The WSIS+20 High-Level Meeting marked the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in which the United Nations General Assembly and stakeholders globally reflected on digital progress since its inception and set a vision for the future of global digital governance.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was first held in 2003 (Geneva) and 2005 (Tunis), establishing a framework for building a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society. It emphasised access to information, digital inclusion and multistakeholder participation, involving governments, civil society, the private sector, technical communities and academia.
The WSIS+20 High-Level event includes the review of the mandate of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a topic that has been a central focus of the PhD research conducted by Dr Nadia Tjahja. Throughout this process, outcomes from the GREMLIN project, carried out by Dr. Jamal Shahin, Dr. Trisha Meyer, Dr. Diana Potjomkina and Dr. Nadia Tjahja have provided valuable input through written consultations and expert opinions to the IGF MAG Strategy Working Groups as well as broader UN consultations.
As part of the WSIS preparatory process, Dr. Tjahja also contributed feedback to both the Elements Paper and the Zero Draft in her capacity as a member of the WSIS Youth Caucus, ensuring that youth participation was embedded as a core principle in shaping the future of global digital governance.
Contribution to WSIS+20 Side Events
Dr. Nadia Tjahja spoke at the WSIS+20 side event “Bridging Generations for an Inclusive Digital Future”, organised by the Government of France and the IGF Secretariat.
The session brought together a distinguished panel including Clara Chappaz (Ambassador for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs of France), Katharina Mänz (Acting Head of Unit Digital Technologies, German Ministry for Economic Cooperation), Lise Fuhr (CEO of GÉANT and IGF Leadership Panel member), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Actor and Founder of HITRECORD), and Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u (Research ICT Africa, former Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy of Kenya). The panel explored how to create meaningful spaces for intergenerational collaboration to strengthen both global and local capacity in governing emerging technologies, in the context of the WSIS+20 review, preparations for the AI Action Summit, and the ongoing work of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and its national and regional initiatives (NRIs).
In her remarks, Dr. Tjahja emphasised the need to embed youth participation systematically in governance processes, to foster intergenerational dialogue while acknowledging the challenges young people face in organising and participating in such exchanges, and to cultivate mentorship that encourages curiosity between younger and older generations. She emphasised that these dimensions of collaboration are crucial for fostering growth, preserving institutional memory, and ensuring that intergenerational cooperation remains central to digital governance efforts, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and sustainable future.
WSIS+20 Outcomes
On 17 December, after months of preparation and days of complex negotiations, the governments gathered at the WSIS+20 High-Level Meeting and agreed on their vision for the future of digital development by adopting the WSIS+20 Outcome Document (forthcoming).
The outcome document is encouraging, particularly through the inclusion of the following points:
- The WSIS+20 review remained focused on implementing the WSIS Action Lines, the foundational for fostering knowledge societies and advancing inclusive information access, by addressing issues such as information and communication technologies for development; closing all digital divides; the digital economy; environmental impacts; the enabling environment for digital development; human rights and ethical dimensions of the Information Society; Artificial Intelligence; and Internet Governance.
- The IGF, the most important multistakeholder forum for discussion on digital developments, is now permanent.
- The commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders, acknowledging youth as a stakeholder group and recognising the work youth contribute to the Internet governance process through the youth Internet Governance Forums.
- Recognising the important role the United Nations Regional Commissions play in developing regional action plans to fulfil the WSIS vision, and call for them to scale up technical assistance, capacity building and partnerships.
- Acknowledgement of the role of the United Nations Group on the Information Society (UNGIS) and relevant UN bodies in integrating the outcomes of the IGF’s annual meetings and intersessional work into their own activities and proceedings.
An Insight Brief written by Dr. Shahin and Dr. Tjahja will go into depth on the proceedings.
Strengthening Future UNU Partnerships on Digital Policy
Dr. Jamal Shahin visited Dr. David Passarelli, the Director of the UNU Centre for Policy Research in New York, at their new offices, where they exchanged views on current developments in digital policies at the United Nations, ongoing projects, and opportunities for future collaboration. Both expressed enthusiasm about working together on new initiatives and strengthening inter-UNU cooperation moving forward.
