Session
Global Digital Justice Forum, Dynamic Coalition on Internet Rights and Principles, Digital Constitutionalism Network, Dynamic Coalition on Platform Responsibility
Round 1 speakers:
- Isabel De Sola Criado, OSET
- Luca Belli, FGV Law School
- Bruna Martins, GNSO Council
- Chris Buckridge, Buckridge Consultants
- Onica Nonhlanhla Makwakwa, Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (joining virtually)
- Jimson Olufuye, AfICTA
Round 2 speakers:
- His Excellency Muhammadou M.O. KAH Ambassador, Chair of the Bureau of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (joining virtually)
- Gitanjali Sah, ITU
- Cédric Wachholz, UNESCO
- Nandini Chami, IT for Change (joining virtually)
- Renata Avila, Open Knowledge Foundation (joining virtually)
- Jorge Cancio Melia, Deputy Director of International Relations, Swiss Federal Office of Communications
Round 3 speakers:
- Anriette Esterhuysen, APC and Global Digital Justice Forum
- Anita Gurumurthy, Global Digital Justice Forum (joining virtually)
Valeria Betancourt and Anriette Esterhuysen
Dennis Redeker
Nandini Chami
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
Targets: The event addresses the broad gamut of global digital cooperation. With tech policy playing an impactful role in determining the fulfillment of overarching development objectives such as innovation and infrastructure development, work and economic growth and reduced inequalities, the session and the discussions are well aligned with the above identified SDGs.
Roundtable
The event is structured as a visioning exercise, which will take place in three rounds that are detailed below. The onsite moderator will help facilitate the discussion in a plenary through discussion prompts that move through problem setting towards solutions development. Short context setting presentations from experts will be woven into the rounds to aid the visioning exercise. Round 1. A different multistakeholderism In round 1, the session will focus on the issues with the current model of multistakeholderism, and the ways in which multistakeholderism needs to be made anew towards the goal of accountable and effective digital governance. Illustrative issues the session will take on include: - Unpacking elite capture within multistakeholder spaces and solutions to counter the same - Evolving a new grammar of multistakeholderism that can expand the parameters and mechanisms of inclusion - Restructuring deliberative spaces for networked participatory governance - Determining the new frontiers of digital governance The session will bring on board contributions from actors deeply immersed in internet and digital governance spaces to share from their analogous experiences. Indicative speakers include representatives from the UN Tech Envoy's office, IGF MAG members, HLEC members from Net Mundial+10, ICANN community members and governments. Round 2. A new multilateralism: old truisms or radical change? In round 2, the session will go deeper into the challenges of present multilateralism and the solutions that are needed to address head on the system’s resource and capacity gaps, as well as the strategies that can be deployed to make it fit for purpose to take on global governance challenges. In particular, the session will explore in earnest how multilateralism can deliver on south-south cooperation among developing nations, as well as work to evolve policy regimes around the building blocks of the digital economy. Illustrative issues the session will take on include: - The realpolitik of development cooperation and how to shift finance flows - The role of democratic institutions in protecting people's sovereignty - Human rights constitutionalism for the digital everyday - The brass-tacks of multilateral coordination and inter-agency cooperation The session will bring perspectives about the ever increasing digital governance spaces. Indicative speakers include UN agency representatives like UNCTAD, ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, WHO, ILO, as well as intergovernmental organisations like South Centre, and policy centres like Global Policy Watch. Round 3. The vast open spaces of a multi-scalar solidarity The third session will open up thinking around how global digital governance agendas and processes can create more meaningful -channels of integration from the bottom-up to ensure that the concerns, voices and perspectives of marginalized communities and people find fair representation and inclusion. Illustrative issues the session will take on include: - New horizons for solidarity - South-South and North-South alliances and agendas - Digital governance non-negotiables for planetary peace, prosperity and sustainability - Alternative digital economy models and knowledge networks for an equitable future - Reclaiming the internet as a regenerative global common The session will include multi-sectoral and multi-constituency views and standpoints from transnational social movements, community technology activists, feminist digital justice advocates, platform cooperatives, UN Special Rapporteurs, governments, and regional inter-governmental organizations.
Twenty years after the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the project of building an inclusive, people-centred and development-oriented digital economy and society continues to present challenges. Even as divides in connectivity and access to ICTs have not been bridged, newer divides in data and AI infrastructural capabilities have emerged among and within countries, entrenching inequitable geographies of development and neo-colonial extractivism. The wealth of networks has been usurped by transnational platform firms who monopolise the foundational socio-economic infrastructures that underpin all domains of life, resulting in a simultaneous erosion of political and economic democracy. Last but not the least, the unsustainable ecological footprint of the ongoing digital transition poses new dilemmas for sustainable development in the context of the global climate crisis.
