The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
***
>> YU PING CHAN: Welcome to this open forum on Global Digital Cooperation from Global Ambition to Country Level Action. This is brought to you by the United Nations Development Program, the International Telecommunications Union, the Union DES, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Southern Voice, as well as the Internet Society.
We're going to start off with an interactive segment where we are really looking forward to the views of the participants here in the room as well as online. So we start off with a little bit of a quiz.
Also, if I could have the share ‑‑ this is for the audience members. You can respond to questions in Slido where basically you scan the QR code, and you vote. Here we're asking the first question, which is, which GDC objective is most important for your work on global digital cooperation?
Again, these are the objectives of the Global Digital Compact, and we would like for you ‑‑ whoops, if we can go back. There we go. Here we have the objectives of the global digital compact, and we would like for you to answer the question about which objective is most important for your work on global digital cooperation?
If we could take down the accessibility ‑‑
For those that couldn't scan the QR code, the results update live, so if everybody could participate by scanning the QR code and answering the survey question. Can I have the technicians try it again? Is it possible to bring down? There's just no way to turn it off.
It's a great session.
>> It looks fun. Probably someone is looking for me.
>> YU PING CHAN: We're trying this one more time, and this is your last chance to vote on the first question. Which GDC objective is most important for your work on global digital cooperation? You scan the QR code, and you vote right now. Right now it looks like we have basically a two‑way tie between objective one, which is close all digital divides, and number six, which is everything in the GDC. All answers are locked. Let's go to the next question. In one or two words, what is the most important action that must be taken in the first year of the Global Digital Compact to ensure meaningful action at the country level? I know everybody likes to give long U.N. paragraphs, but here we're really asking for one or two words so we can show them on the screen. Scan the QR code and give us one, two words. Participants, panelists as well. I think you're required to take part. I especially like the "stop talking" suggestion. I think that has to be followed by stop talking and take action.
>> I confess, that was me.
>> YU PING CHAN: A couple more moments for anybody else. Online as well. We see a number of suggestions on the screen. Benefit sharing, ensure alignments, strategy, strong partnerships. Capacity building seems to be the number one response, as you can tell by the boldness of the text. Cooperation, participation, more actions, project.
So keeping these in mind I'll ask the panelists to just turn around very quickly and have a look at what the audience has responded as the most important actions and then to bear that in mind as they are answering the questions so we can as suggested by one of the responses, not just talk, but actually take some actual action at the country level and ensure alignment. Those are last minute contender up there.
Having had that reflection from our participants, we're going to turn to our panelists now and really have their views on how you turn global digital cooperation, the objectives of the GDC, into what we really need, which is implementation at the country level.
From the perspective of the United Nations Development Program, where I come from as the Head of Partnerships and Engagement, that's particularly important because we're present in 170 countries and territories around the world, and we really want to see where global discussions land in impact particularly at the country level. That's what we're really hoping today's conversation with all of you and with our distinguished panelists will bring some insights and highlights and prioritization to these types of efforts.
So, with that, I'm going to turn to our distinguished panelists. I'm going to introduce them all first and then I'm going to ask them questions all in turn one after another.
Today we have with us Ms. Cynthia Lesufi, Minister‑Counsel of the South African Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and other international organizations. We have Gitanjali Sah, Strategy and Policy Coordinator of the International Telecommunications Union. Mr. Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer of the UNDP. We have Mr. Olaf Kolkman, Principal of Internet Technology Policy and Advocacy from the Internet Society, as well as Mr. Deniz Susar from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, sitting for Mr. Su, who was unable to make it at the last minute.
We'll answer a first round of questions after which we'll open up to conversation with the audience, and I really encourage participants both online as well as in the room to ask our panel any questions that they might have really about having this conversation that we so urgently need about turning Global Digital Compact into real concrete action.
We are going to start with the first round of questions, and the first question goes to Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer of UNDP. What are some of the key challenges and needs the countries face in their digital transformation? How does the GDC speak to some of these needs and opportunities? How does it connect with other ongoing processes? For instance, the review.
>> ROBERT OPP: That's three questions in one.
>> YU PING CHAN: It's the chance to ask as many questions as possible.
>> ROBERT OPP: Thanks to those of you who have come to this discussion. In terms of answering the question, UNDP, as Yu Ping just said, has a footprint across 170, and we have digital programs in most of those countries. The kinds of things that we hear in terms of requests for support fall into a few big categories. One of the ones ‑‑ one of the categories is around requests for support in strategy building, policies, road maps in terms of how to roll out digital transformation at a societal level. So we have been responding to those requests by engaging in dialogues around digital readiness assessment and things like that to understand where countries are and where they want to be.
Second big category is around sort of what are the kinds of technologies should be put in place to improve different digital public services and really connect people, close the digital divide in terms of both the connectivity side, but as well as the kind of services available.
Third category is around capacity building, so that's interesting that it came up on the screen. Very frequently everyone is asking for more capacity across the board, whether that be in government or in society at large around innovation ecosystems as well.
