Web Governance Discussion board lays the groundwork for a World Digital Compact | Information | SDG Information Heart

The seventeenth Annual Assembly of the Web Governance Discussion board (IGF) featured discussions on among the most urgent web and digital coverage points, together with connectivity and human rights, Web fragmentation, cybersecurity and new and rising applied sciences. The outcomes of the Discussion board will function a framework for World Digital Compact international locations anticipated to agree on the UN Futures Summit in 2024.

Organized in Africa for the primary time in 11 years, the Discussion board addressed the theme “Resilient Web for a shared, sustainable and customary future”. The assembly shone the highlight on the least linked area, with 60% of Africa’s inhabitants with out web entry, and highlighted that globally, web entry stays elusive for two.7 billion individuals .

“The web is the platform that may speed up progress in the direction of the SDGs,” stated UN Beneath-Secretary-Normal for Financial and Social Affairs Li Junhua. “The digital frontier is the place the true transformative energy can be realized and the necessary area to speed up tasks in the direction of the SDGs,” he famous.

In his message to the Discussion board, UN Secretary-Normal António Guterres stated his proposal for a World Digital Deal on an open, free, inclusive and safe digital future for all goals to realize three objectives: obtain common connectivity; present a protected, safe and human-centric digital area; and fostering the protected and accountable use of knowledge.

The IGF’s intersessional work, performed via coverage networks, good apply boards, dynamic coalitions and different initiatives, contributed to the IGF neighborhood classes specializing in 5 thematic areas:

• Tackle superior applied sciences, together with AIthe place human-centric synthetic intelligence (AI), belief, safety and privateness, in addition to content material moderation and AI have been among the many points mentioned;
• Keep away from Web Fragmentationthe place fragmentation components, multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms and regulatory and coverage approaches have been highlighted;
• Connecting all individuals and defending human rightsthe place discussions centered on the digital divide, gender digital divide, human rights, resilient infrastructure, schooling and labour;
• Allow security, safety and accountability, the place contributors mentioned the position of policymakers in selling cybersecurity, preventing cybercrime, defending girls from on-line gender-based violence, and on-line security and disinformation; and
• Knowledge governance and privateness safetythe place the contributors mentioned, Amongst others: digital commons, world digital public items, digital financial system and the SDGs; defend knowledge privateness and uphold knowledge justice; and multi-stakeholder approaches to knowledge governance.

The IGF Excessive Degree Leaders Monitor, the IGF Youth Monitor and the IGF Parliamentary Monitor additionally got here collectively.

The IGF 2022 was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from November 28 to December 2. The Discussion board was organized by the Ethiopian authorities, with the help of the United Nations Financial Fee for Africa (UNECA) and the United Nations Division of Financial and Social Affairs (DESA). [Draft IGF 2022 Summary] [IGF 2022 Messages] [DESA Curtain Raiser] [DESA Press Release] [UN News Release]