WSIS+20 and
the Imperative of Inclusive Digital Futures: Grounding the Past, Framing the
Beyond
Dear Esteemed
Colleagues,
As we
approach the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event, it is an opportune moment to
reflect not only on the journey we have collectively shaped since 2003, but
also on the strategic contours of what lies ahead in an increasingly complex
digital ecosystem.
The original
WSIS vision was
anchored in bridging the digital divide and establishing a people-centered,
inclusive Information Society. While progress has been notable in
infrastructure expansion, policy frameworks, and multistakeholder engagement,
the next phase demands a deeper recalibration — one that goes beyond
access and affordability, toward resilience, rights, and responsible
innovation.
In the
spirit of the Geneva and Tunis commitments, I believe WSIS+20 must advance:
- A community-rooted digital
inclusion agenda, particularly for underrepresented geographies and
grassroots stakeholders;
- Stronger policy coherence
between digital transformation, human rights, and environmental
sustainability;
- Enhanced multistakeholder
mechanisms that are accountable, distributed, and trust-enabling,
especially in the governance of emerging technologies.
As a
panelist at the July 11 session, I look forward to contributing to these
conversations, not just as reflections of the past, but as constructive
frameworks for the future. Our collective challenge is not only to reaffirm
WSIS principles, but to ensure their relevance amidst AI acceleration, data
governance dilemmas, and geopolitical shifts in the digital order.