Status-quoist global digital cooperation arrangements have proved inadequate to this challenge. There are gaping governance deficits with respect to addressing state and corporate accountability for the protection and promotion of human rights in the digital context; leveraging cross-border data flows for development justice; and addressing the societal risks and harms of the rapidly advancing arc of AI innovation.
In a multilateral environment where there are widening trust deficits, the adoption of the Global Digital Compact in September 2024 is one step towards a principles-based global digital cooperation framework that can advance “an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe and secure digital future for all”. At the same time, the potential of this new framework can materialise only through full synergy between the Implementation Map of the Global Digital Compact and WSIS mechanisms, particularly focusing on a re-invigoration of the WSIS Action Lines from a digital justice standpoint.
Global civil society (CS) has a critical role to play in advancing the strategic conversation on connecting the dots between WSIS+20 and GDC implementation.
At this zero-day event, we intend to create the space for this much-needed civil society reflection that will facilitate the construction of a forward-looking digital justice agenda that informs strategic action vis-a-vis the WSIS+20 review and GDC implementation.
Session flow:
The session will have three rounds. The first two rounds will have a set of initial catalyst presentations from a multistakeholder panel of digital rights organisations, technical community members, and WSIS Action Line holders. Round 3 will involve a strategic stocktaking exercise moderated by the organisers (with on-site and on-line participation).
Round 1 (10.45-11.15 AM) Missing Dots:
From WSIS to the Global Digital Compact, global digital cooperation and governance have come through ups and downs. From a digital justice standpoint, what would be the elements? Can we plot the institutional and issue-based deficits?
Round 2 (11.15-11.45 AM) Connecting Lines:
To further digital justice, how can we reinvigorate WSIS implementation? How can we make the WSIS action lines speak to the contemporary digital moment?
Round 3 (11.55-12.35 PM) Moving the agenda
Part 1 - Reflections on Rounds 1 and 2 - CS representatives
Part 2 - Open Discussion
12.35 -12.45 PM: Wrap up by Valeria Betancourt and Dennis Redeker
Report
1. Alignment Between WSIS and GDC: Stronger alignment between WSIS implementation and GDC processes is needed to avoid duplication, ensure inclusivity, and tackle emerging issues like data governance, digital public goods, AI ethics, gender equity, and environmental sustainability.
2. Implementation Challenges: Lack of a detailed roadmap with clear targets and financing mechanisms, the proliferation of digital governance intersections, and inadequate mechanisms for inclusive stakeholder participation may hinder effective GDC implementation. It is important to address these issues along with promoting transparency and accountability in digital policy-making.
3. Equitable and inclusive participation: There is a need for promoting equity and inclusivity in digital governance spaces, particularly of the Global South and underrepresented communities. There is urgent need to integrate gender considerations into digital cooperation frameworks, particularly exploring intersections between WSIS implementation and Beijing+30’s digital transition agenda.
1. Develop a clear GDC implementation roadmap, defining roles, accountability, and leveraging the WSIS platform to align WSIS and GDC processes. 2. Address gaps in global digital governance by creating a binding framework and institutional mechanisms. Complement multilateral and multistakeholder approaches, prioritize data/digital economy governance, and enhance civil society participation, focusing on underrepresented groups and gender equality.
3. Reinvigorating WSIS action lines: We need to clearly address the questions of 'who is going to take up which action areas', 'where are the resources' and 'what is the incentive to cooperate' and look at the intersections of older issues with contemporary challenges - financing for digital infrastructure, digital soveriegnty, digital taxation, data governance -- and the overall issue of geoeconomics in digital cooperation.
Session Report: IGF 0 Day Event - "Fit for Future: A Visioning Exercise for Digital Cooperation"
Date: December 15, 2024
Time: 10:45 AM - 12:45 PM Riyadh time (UTC +3:00)
Format: Hybrid Roundtable
Location: Workshop Room 5, King Abdulaziz International Conference Center (KAICC)/ Online
Onsite Moderators: Anriette Esterhuysen (APC) and Valeria Betancourt (APC)
Online Moderator: Dennis Redeker (DC Internet Rights and Principles/Digital Constitutionalism Network)
The session "Fit for Future" was a visioning exercise focused on advancing global digital cooperation. Anchored in the World Summit on Information Society, 20-year review (WSIS + 20 review) and the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the session aimed to identify gaps and institutional deficits in digital governance while fostering discussions on how global cooperation can deliver digital justice. The session brought together a diverse set of stakeholders from governmental, civil society, and technical communities. The session was divided into three rounds.