The more recent requests that we have, which is part of the wave of discussion around AI, is how do I build my AI ecosystem? So it involves all of those other three things I mentioned, but there's a very specific request line around artificial intelligence and how I can make it work for me and my country.
Those are the kinds of things that we hear. In terms of the question ‑‑ your second question was on how does it relate to the GDC? The good news is that the Global Digital Compact actually covers all of those themes in one way or another. In the technology space there's mention ‑‑ the first time an intergovernmental agreement has mentioned digital public infrastructure, and that's something as an approach that we work a lot within countries. There's also quite a few mentions and artificial intelligence as well including the need for capacity for AI.
The GDC as an overarching umbrella is a good step forward in terms of acknowledging some of the things that are facing us and facing countries around the world today. Then in terms of the WSIS+ 20 it's important to have a signal from the GDC for where it needs to go. Looking forward we need to update the action lines, update the basis on which we're going to work for the next period that we decide on and make sure theorem bedded there.
>> YU PING CHAN: May I also apologize because I failed to see that another panelist is also there. May I ask that she be upgraded to panelist as well. Margarita Gomez is an Executive Director of Southern Voice, one of the program directors of this event. I want to see if she's been upgraded online. While we are waiting for that to happen, perhaps I can turn the next question to Cynthia. The question I have for you is what opportunities does the GDC offer for supporting inclusive digital transformations, particularly at the country level?
>> Cynthia LESUFI: Thank you for inviting me and for sitting with the U.N. agencies to talk about this important topic. I also want to thank all of you for joining this session. It's quite an honor to join this. Yu Ping, in terms of the question let me start first by stating that actually the Global Digital Compact in its form it offers a variety of opportunities to support digital transformation in countries from where we are sitting.
It also structures in such a way that it empowers countries by focusing on key priorities that drive inclusive digital transformation. For instance, the Global Digital Compact, it promotes adopting inclusive digital policies for universal and affordable internet access, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Coming from South Africa and from the region where the issue of connectivity is a problem, we believe the GDC, it is structured in such a way that it starts to address this.
The other thing that it focuses on for countries, what it does is that it forced global partnerships to provide affordable devices and services and reduce the barriers for low-income population. Again, this talks to the region that I come from, which is Africa.
But the other important thing, which Rob spoke to, is the issue of skills capacity building. Where we are sitting, I actually want to emphasize the fact that the GDC in its current form, it does touch on issues of skills capacity building issues. Again, we're looking at this in a way that our view is that it enables marginalized groups to use the digital tools effectively, but also, it also allows countries to access ‑‑ to train their workforces this emerging technologies such as AI, block chain, service technology, and it promotes inclusive digital economies.
The other thing that we have also noted in South Africa is the GDC in its current form, it also encourages the public/private partnership, which from where we are sitting it strengthens the collaboration among government, the private sector, NGOs, and international organization on inclusive digital initiatives.
We also believe that through this, then what it does, it also helps countries to leverage resources and expertise for infrastructure development and digital transformation project, but also, the other thing that we have also identified that we believe GDC is talking to is to mandate that countries assess their progress by identifying the gaps insofar as digital transformation is concerned, and from where we are sitting, it assists countries to take decisive action to enhance the digital transformation.
The other thing that is also important is that the GDC also from where we are sitting edge countries to learn from global success stories and adopt proven strategies to accelerate digital inclusion initiatives. I think I should stop at that. Thank you.
>> YU ping Chan: I think that was extremely comprehensive and touched on a lot of these elements that already were reflected by the participants and you, the audience, as to the important parts of the GDC that we really need to pick up on. Cynthia, thank you so much for really a great answer to that.
I think it's also particularly important given that South Africa is taking on the presidency of the G20 next year. That perspective of leading from the Global South and the global majority is important.
The next question we have is from Olaf. So the question for you is that the internet society works to ensure that the internet is open, globally‑connected, secure, and trustworthy. How does the GDC contribute to your mission, and what do you think the role offal stakeholders, particularly the technical community, should be in realizing the ambition of the GDC?
>> OLAF KOLKman: Good question. The question is essentially what can the GDC do for you, but I would like to turn that around. What can we do for the GDC?
I see the GDC as a joint vision where we are asked to work towards a common goal, but I'm also a strong believer in the bottom‑up fashion and the bottom‑up nature of partnerships, of developing solutions that locally work, that are locally tailored that bring together the people for their local needs. I believe you need to develop these partnerships in the bottom‑up nature.
Of course, when you do that, you need to have local stakeholders at the table, the people who understand the technology that can bridge that to the people who understand, say, the rights in a locality that understand the needs in the locality and can also find the funding in that locality.
