New York, 15 December 2025 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), UN Regional Commissions, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Government of Benin, convened a high-level WSIS+20 side event at UN Headquarters. Leading the flagship event, “Translating Global Commitments into Regional and National Action,” ECA gathered a high-level coalition to advance Africa’s WSIS+20 strategies and the Cotonou Declaration globally. The session shaped upcoming negotiations by outlining innovative financing mechanisms and pathways to translate global principles into actionable national digital strategies.
Opening the high-level dialogue, H.E. Ambassador Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Chair of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), presented a nuanced picture of progress. He noted that while international bandwidth in Africa has exploded, growing from 12 to 52 terabytes per second between 2019 and 2023, infrastructure alone is not enough. He stressed that without a holistic policy approach, rapid progress risks deepening inequalities. Ambassador Kah further advocated for a structural alignment of the UN process for WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact (GDC), emphasizing CSTD’s role in implementation follow-up and review.
Representing Smart Africa, Mr. Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO, delivered a clear message on behalf of the continent, and stated, "Africa approaches this milestone not from the standpoint of aspiration alone but from the perspective of coherent execution pathways,". He outlined Smart Africa's three-pillar strategy: translating the Global Digital Compact into national action, scaling Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) through aggregated demand, and advancing responsible AI governance.
During the panel discussions, speakers confirmed that translating WSIS+20 commitments into actionable national and regional strategies requires a clear linkage between Action Lines and national planning, a feat Africa has remarkably achieved through its Regional WSIS+20 Reviews. Particularly, the Cotonou Declaration was highlighted as the critical reference point, proving that digital cooperation must serve as both an enabler and an amplifier of development.
Reinforcing this regional-to-global connection, Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, Chief of ICT Policies at UN-ESCWA, argued that global digital governance cannot succeed without the "vital bridge" of Regional Commissions. "Global consensus cannot be achieved without regional specificity," stated Mr. El-Sherbiny. "If we want WSIS+20 to be effective, we must ensure that the 'Geneva' or 'New York' process is fed directly by the outcomes of regional consultations like those in Cotonou and Beirut. We cannot apply a 'one-size-fits-all' model to digital development; the regional mechanism is the only way to ensure no one is left behind."
Interventions from the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), ITU, UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET), and the private sector emphasized that the success of recent milestones is due to active collaboration with Regional Economic Commissions (such as ECA, ESCWA) and the UN Country Teams. Meanwhile, the evolution of the IGF from a discussion forum to an enabling ecosystem was strongly supported, with the Kenya IGF and the National Parliament’s collaboration on drone regulation cited as a best-practice case study.
On the critical issue of financing, the dialogue concluded that nations must focus on spectrum and licensing policies that directly fund universal access, rather than disappearing into general budgets. Speakers called for predictable financing from diverse stakeholders and scaled blended finance to ensure affordability.
To guide future action, Mr. Mactar Seck, Chief of Emerging and Frontier Technologies, ECA, presented a Seven-Point Roadmap detailing necessary structural reforms for the post-WSIS+20 era:
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Expand the IGF Mandate and strengthen the Secretariat’s role to support actionable policy implementation.
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Establish new and dedicated financial instruments to support the WSIS+20 process.
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End the "Silo" Approach, ensuring UN agencies work as a cohesive unit to support Member States.
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Use the Global Digital Compact as the primary guide for future regulatory content.
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Commission international studies on cybersecurity and develop effective DPI models tailored to African economies to secure evidence-based implementation.
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Institutionalize the voice of developing nations in high-level dialogue structures.
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Move from theoretical partnerships to operational, multi-stakeholder execution.
Mr. Seck concluded by stating, "We leave New York today with a clear demand: We must empower regional commissions and national governments to translate global commitments into tangible digital realities. It is time for an implementation-led WSIS."
Beyond the flagship side event, ECA played a central role in shaping the wider narrative of the High-Level Side Sessions. At the ITU’s “Celebrating Twenty Years” session, the Commission urged the global community to move beyond retrospective celebration. The focus, ECA argued, must shift to "doing more with the milestones achieved," converting the connectivity gains of the last two decades into tangible economic value for the Global South.
In the dialogue on “Linguistic and Cultural Diversity” organized by the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), ECA highlighted the critical link between infrastructure and identity. The Commission called for inclusive policies that prioritize local content, ensuring digital infrastructure is designed to harness, rather than flatten, Africa’s multicultural nature.
Finally, during the Government of Nigeria’s “Re-imagining Digital Cooperation” dialogue, ECA championed a "whole-of-society" approach, recognizing Nigeria as a model for digital sovereignty. The session positioned the country as a blueprint for harmonizing local needs with global standards, proving that protection and innovation are mutually reinforcing goals for sustainable development.
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Africa Review Process and Cotonou Declaration
Issued by:
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Economic Commission for Africa
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