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The Global Digital Compact (GDC) is an initiative led by António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, aimed at establishing principles, objectives, and actions to achieve "an open, free, secure, and human-centred digital future." The GDC, to be annexed to the Pact of the Future, a new set of commitments under Our Common Agenda (OCA), seeks to accelerate the attainment of the UN Vision 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and establish a new social and political order benefiting all while ensuring planetary sustainability.
In this context, ECA, the Government of South Africa, OSET, the UN Regional Coordinator Office in South Africa, and UNDP organized the inaugural regional review workshop on July 4 - 5, 2023, in Cape Town. The workshop convened over 70 African stakeholders from 32 Member States, resulting in the formulation of the ECA’s African Policy Declaration, outlining Africa's vision for a ‘digital future rooted in equity, accessibility, and resilience’.
After almost two years of consultations, on April 1st, the UN Tech Envoy Office released a zero draft of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), marking the initial milestone toward the Summit of the Future in September 2024. The UN initiated a process of intergovernmental and stakeholder consultations to refine the text toward global consensus, culminating in the release of GDC rev1..
In support of the GDC and recognizing the rapidly evolving digital technology landscape, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) established the UN High-Level Advisory Body on AI (HLAB). This body advises the SG on aligning global norms in AI governance with the GDC. Prior to the release of the draft, the HLAB issued an interim report on Governing AI for Humanity (December 2023) with significant recommendations, many of which were integrated into the GDC zero draft .
On June 6th, UNECA in collaboration with AFICTA will host a virtual GDC Private Sector Deep Dive on GDC rev.1 published on May 15, 2024. The Deep Dive aims to explore: Does rev.1 address the continent's needs and priorities from the private sector perspective? How can the private sector engage meaningfully to translate the GDC into African realities on the ground?
About the Global Digital Compact (GDC)
Set to be established at the Summit of the Future in September 2024, the Global Digital Compact (GDC) is the UN Secretary General’s roadmap to realize "an open, free, secure, and human-centered digital future". The initiative aims to accelerate the achievement of the UN Vision 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and foster a new social and political framework beneficial to all and conducive to planetary sustainability.
About AfICTA
Africa Information & Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) is a private sector led alliance of ICT associations, multi-national corporations, organizations and individuals in the ICT sector in Africa. Its mission is to encourage multi-stakeholder dialogue that fosters accelerated and ICT enabled development in Africa and the use of cutting-edge innovative technologies including mobile, computing and satellite technologies to achieve an Information society in Africa. For more information visit: https://aficta.africa/
For media and follow up inquiry:
Sorene Assefa
Cybersecurity and Digital Governance Expert, ECA
Email: sorene@un.org
Abiy Goshu
Projects Communication, ECA
Email: abiy.goshu@un.org