So when we do that in practice at the Internet Society. For instance, when we were connecting communities. When we are connecting communities, generally we are part of the funding structures for those, but not always. We seek technical gists that can build the technologies. We also talk, say, to the municipalities to get right of way to a tower that might be somewhere on which an antenna can be mounted. Those are the tiny examples of places where people get together and do stuff. Once we get them at the local level, we can share them at the national level to exchange experiences. I believe that is the model of the IGF where we have all the regional and national IGFs where people share experiences in their foray on how did you come to a solution and that type of norm entrepreneurship, the norm and technical entrepreneurship I believe creates solutions that are more sustainable than anything that we can invent top‑down.
To me that is where the IGF, of course, plays a humongous role, and I'm happy to see that that role is recognized in the GDC, in the GDC concept.
The GDC defines a number of objectives that keep the eye on the ball, of course. One of them is, of course, the connectivity of all humans to the internet. We still have 2.8 million to go. Mostly in the Global South, as you hear the Saudi minister say during the plenary. That's a high effort, and that's where we as Internet Society are, of course, focusing our work.
So I would say are the GDC helps us think globally, but the action needs to be local. Thank you.
>> YU ping Chan: That is a great tag line. Think global with the GDC, but really the action has to be local, but that's been emphasized in quite a lot of the comments as well. I think that's a really good way to segue into the question to Margarita. Southern Voice is a network of currently 70 think tanks in the Global South the working to accelerate SDG progress. So really reflecting on this connection to what Olaf just said about acting local, what are you hearing across your members about priorities for implementing the Global Digital Compact, and where is there the most opportunity at the country level and local level?
>> Margarita Gomez: Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here. I thank everybody that is joining online and in person there. We are a network of 70 think tanks in 35 countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. We work to close the gap. We work for researchers, practitioners, and decision makers to work together and to enhance collaborations to rebalance symmetry in globally sustainable development. Always we are having these conversations. How can we connect? Yes. Can you hear me better?
>> YU ping Chan: I don't want to interrupt you, but it seems like there's some difficulty with her sound.
>> Margarita Gomez: Can you hear me better now? Hello? Can you hear me better?
>> YU ping Chan: I hear a lot of buzzing in her sound quality, and we're not hearing the message clearly. Maybe could we have a clearer fix on her sound? My online panelist. They're saying that it's coming from something else. I'll ask you to continue. Thank you so much.
>> Margarita Gomez: I hope that you can hear me better now. So I'm going to continue. I think that ‑‑ thank you so much.
>> YU ping Chan: Go ahead, margarita.
>> Margarita Gomez: The question, I'm having this panel focusing on what can we do at the local level to connect with the global debate. I think that is very relevant for the conversation that we always have with our members.
Before to prepare for this panel we were discussing what are the key priorities, and there is this hesitation to say there is many priorities. We need to focus on infrastructure and access. We were really trying to identify the top priorities, and one of the top priorities for our members, for the Global South that we hear very often is how can we bridge the digital divides? We think that this is one of the important areas that we need to focus our efforts in order to really have progress in health, education, security, financial inclusion. That is one of the important issues for gender also inclusion, governance. That's one of the priorities that we hear often that it is important for our members and for the countries where they are based.
The second priority that we have identified is the inclusion of women and girls. What we see is that the gap is getting bigger in terms of having more women and having more girls connecting and being part of the digital transformation.
When we talk about the Global Digital Compact, we see that there is an important effort to connect these priorities that are coming from the Global South with this global framework. Now, we have seen that. They have put in the center some of these digital divides that exist in the different topics and priorities of the GDC.
Just maybe to think a little more, what we can do at the local level that is where countries and municipalities, as Olaf was saying, but also states and national governments can have more advantage and can work more on that. The first one, in terms of closing and to tackling the digital divides are producing the meaningful use of digital use, the digital literacy. We know that in many countries in the Global South there is a gap already of literacy, and when we talk about digital literacy, this is becoming even bigger. So we think that this is something that governments at the national level can do better because they know the context. They have also the partners, the right partners, to do this.
The inclusion of women and girls, that's another issue that we have seen that local governments can have more advantage. Then, also, the participation and inclusion of marginalized groups in the side of technology. To be part of this revolution that is happening.
Maybe just my final point is these are things that local governments can do better, but there are other things that are needed also to happen at the global level in order to is make these changes happen, and I'm just going to mention two of them that we think that is important. One is having a little more support of the global entities in terms of infrastructure, in terms of really sharing good practices, and also, having more regulation and more inclusive governance. But we think this is something that is needed to happen at the global level.
In order to really move the needle in this topic, we need to collaborate in both levels. One, there is the local level, and then the actions that we need to take at the global level. Thank you so much. I hope that the sound wasn't too terrible.
>> YU ping Chan: Thank you so much. Thank you for your patience on that. With Margarita’s comment that we should also look at the global level, we're turning the conversation back here in the room to reflections from DESA and ITU, two of the global U.N. entities working on the global stage. The next question goes to Dennis from DESA. That's something that we've been looking at tracking and measuring the progress that's been made on the SDGs is. What has DESA seen as the biggest opportunities in terms of this space?
