An expert-guided dialogue among diplomats | Dedicated exclusively to African Permanent Missions to the UN in Geneva.
Co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania and the EU Delegation
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This is an invitation-only event. For details, please contact us at geneva@diplomacy.edu.
About the dialogue
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in two phases in 2003 (Geneva) and 2005 (Tunis), was the first policy response by the international community to the fast-growing internet and the expanding impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on economies and societies worldwide. The summit outlined a shared vision and an action framework for building an inclusive and development-oriented information society. It also established key mechanisms – such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS) – that continue to shape global digital cooperation.
Twenty years on, the WSIS+20 review process offers an opportunity to assess what has been achieved, where challenges remain – such as in closing digital divides and promoting meaningful access – and how the WSIS framework can be strengthened to better respond to today’s evolving digital landscape. This process will culminate in a high-level meeting at the UN General Assembly in December 2025. A key milestone along the way was the 28th session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), which took place in April 2025 and discussed a comprehensive report and a draft resolution on the implementation of WSIS outcomes.
At the same time, 2025 has welcomed the start of the implementation of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), an initiative adopted in 2024 by UN member states to guide cooperation on digital governance. There is recognition of the need to ensure coherence and complementarity between WSIS and GDC processes, particularly as both aim to promote an inclusive, safe, secure, and human-centred digital society. This convergence opens new opportunities – but also poses coordination challenges – for all stakeholders, including African countries.
Against this backdrop, the WSIS+20 review is a timely opportunity to reflect on Africa’s digital development progress, contribute to shaping the global narrative on digital development and governance, and advocate for policies that address persistent digital policy challenges.
The dialogue on 7 May, to be guided by Diplo experts, is intended to:
- 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.
Programme
Opening remarks | 13:00 – 13:15
By high-level representatives of the two co-sponsors: Permanent Mission of Tanzania and the Delegation of the European Union.
Briefing on the WSIS+20 review process | 13:15 – 14:00
An overview of the WSIS+20 process, with a focus on issues such as:
- Key WSIS outcomes and their relevance today
- Institutional mechanisms for WSIS implementation, follow-up, and review
- Roles, responsibilities, and next steps in the WSIS+20 review process
- Highlights from the April 2025 CSTD session
- Key issues under discussion and expectations for the General Assembly outcome
- Potential interplays between WSIS and GDC processes
Dialogue: African interests and priorities in WSIS+20 | 14:00 – 15:00
A moderated dialogue on the relevance of the WSIS+20 process for African countries and on ways and means to ensure that African interests and priorities are meaningfully represented in the process. Guiding questions may include:
- How has the WSIS vision of a ‘people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information society’ progressed in Africa? What gaps remain?
- What WSIS action lines are most relevant for Africa today (e.g. infrastructure, access, capacity building, cybersecurity)?
- What challenges do African countries face in these areas, and how can global cooperation mechanisms better address them?
- What concrete steps can be taken to ensure that African interests and priorities are reflected in the WSIS+20 process?
- What expectations do African countries have from the WSIS+20 process? Are there specific elements that African countries want to see reflected in the WSIS+20 review outcome document (to be adopted by the UN General Assembly)?
- How can the interplay between WSIS and GDC processes be shaped to best respond to today’s realities and serve Africa’s digital development needs?
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About Knowledge Hub Digital
The Knowledge Hub Digital (KHD) is a Technical Assistance Facility funded by the European Union to provide technical assistance, policy advice, and capacity development in a wide range of digital-related sectors, from digital connectivity to e-governance. Under this framework, DiploFoundation delivers capacity building activities in Geneva, with a focus on supporting the engagement of missions of African countries in global digital governance debates.
