ICANN's intervention at the WSIS+20 Consultations with Stakeholders and Memeber States (14 November 2025)
Dear All, Please find below ICANN’s intervention on 14 November 2024 at the WSIS+20 Consultations with Stakeholders and Member States. Alexey WSIS+20 Consultations with Stakeholders and Member States New York, United Nations 14 November 2025 Chair, excellencies, and esteemed colleagues. ICANN considers Revision 1 a well-crafted text that continues to provide a basis for the final draft. On Internet governance: ICANN strongly supports the continued affirmation of the value and principles of multistakeholder cooperation as reflected in paragraphs 3, 87, and 88. We also strongly support the need for an Internet that is “open, global, interoperable, stable and secure” as reflected in some paragraphs in the text, including in paragraph 89. ICANN is pleased to see the continued recognition of the unique role of the technical community as a distinct member of the stakeholder community. While ICANN shares the reaffirmation of the need to promote international cooperation to prevent, identify, and address the risk of fragmentation of the Internet, we suggest reverting to the term “fragmentation of the Internet architecture” as protecting the architecture is particularly fundamental to the Internet’s continued smooth operation. Regarding the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), ICANN is encouraged to see Rev. 1’s continuation of support to the IGF’s permanence, enhancement, and future funding. ICANN also welcomes the emphasis on linguistic diversity, including how initiatives like Internationalized Domain Names and Universal Acceptance contribute to making the Internet and digital services become fully accessible to all. We appreciate Rev. 1’s text that seeks to provide further detail on how the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and WSIS integration could be operationalized (for example, in paragraphs 111, 120, and 121), and the future work on future financial mechanisms for digital development in paragraph 64. We caution on the introduction of new terms into WSIS, such as “critical Internet infrastructure” in paragraph 53, especially if it could affect ongoing discussions at other U.N. processes. We are grateful to the WSIS+20 co-facilitators for their tireless efforts to proactively engage with the various Internet stakeholder groups and remaining open to the view of the technical community. ICANN and our community thank Ambassador Lokaale, Ambassador Janina, and the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs team at the ICANN84 meeting in Dublin last month. We thank Ambassador Lokaale’s participation in the geopolitical session. The link to this session’s recording will appear in the chat window: ICANN84 Geopolitical Forum: WSIS+20 Focus https://icann84.sched.com/event/29QIK/geopolitical-forum-wsis+20-focus. This concludes our short remarks. Thank you.
Thank you Alexey. I was able to observe the webinar and appreciated the succinct nature of your delivery of these comments. Will you be attending at the UN WSIS events December 15-17? Anne Anne Aikman-Scalese GNSO Councilor NomCom Non-Voting 2022-2026 anneicanngnso@gmail.com On Fri, Nov 14, 2025 at 7:51 AM Alexey Trepykhalin via wsis20 < wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Dear All, Please find below ICANN’s intervention on 14 November 2024 at the WSIS+20 Consultations with Stakeholders and Member States. Alexey WSIS+20 Consultations with Stakeholders and Member States
New York, United Nations
14 November 2025
Chair, excellencies, and esteemed colleagues.
ICANN considers Revision 1 a well-crafted text that continues to provide a basis for the final draft.
On Internet governance: ICANN strongly supports the continued affirmation of the value and principles of multistakeholder cooperation as reflected in paragraphs 3, 87, and 88. We also strongly support the need for an Internet that is “open, global, interoperable, stable and secure” as reflected in some paragraphs in the text, including in paragraph 89. ICANN is pleased to see the continued recognition of the unique role of the technical community as a distinct member of the stakeholder community. While ICANN shares the reaffirmation of the need to promote international cooperation to prevent, identify, and address the risk of fragmentation of the Internet, we suggest reverting to the term “fragmentation of the Internet architecture” as protecting the architecture is particularly fundamental to the Internet’s continued smooth operation.
Regarding the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), ICANN is encouraged to see Rev. 1’s continuation of support to the IGF’s permanence, enhancement, and future funding. ICANN also welcomes the emphasis on linguistic diversity, including how initiatives like Internationalized Domain Names and Universal Acceptance contribute to making the Internet and digital services become fully accessible to all. We appreciate Rev. 1’s text that seeks to provide further detail on how the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and WSIS integration could be operationalized (for example, in paragraphs 111, 120, and 121), and the future work on future financial mechanisms for digital development in paragraph 64.
We caution on the introduction of new terms into WSIS, such as “critical Internet infrastructure” in paragraph 53, especially if it could affect ongoing discussions at other U.N. processes.
We are grateful to the WSIS+20 co-facilitators for their tireless efforts to proactively engage with the various Internet stakeholder groups and remaining open to the view of the technical community. ICANN and our community thank Ambassador Lokaale, Ambassador Janina, and the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs team at the ICANN84 meeting in Dublin last month. We thank Ambassador Lokaale’s participation in the geopolitical session. The link to this session’s recording will appear in the chat window: ICANN84 Geopolitical Forum: WSIS+20 Focus https://icann84.sched.com/event/29QIK/geopolitical-forum-wsis+20-focus.
This concludes our short remarks.
Thank you.
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participants (2)
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Alexey Trepykhalin -
Anne ICANN