Digital Inclusion as Social Progress: Lessons from WSIS+20

The WSIS+20 High Level Event 2025, co-hosted by the ITU and the Swiss Confederation and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, took place 11 July in Palexpo, Geneva.

The event served as a multistakeholder platform to reflect on global collaboration, digital inclusion, and leveraging technology for development. It also provided an opportunity for an open dialogue on the digital process made over the last 20 years since the first WSIS.

The world’s shared digital future is rapidly expanding, demanding a reassessment of the existing digital framework. Over 11,000 participants from 169 countries participated, demonstrating the need for multilateral action to promote WSIS’s mission. Even two decades after its inception, WSIS’s principles must continue to be upheld and adapted to tackle new challenges on the digital front.

Discussions emphasized that the WSIS architecture “must continue working to close gaps” through existing initiatives like the AI for Good Global Summit and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which have strong UN legitimacy and wide global outreach.

Though several topics and aspirations were covered, four key priorities were outlined by the ITU media centre:

1. Universal connectivity: ensuring affordable, meaningful access to the 2.6 billion people still offline and equipping underserved communities with digital skills and tools
2. Ethical AI and emerging technologies: strengthening AI governance and data protection to safeguard human rights and cultural diversity
3. Sustainability and green tech: integrating environmental sustainability into digital transformation strategies
4. Multistakeholder collaboration: retaining WSIS’s role as an inclusive platform that brings together governments, civil society, and industry to co-create solutions.

Moving forward, the actions of WSIS will be underscored through principles of equality, human rights, and sustainable development, allowing the world’s digital future to take a more inclusive stance.

With the UN General Assembly WSIS+20 review approaching this December, WSIS now looks ahead to a future of implementation, monitoring, and ensuring that regional realities have a role in shaping global digital diplomacy. 

For more information about WSIS+20, please click here.