Round 1. Missing Dots
During the first round of discussions, moderated by Anriette Esterhuysen, speakers focused on the missing links in WSIS and GDC implementation. Isabel De Sola Criado from OSET highlighted the progress made since WSIS in promoting digital access and inclusion, emphasizing the need to go beyond access to address equity, which has found a place in GDC. Further, Isabel pointed out that both the WSIS and GDC frameworks need to do more to promote gender empowerment and address environmental issues. Luca Belli of FGV Law School acknowledged the aspirational nature of the GDC but highlighted its lack of clear implementation mechanisms and multistakeholder cooperation structures. He emphasized the need for a detailed roadmap and equitable resource distribution. Additionally, Luca expressed concern over the growing dominance of infrastructure over traditional legal frameworks in regulating technologies like AI, stressing the urgency of addressing policy fragmentation and enhancing political will to tackle systemic challenges.
Bruna Martins from the GNSO Council emphasized the need for a stronger connection between WSIS and the GDC. Bruna also expressed hope that the WSIS review would lead to a more participatory Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and called for increased stakeholder commitment, resources, and sustained advocacy to address gaps in implementation. Chris Buckridge of Buckridge Consultants highlighted that inclusivity is a significant concern for the technical community. He also pointed out that the increasing number of forums for discussions on digital policies, while beneficial, can hinder meaningful engagement. Additionally, he stressed the need for the IGF to better understand its role in the broader ecosystem and ensure that discussions lead to actionable outcomes in decision-making spaces. Jimson Olufuye from AfICTA emphasized the importance of continued cooperation and ongoing dialogue in global discussions, advocating for the creation of a diverse advisory council for the GDC to ensure a more inclusive governance framework. He stressed that achieving global peace, prosperity, and the SDGs requires clear goals and the inclusion of all stakeholders, warning that without this, processes will lack sufficient buy-in.
Round 2. Connecting Lines
The second round, moderated by Valeria Betancourt, focused on "Connecting Lines" to reinvigorate WSIS implementation and address emerging challenges like AI, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty. Gitanjali Sah from ITU highlighted the importance of evolving the WSIS Action Lines to tackle emerging issues like AI and cybersecurity, and stressed the need for continued multi-stakeholder engagement and inclusivity, particularly for women, persons with disabilities, and older persons, in policy discussions. Additionally, she noted the significance of alignment of WSIS Action Lines with the SDGs to ensure digital technologies contribute to sustainable development.
UNESCO’s Cédric Wachholz advocated for transitioning from "information societies" to "knowledge societies," emphasizing ethical AI and equitable data governance. Renata Avila of Open Knowledge Foundation expressed concerns about the GDC’s lack of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, particularly regarding the influence of financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank on digital infrastructure investments. She critiqued the imposition of loan conditionalities that undermine national sovereignty and human rights, and called for greater transparency in decision-making and better integration of digital development with global trade policies to ensure inclusivity.
Nandini Chami of IT for Change highlighted priorities such as establishing standards for digital public goods, achieving universal connectivity, protecting media pluralism, and fostering equitable digital education. Nandini called for stronger human rights safeguards, addressing gender inequality in digital spaces, and implementing flexible governance mechanisms to ensure meaningful Civil Society participation in digital and AI governance. Jorge Cancio Melia of the Swiss Federal Office of Communications highlighted the importance of revisiting the WSIS Action Lines and fostering cooperation, warning against exacerbating geopolitical tensions and calling for a collaborative, equitable approach to digital governance.
Round 3. Moving the Agenda
In the final round, participants discussed strategies to enhance inclusivity and effectiveness in digital governance. Juan Alfonso Fernández González from Cuba emphasized the relevance of WSIS action lines in integrating different approaches, while others highlighted the risks of institutional fragmentation. The importance of leveraging the IGF and Commission on Science and Technology for Development to advance GDC objectives was also underscored.
In her closing remarks, Anita Gurumurthy of IT for Change emphasized the need to balance geoeconomic and geopolitical priorities, advocating for a justice-oriented approach to digital transformation. She highlighted the importance of democratic ownership and equitable resource distribution as critical elements of this transformation.
Key takeaways and Action points
The session concluded with a clear recognition of the critical gaps in digital cooperation and actionable steps to address them. There is a need for stronger alignment between WSIS and GDC processes to avoid duplication and address emerging issues like data governance, AI ethics, and gender equity. Key implementation challenges, such as the lack of a clear roadmap, financing mechanisms, and inclusive participation, must be addressed to ensure effective GDC implementation and promote transparency in digital policy-making. Equitable participation, especially for the Global South and underrepresented communities, and integrating gender considerations into digital governance frameworks are urgent priorities.
Action points include developing a comprehensive GDC roadmap, addressing institutional deficits in global digital governance, strengthening civil society participation, and revitalizing WSIS action lines to ensure resources and incentives for cooperation in the face of contemporary challenges.