>> DENIZ SUSAR: Thank you. Thank you for inviting DESA to this panel. I'm representing the Director of Division for Public Institutions, as you mentioned, Mr. Juwang Su.
Many of the implementations align with our work at DESA. I will focus on our contribution to WSIS and WSIS+. It emphasizes building on the processes and forums, such as the IGF and its national, regional forms and the WSIS form, and it also looks forward to the review in 2025.
UNDESA is responsible for three action lines. The action lines promoting ICT for development, C7, E‑government, and C11, international and regional cooperation.
Related to action line C1, GDC makes many references to the role of ICTs for SDGs for data governance AI. With our regular program for technical cooperation we support the capacity building initiatives to advance sustainable development in developing countries. This program provides technology advances, policy advice on knowledge‑sharing platforms to enhance governance, digital transformation and institutional capacities.
One of the key focuses promoting ICTs is enabling sustainable development by promoting digital governance and inclusivity and building institutional readiness to leverage digital tools and technologies.
We have many projects, same like UNDP, in many countries. Related to this action line C7E government, commits to prioritizing digital competencies for public officials and institutions enabling the development and implementation of inclusive, secure, and user‑centered digital services. So the United Nations survey, which looks at the development of 193 countries and starting from 2018 we also went local. We started looking at the most popular city in each country. However, we have received many questions about why we cannot expand to several cities in a single country. So we are also creating partnerships with entities, either government or non‑government, to advance this work into (inaudible). This work is growing extensively in recent years. I agree with Olaf on that.
The last (inaudible). We commit to supporting IGF by the collaboration with working countries. As you see here, we are also working on that already bringing IGF this region for the first time. (Inaudible). Also bringing the Global South and local and youth IGFs. With that, we also work on the GDC principles. I just want to (inaudible). We will continue to integrate those into our efforts.
>> YU ping Chan: On that particular note that the U.N. agencies are looking to see how we can vie for the existing work and these ongoing programs they are really reaching country level, local level, that's a good way to actually go to our last panelist, Ms. Gitanjali Sah. She has a strong role of leadership in the process itself and really reflecting, again, on the role of the IGF and the role of the WSIS and implementation of the GDC. Can you speak to what ITU sees as the priorities and delivering the GDC vision at the country level and the opportunity that the WSIS + 20 review that will be happening next year in the general assembly has to drive progress towards these key roles?
>> GITANJALI SAH: It's a pleasure to be here, and thanks for organizing this very multi‑stakeholder panel where we heard different voices. As Rob said, two WSIS action lines provide a very sound framework that captures the gambit of digital technologies. They have been evolving ‑‑ (inaudible).
It's a beautiful framework. Different than agencies based on what the mandates are implementing different action lines so that we have E‑health (inaudible). Stakeholders are brick E bringing stories from the ground to the local level and sharing values and sharing information on how digital cooperation really happens with different stakeholders.
ITU, the digital agency for technologies are existing mandates and actions that are in line with the objectives, principles with the IGC. (Inaudible).
During our ITU governing body including the council, council working group on SDGs, we have actually, you know, identified the key actions that ITU should be taking and ITU action plan. That is part of the existing framework and the 2030 agenda. We must not forget the global developing roles that has such a key role in achieving sustainable development goals.
At the ITU internally we have an internal implementation plan. We are working with the U.N. agencies to also come up with an action plan. We meet very often ‑‑ we are exploring what we can contribute to New York and to the implementation of the GDC as well.
So recently many of you attended the World Telecommunications Innovation Assembly, where ITU member states and membership prioritizes AI, AI standards, AI governance, responsive, inclusive AI for sustainable development. Now, ITU has several country offices, regional offices where we are working with important partners that (inaudible) ‑‑ on capacity building programs, on policy, guidance, and (inaudible) to address the digital divide. That's the main thing that I do strive to achieve. Especially for marginalized and underserved communities.
Initiatives like (inaudible) where we are connecting schools with UNICEF and UNDP across the agenda, these are all important initiatives that are already contributing to certain aspects of the GDC. At the same time cybersecurity is a really crucial issue for the ITU fostering an open, safe, secure digital environment is, of course, a priority. It's covered under action 9C5. Those of you who follow the framework, but it's always (inaudible) ‑‑ to ensure that all of this is strengthened, especially at the grassroots level.
Of course, ITU's (inaudible) ‑‑ Commission on Human Rights or CHR, and we are developing standards and guidelines to protect privacy, security, and freedom of expression. (Inaudible).
The milestone that GDC was provided during this process (inaudible).
>> YU PING CHAN: Before I go to our external stakeholders, I'm going to ask Robert Opp on round out the family considerations and sort of reflections as to the work that the U.N. agency is doing in this area and ask you how UNDP is addressing some of the opportunities that were spoken about, that have been reflected from our audience participation and that you have heard from some of the other panelists. What are the insights that you have heard from the various countries that UNDP works in, and what do you see as, again, the most urgent priorities in this space?
