 9, 10, & 17).

61. We encourage increased public and private investment to scale up AI capacity building for development, especially in developing countries. (SDG 17).

62. We further request the Secretary-General to establish a Global Fund for AI for Sustainable Development to catalyze the AI capacity-building that is required to bridge AI divides and promote AI-based solutions for the SDGs. We request the Secretary-General to initiate consultations with potential public, private and philanthropic contributors and to report on progress on the Fund within 12 months (SDG 17). 

Follow up and review 

63. We will implement the Global Digital Compact, within our own countries and at regional and global levels, taking into account different national realities, capacities, and levels of development, and respecting applicable legal frameworks.

64. These efforts can only succeed with the active engagement of the private sector, technical and academic communities and civil society, whose innovations and contributions to digitalization are fundamental and irreplaceable. We will strengthen our collaboration and leverage multistakeholder cooperation to achieve the objectives set out in this Compact.

65. We invite international and regional organizations, the private sector, academia, technical community and civil society groups to endorse the Compact and take active part in its implementation and follow-up. We request the Secretary-General to put in place modalities for the voluntary endorsement of this Compact, and to make this information public and accessible from December 2024.

66. We recognize the importance of financing to unlock the full potential of this Compact. Successful implementation will require public, private and multilateral resources, including the pooling of investments in joint and blended facilities for impact at scale, including through UN mechanisms such as the Digital Window of the Joint SDG Fund and facilities in multilateral development banks. We call on governments to make support to digital transformation integral to development assistance, including through increased allocations to digital and data initiatives. We invite private sector and philanthropic actors to consider financial pledges in support of this Compact.

67. We will build on the processes emanating from the WSIS to advance implementation of Compact commitments and actions. We recognize the contribution of all UN entities, agencies, funds and programmes in advancing digital cooperation, including but not limited to ITU, UNCTAD, UNDP and UNESCO, and request them to support implementation, particularly in relation to actions to close the digital divides and to accelerate progress across all the SDGs, leveraging multistakeholder platforms, such as the IGF and the WSIS Forum. We recognize the role of the UN Regional Economic Commissions and UN country teams in supporting regional and national stakeholders to advance digital transformation.

68. We also recognize the role of OHCHR in supporting all stakeholders to implement Compact commitments related to the respect for, protection and promotion of human rights. 

69. We recognize the role of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development in reviewing follow-up on the implementation of the outcomes of WSIS and request it to consider how it can strengthen its working methods to contribute further to the implementation of the Compact. 

70. The Internet Governance Forum and its national and regional networks have a key role to play in implementation and follow up of the Compact. We invite the Forum to establish an annual policy discussion track to facilitate the contribution of all stakeholders to the delivery of the Compact’s commitments and actions

71. We look forward to the WSIS+20 Review in 2025 to identify how WSIS processes can be leveraged to support implementation of the Compact.

72. We recognize the role of the Secretary-General in leading UN system-wide collaboration on digital and emerging technologies. Its further strengthening is required to enable the UN to realize the inclusive platform for digital cooperation set out in this Compact. To this end, we commit to establishing an office to facilitate system-wide coordination, serve as focal point for states and stakeholders on digital and emerging technologies and facilitate coherent follow-up to this Compact, working closely with existing mechanisms. We therefore request the Secretary-General to consult widely and submit a proposal to the General Assembly during its 79th session for the establishment of a lean office, building on and incorporating the activities and resources of the existing Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology. This proposal should include detailed information on operational functions, structure, location, resources and staffing. 

73. To track and monitor progress we request the Secretary-General to provide a Compact implementation map for the consideration of governments and other stakeholders that reflects the contributions of the UN system and other relevant stakeholders in support of commitments and actions and identifies potential time-bound targets for their achievement. 

74. We recognize the role of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and ECOSOC in reviewing progress of the Compact, particularly as it relates to closing digital divides and accelerating achievement of the 2030 Agenda. We recognize the role of the UN Human Rights Council in tracking progress to foster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space for all. 

75. The cross-cutting nature of digital technologies and the multiplicity of actors involved in digital cooperation requires synergies and aligned follow up. We commit to review the Compact to assess progress against its objectives and to identify emerging opportunities and challenges for global digital cooperation. We decide to convene a high-level meeting, entitled “High-Level Review of the Global Digital Compact”, to take place during the 82nd session of the General Assembly with the meaningful participation of all relevant stakeholders, including the CSTD, IGF, and WSIS Action Line Facilitators. We request the President of the General Assembly to appoint co-facilitators, one from a developing country and one from a developed country, at the 80th session to consult with Member States to determine the modalities for and periodicity of this high-level meeting. 

76. In preparation of the High-Level Review, we request the Secretary-General to prepare a report on progress, key trends and developments in the implementation of the Compact starting in 2026, including by inviting States to submit their contributions to the implementation of the Compact on a voluntary basis, and drawing on the work of relevant UN entities, organizations and other stakeholders.