Internet Governance Forum: Twenty Years of Multistakeholder Cooperation and the Road to Nairobi 2026

Abstract

The IGF emerged from a long-standing tension between network-centred and state-centred visions of internet governance, which peaked at the World Summit on the Information Society (2003–2005).

Over twenty years, the IGF's agenda has expanded from technical topics, such as security and access, to sociotechnical ones, including human rights, emerging technologies such as AI, and environmental sustainability; security and access remain constant concerns, now also covering social factors such as online safety and meaningful digital inclusion.

The WSIS+20 review revived debates over the role of governments and the future of the multistakeholder model; in December 2025, it committed to making the IGF a permanent UN forum.

The IGF’s permanent status leaves open questions on funding, its relationship with other UN processes, and the role of governments, affecting the balance between intergovernmental decision-making and multistakeholder participation.

IGF 2026 in Nairobi, focused on governing the internet in the age of AI, will be the first test of a permanent IGF.