>> Robert OPP: I think ‑‑ well, so all the panelists have mentioned different aspects of it. I mentioned before that we are getting signals from countries in these sort of different areas, policies, and strategies, technology space and capacity building as well as AI. So in the policy and strategy space we have done digital readiness assessments in 53 countries. That is a multi‑stakeholder process itself where it is a combination of government, private sector, civil society, and other actors feed into the sort of perceptions around what is the strengths and weaknesses of particular context or particular digital ecosystems.
We've also started doing AI readiness assessments that respond to that signal that we're getting from countries on how can we embrace AI and embrace the benefits, and that is something that we do jointly with UNESCO as well. On the technology side the digital public infrastructure work, you just mentioned it, Gitanjali. We're working in 25 countries with public infrastructure and trying to understand how to put people at the center of that. To that end we have just recently also launched together with the U.N. technology envoy's office a set of DPI safeguards. That is a set of best practices that accompany the implementation of digital public infrastructure in a way that puts people at the center. That was launched recently at the U.N. general assembly this year and is now something that is available and we're working to implement across countries around the world.
Then the capacity building space is a tapestry at the moment. We do work with ITU on a number of capacity building efforts. There is also I think a fairly strong role for private sector and civil society when it comes to capacity building. So, for example, in Kenya we are starting a collaboration with the government of Kenya, Microsoft, and Huawei on digital capacity building for civil servants.
There's a lot of work going on out there across all of these areas. Your second question was on insights, and I would say one of the bigger insights and I hear it coming out of the panel here, these cannot just be top‑down things. These have to be also bottom‑up, and you have to take into account signals from people and involve people. You have to be on the ground. You have to be local. You really need to ‑‑ I think in order to get ‑‑ to set actions that work for everybody and are inclusive you really need to have those voices included. I think that's probably the biggest thing.
In our work ‑‑ UNDP works with community level and city level and national governments. Sometimes it is our role to remind those government authorities that we need to have those voices in the room as well. I'll leave it there.
>> YU ping Chan: On that note of voices in the room, I'm turning to margarita from Southern Voice to really reflect on that. Where do you see the opportunities ‑‑ catalytic opportunities for GDC implementation? Have you really seen this from your research work with the Global South, and how does Southern Voice plan to continue working with its network and where are the partners in this?
>> Margarita Gomez: Thank you so much. Great conversation and great points that my colleagues have already shared. I'm going to highlight three opportunities that we see in the Global South. The first one has already been highlighted by some of think colleagues there. That is the potential of partnerships.
What we see is like at the national level there is the potential of bringing to the conversation other partners and to have more synergies and collaborations. So we need the government. We need private sector also engaging in these conversations. There is one part that we see from the Global South when we talk about partnerships. How can we learn from what other countries at the Global South are doing in terms of using technology, giving access, innovation that can be adapted and that can be also an inspiration for other countries in the Global South. So that will be one interpretation of this partnership bringing others to the conversation.
The second one ‑‑ and this is something that we were discuss too ‑‑ if we needed to do one thing as different actors collaborating in these, maybe to put in the center the inclusion and also the reduction of these digital divides that exist is maybe guaranteeing or trying to assure that we can have access in public spaces. We can give access in public spaces to as many citizens that is possible in these countries. This is an effort, again, a collective effort that needs to happen to give access in schools, public service. There are examples of this happening. We have the initiatives that have been trying to help schools and hospitals and different public areas in order to guarantee this access mainly to the ones that has less access and that we might be leaving behind. That's the second opportunity that we see.
The third one is how can we enhance local innovations and also engage communities to the design development of these technologies that we are using. Even there are some already efforts that we have seen of people designing local algorithms and bringing to communities and local knowledge. That is also very important.
In terms of what we are doing ‑‑ one of our core work is to connect the local agendas and the local efforts that is happening in different countries to the global agenda, and that is something that we are working with our members to identify these local needs in order to connect also with the global debates.
As a silent voice, we are engaging in different spaces in this agenda to bring and to put at the center the needs, the priorities, and the agenda that is important in these topics from the Global South in order to connect with these global debates. Thank you so much.
>> YU ping Chan: Thank you so much, Margarita. (Inaudible).
(Inaudible audio).
>> MARGARITA GOMEZ: We talk about the interactive level (inaudible). We will find those people at our local chapters. (Inaudible).
(Silence).
>> YU ping Chan: I'm sorry to interrupt. We can't hear anything online. I'm wondering if the technicians in the room can work on the connection.
(Inaudible audio).
Testing, one, two, three. That's a bit better. It's still a little unclear.
>> OLAF KOLKMAN: I can stop singing now.
>> YU ping Chan: Back to you, Olaf.
>> OLAF KOLKman: Partnerships are key to everything. Youth runs fast, and together they go far. It has been said before, and that's partnership for you. Partnership is not only knowledge or not only money. It's knowledge as well.
