Zoom Link to the online plateform - https://www.intgovforum.zoom.us/j/99967107524Background
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was the culmination of a process that began in Geneva in 2003. As a result of the Summit, the global community adopted a common set of principles and a vision of the information society, identified its key principles, and outlined the main challenges towards achieving an information society for all based on shared knowledge. The idea of holding a world summit to address these and other issues related to the information society began as an initiative of the 1998 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference and was subsequently endorsed by resolution 56/183, adopted in December 2001.
This resolution encourages the members of the United Nations Group on the Information Society to contribute to the reports. The report will contain a factual assessment of the status of implementation of the WSIS outcomes, highlighting progress and shortfalls, and indicating areas where further actions and initiatives might be needed. It will also take into account the outcome of the overall review of the WSIS, conducted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2015.
At its 36th meeting, the ITU Council Working Group on the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) started with taking stock of several activities related to the WSIS process and SDGs, including the outcomes of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2020 meeting, the 2020 UN General Assembly Resolution on ICT for sustainable development, and the UN Secretary-General Roadmap for Digital Cooperation.
The main objective
The objective of this 2022 regional WSIS follow up and review session is to bring together key main actors in the ICT sector across the continent and the world to discuss within the post Covid-19 context how we can fully improve the digital framework in the continent and to showcase best practices and innovative solution developed on how African countries are implementing the WSIS Action Lines in the attainment of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063. The session will also raise awareness of the Global Digital Compact, shape our digital goals, and amplify the voices of Africans.
Key Issues
Aligned with the proposed Global Digital Compact in the UN Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda report, the following questions will guide the discussion:
- What are best practices and policies in implementing WSIS Action lines that can help countries leverage on the opportunities presented by the digital technologies drawing lessons from our response as a continent to the COVID-19 pandemic?
- What are the emerging and future concerns that may have an impact for the future on an innovative approach to better implement the WSIS outcomes at the regional level?
- What are best practices/lessons learned to reduce the digital divide both among and within countries and further harnessing ICT for sustainable development via the WSIS +20 review? Background information on WSIS 2023 Forum.
- Where is Africa with regard to ensuring enhanced digital cooperation and digital governance?
Registration link for the Participants
The session will be held in a hybrid format allowing onsite and online participation. The registration link for participants is:
https://www.intgovforum.org/en/content/igf-2022-session-submission-form?type=D0
Monday, 28th November 2022
From 09.30-11.15 (EAT) Banquet Hall B – Auditorium, UNCC, Addis Ababa
Click here for the Concept Note and Programme of Work
Presentations
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Information and Communication Technologies for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals; By Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u, UNECA Taskforce
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Presentation by: Gitanjali Sah, ITU
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Empowering Tech African Women Founders; Tech African Women