As I was saying, the Internet Society tries to make those connections on a knowledge level, but also through our foundation at the funding level. We ourselves work together with the GIGA project of UNICEF connecting schools, but in Jacksonville, Florida, for instance, we worked with a local bank to connect students to their school so that it gave children (inaudible), areas of Florida to get connected.
On bridging that technological policy divide, that is something that is part of our daily work. We try to make connections at the standardization level, so that's a very global level. We try to provide tool sets so that people can analyze whether their policies will impact the open global secure trustworthy and unfragmented internet. We have the internet assessment tool kit for that.
We try to keep that internet safe. We will intervene in our policy discussions at the local level where we think that the security of the internet is under threat. These are all problems. Building the internet out to the last billion, the next 1.8 billion people probably okay, but the last billion people, that is a wicked problem, and we cannot do that alone.
>> YU ping Chan: Another catchphrase, we can't do it alone. I'm asking who else we can do it with. I'm turning to Cynthia now and asking her where she thinks the GDC can connect with other important work that's underway? For instance, with South Africa's G20 presidency next year and with the WSIS review that many of the speakers have really discussed already as well.
>> Cynthia LESUFI: Thank you for this important question. Before one can ask that question, it's really key for us to ask another question. You know, to then say what do we make of the WSIS review process?
From where we are sitting in South Africa, we look at the WSIS as a framework for all stakeholders based on the WSIS documents to address opportunities and challenges posed by the current data landscape including universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation. Moving forward, it is also important to look at the GDC as a next step for WSIS, right? From where we are sitting we think that WSIS has primarily respond to do the initial wave of globalization and digitalization and concentrating on infrastructure and efforts to bridge the digital divide while the GDC we view it as a reflection of the advanced state of the digital ecosystem in addressing its complexities in the era contextualized by widespread of misinformation, imaginative technologies such as AI and block chain.
We also believe it is important for us to ask another question as to how GDC reinforce WSIS? For us, it's both initiative that is aim at enhancing ITs and digital technologies to transform humanities and also believe that the GDC builds on the principles of WSIS by incorporating ethical and rights‑based approaches to digital transformation. While WSIS focuses on action line, the GDC seems to centralize set of principles and commitments agreed upon by all stakeholders.
Again, in South Africa we also believe that really WSIS has laid the groundwork for global ICT discussions and we also believe that the GDC as an initiative builds upon those principles by focusing on modern challenges, such as the regulation of platform providers, the regulation of AI and ethics and the online information.
We also believe that the GDC could also be seen as the next step of WSIS through aligning digital governments with the broader 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Now moving to the South African G20 presidency, as a country we are informed by the general culture of inclusivity and consultation, which is again, at the center of the WSIS and the GDC. This is informed by the values ‑‑ the values and the spirit of our constitution. With South Africa as a G20 presidency, we seek so reinforce the notion of multi‑stakeholder approach. I believe this is also important for both processes.
We are doing this through enhancing a dialogue and engagement with various states, international organizations, and civil society. With each presidency, the south African government also intends to place African's developmental agenda at the top of the G20 presidency, and we aim to build on the success of the past three presidencies led by the Global South.
In South Africa we also believe that this presidency will provide us with an opportunity to advocate support for developing economies of Africa and the Global South, particularly championing the developmental agenda. In conclusion, in South Africa we believe that the G20 presidency has a pivotal role in advancing the WSIS and SDG agendas by focusing on the digital inclusion, sustainability rights and government accountability and we also believe that with our G20 presidency we can leave a lasting impact on global transformation, particularly for developing nations. Lastly, we believe that with our leadership, we can also fulfill the principles of WSIS, but also position South Africa as a key advocate for a more inclusive digital future. Thank you.
>> YU ping Chan: Thank you. With that we end our panel and go to audience interaction and questions and answers for our distinguished panelists.
In one or two words, how will we know we are succeeding in delivering impact at the country level? Not just talking, but action this time around reflecting on everything that you have heard about the need to hear these voices and to act on these needs and priorities. So in one, two words, how will we know that we are succeeding in delivering impact at the country level? Two responses are in.
Digital equality and SDG acceleration results. For those just coming in, we're taking in audience survey via Slido. We scan the QR code and give us one to two words on how we know we are succeeding in delivering impact at the country level. I see some that are more than one or two words. I appreciate your commitment.
>> I think it's hard to capture in one or two words because the GDC, the action items, or the objectives are, in fact, the KPIs that we're looking at. It's not one KPI. It's a bunch of them. I think that once you see results at each individual objectives, they are not really ‑‑ not all of them (inaudible) KPIs. (Inaudible).
>> YU ping Chan: The measure is really in capturing the measures of the GDC itself. Olaf makes a good point. Dennis wants to come in before we open the floor. Go ahead.
>> DENIZ SUSAR: I'm seeing most of the WSIS action lines there. Government development, digital equality. I just want to make this last point (inaudible) ‑‑ comprehensive framework moving forward that will guide us into the WSIS. The WSIS framework is also still valid since 2003 and 2005. It exists and still works, such as IGF. This is (inaudible).
One last thing I want to mention is, for example, in 2005 we didn't have AI, social media, or a number of things that were not there, but 72G of the agenda where IGF gets its mandate, identify emerging issues, bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and the general public, and where appropriate, make recommendations.
So one of the key roles of IGF is to discuss emerging issues. AI was in the discussions of IGF since 2015. UNESCO started discussing AI ethics in 2018. We think that IGF and all these have enormous agenda‑setting and how issues have normally first popped up in IGF and then produced concrete partnerships and brought us here.
I think that's an important point. I just want to input here.
>> YU ping Chan: That's a point that a lot of us ‑‑ resonates with a lot of us and really reflects to the importance of the IGF process feeding into these global conversations and in some way prefiguring the conversation that then happens at the global level because it was here in IGF that you heard it first. Olaf, go ahead, and then I'll turn to the floor.
>> OLAF KOLKman: I heard the term norm entrepreneurship.
>> YU ping Chan: Anriette from Alliance Communications.
>> ANRIETTE ETERHUYSEN: Thanks, everyone. I kind of feel we're still beating around the bush. I hear ‑‑ I wanted to pick up on what Cynthia was saying about the alignment between GDC and WSIS. I want to hear more than that. I want to hear that the WSIS + 20 outcome will integrate GDC follow‑up and implementation with the WSIS. If there's a need to update WSIS action lines to merge them with some of the new emerging issues that the GDC raises, then ask WSIS to do that. Ask the WSIS facilitation agencies to work that. Improve cooperation within the U.N. system. We know it's not as good as it should be, but I think ultimately if you want country‑based actions, you have to respect countries and ask the international system not just dump new systems on them all the time.
I can speak for African countries. I was at the African WSIS past 20 prep com. They are implementing their WSIS action lines. It's an even process. They're now concerned about also integrating GDC. Make it easy for them. Merge these processes. I think anything beyond that is serving our international intergovernmental bureaucracy rather than serving what we're trying to achieve at member state level.
>> YU ping Chan: Turning over to Isabel from the office of the tech envoy, and then we'll go online.
>> ISABEL DE SOLA: I'm devastated to go after Anriette. I'm from the office of the tech envoy. How do we know that we're succeeding? From the office of the tech envoy I really want to take this question back and see how we could connect some of our work on implementation to KPIs? I couldn't get my camera to work, you but I would like to add one to the screen, which is ‑‑ two actually. Data governance, so two words, Yu Ping. I think we have an opportunity in the GDC to advance some pretty groundbreaking principles for international data governance, and the task is probably one of the most complex and most important of the GDC that will require a multi‑stakeholder approach.
So for the IGF and its role as an ideation center as a place for exchange, I really hope that the IGF will contribute to that process, which is just about to kick off in Geneva in January. A second two or three words is about diversity of content. That relates to the WSIS agenda. This is something that we've been working on for 20 years, but where I've recently learned there could be real potential for partnerships with the private sector.
80 percent of content online 20 years after the WSIS is still just in seven languages, and 50 percent of that content is in English. Now we have maybe some technical tools that could provide shortcuts to translating loads of content online. Those technical tools are in the hands of a certain sector. Also present here at the IGF.
They're doing their part. I understand Google is taking 110 new languages into its AI‑powered translation model, but here's a place I think where the WSIS and the GDC could dig deeper together and say, all right, the progress we've made with the WSIS on languages is this, and in the GDC we call on tech companies to support us in this, that, and the other, in nine areas. Perhaps that's a nice low‑hanging fruit for the two frame works to work together and deliver as this question suggests results. Thank you.
>> YU ping Chan: Thank you. We go to Nnenna online.
>> I hope you can hear me very well.
>> YU ping Chan: Can you speak more loudly?
>> Can you hear me?
>> YU ping Chan: Go ahead, Nnenna.
>> I think we've had a lot of sound issues. I wanted to come back on the divides and the intersectionality of the divides.
At this stage we're not just talking about digital divides. That is infrastructural part of it alone, but I think we should pay close attention to the digital policy divides, digital gender divides, and digital open divides, digital age divides. That's just what I want to pitch in here and maybe our panelists, our resource people can zero in on this that after 20 years in IGF speaking about digital divides alone is not enough, but I think we should all as a global digital community be aware that divides are intersectional and our response to them was intersectional. I think that it is important to put this here because we are talking about digital cooperation, and most of our U.N. family members are here so that we don't just run with our own individual mandates at the expense of the mandate of other agencies, but we should have that collaboration ahead as a focus because our divides are intersectional and our response to them should also be. Thank you very much for having me.
>> YU ping Chan: Let me reassure you that I think the collaboration between U.N. agencies, as you can see from the presence on the stage, has been strong and continues to be growing as well. Over here to colleague in the room.
>> Thank you very much. Thank you for your good presentations, though with had the hiccups of the internet. I'm hoping that because it's IGF forum that tomorrow everything will be better than this.
I come from Kenya. Women working in the northern part of Kenya. It's a very dry place. The place is remote. We do have a school, for example, which not only internet. We do not even have electricity in the first place. I was wondering Rob said he's going to work with a country mainly for the civil servants. In Mozambique most of the people are tourists and they are mainly affected by drought. For the last four years it only rained end of last year and early this year.
I tend to agree with what Mr. Olaf had said that let's really look at the local part of it other than, you know, the whole nation because if you look at the civil servants who come from Mozambique or from the marginalized places, there are have you few. We really need this taken down to the students, you know, to the ground, local levels.
Kindly, I would also request if you are able to work with us who are the CSOs, like the local, local NGOs who deal directly with the people in the grassroots, I think that can touch more people rather than just going to the towns. Thank you.
>> YU ping Chan: I think that is exactly a reminder of the perspectives and the people that we need to reach if we truly want to be impactful. Gitanjali.
>> GITANJALI SAH: He's been waiting.
>> YU ping Chan: Go ahead.
>> I've been working on the research and education and support for scientific research for more than 25 years now. From all the perspectives I heard here today I would like to add on the last commentary from our colleague here that I miss a lot of the integration or cooperation involving organizations that are working on those and in this area of research and education.
For instance, in each country there is some sort of research and education organization working to connect schools, universities, all sorts of educational, let's say, facility. Those facilities could be I think on my view education is the main thing that could change people's lives instead of only giving them access to internet. If you give them the communication capabilities that along with that if you give access to good information and relevant, meaningful material that they can improve their own lives and do new things for themselves. You can empower communities, remote locations. People there are disconnected. A lot of good things can come from that.
So I think all efforts should always try to look at involving the local people who works on research and education. One good channel is the research and education networks. In each country you have a lot of people working to do the same thing you are talking here. They are striving to bring fiber across Amazon River. They are building connections to satellites, and that's not only for scientific purposes. It's also to connect schools and make people have access.
If you join efforts with those people and they have global coverage, I am also on the leadership of the GNA Global Network Advancement, and this group is working to integrate the whole backbone in the whole world to work as an integrated system that every scientist, educator in the world can have access to make things better for science and education in every country.
So this I think is important to see how we can leverage that capacity. They are very hard‑working people. They work on trust. They collaborate, and they do a lot of incredible things. You could check out the website in the field where they publish a lot of things they do, and the accomplishments are there. If you join efforts with those kind of organizations, I think it would be very helpful.
>> YU ping Chan: That's a good reminder that we look for partnerships with local bodies and local organizations that are already doing this good work. Thank you for that and that perspective on who we need to be focusing on and at the local level as well.
I saw that Gitanjali, and Rob wanted to come in on what they've heard so far, and I'll open it up to other panelists as well.
>> GITANJALI SAH: This discussion really takes me back to 2006 when I was working with UNDP and UNESCO at the grassroots level. I think Olaf and Rob, you really remember how to together as a passionate community the open‑source movement started after WSIS. It was so passionate on the ground. The indigenous (inaudible) ‑‑ bringing indigenous languages and culture to the digital world. The community radio stations, I don't know if any of you were involved in that movement, but in 2006, I don't know if you remember, when we had started empowering the local (inaudible) ‑‑ community radio stations to be empowered.
Really this whole digital (inaudible). We are talking about AI, new technologies right now, but think about (inaudible).
(Audio is inaudible).
>> I'm sorry to interrupt again be, but the sound is again very bad online.
(Audio is inaudible).
>> GITANJALI SAH: We have been working since 2000 on the ground. This is why we are talking about AI and new technologies and all of that because a lot of work has gone into it.
>> YU ping Chan: We are running out of time. I will ask if anyone online or in the room has any very quick literally two sentences, comments or responses. Very quickly to the panelist. Everyone gets two sentences.
>> ROBERT OPP: I just wanted to respond to the two comments that were made that are extremely valid in terms of looking at rural areas across the country local and the education system. In Kenya, in fact, we are now working on local district digital readiness assessments because we know the disparities are out there.
The education system in Africa, we have 13 countries, innovation offices into local universities because we also know that's the source of a lot of the digital skilling and the pipeline of the future.
Then we have lots of things around the world as well on extension to local spaces like Bangladesh has something in the order of 9,000 local digital services centers and things like that. Just to say, excellent points, and there's a lot going on.
>> YU ping Chan: Very quickly. Two sentences.
>> OLAF KOLKMAN: Build on what you have. We have the IGF. It's solid. We need to tweak it. We need to grow and evolve it, but build on it.
Second point, academic network and (inaudible).
(Audio is inaudible).