Welcome to the United Nations
Background
The first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was held in two phases: in Geneva in 2003 and in Tunis in 2005. World leaders came together and declared a “common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society”, a first-ever, clear statement of political will toward the establishment of an Information Society beneficial for all and the harnessing of information communication technologies (ICTs) to support development objectives. Through its resulting Geneva Plan of Action and Tunis Agenda, WSIS laid the groundwork for reaching agreement in the fields of Internet governance and ICT financing mechanisms, as well as on implementation measures in the form of targets and eleven Action Lines.
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is one of the major outcomes of WSIS, as mandated in the Tunis Agenda during WSIS’s second phase. Operative paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda sets forth the mandate for IGF.
The General Assembly adopted the modalities resolution 68/302 in August 2014, deciding that the overall review would be concluded by a two-day high-level meeting of the General Assembly in December 2015.
The President of General Assembly appointed two co-facilitators for the overall review, namely the Permanent Representatives of Latvia and the United Arab Emirates on 1 June 2015.
Over a six-month long process, DESA supported the GA in its review of the progress of WSIS over the past ten years and considered its future beyond 2015. This process, also called WSIS+10 Review, culminated in a High-Level Event on 15-16 December at the UN Headquarters in New York.
Resolution 70/125 was adopted by the General Assembly as an outcome document of WSIS+10. The same resolution also calls for General Assembly to hold a high-level meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society in 2025 (hereinafter referred as “WSIS+20”), involving the input and participation of all stakeholders, including in the preparatory process, to take stock of progress on the outcomes of the World Summit and identify both areas of continued focus and challenges. It also recommends that the outcome of the high-level meeting be considered as an input into the review process for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Initiatives
Multistakeholder
The General Assembly will hold a high-level meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society in 2025, involving the input and participation of all stakeholders, including in the preparatory process, to take stock of progress on the outcomes of the World Summit and identify both areas of continued focus and challenges.
Preparatory Process
The WSIS +20 Preparatory Process involves collaboration among governments, international organizations, private sector entities, and civil society to review progress since the original WSIS. It aims to assess ICT advancements, address emerging challenges, and set future digital transformation agendas. Through consultations and reports, the process fosters a shared vision and updated strategies for global digital inclusion and sustainable development.
General Assembly High-Level Meeting
The General Assembly High-Level Meeting on WSIS +20 gathers global leaders to review ICT progress since WSIS, address new challenges, and shape future digital strategies. It aims to reaffirm commitments, promote digital inclusion, and align with sustainable development goals through high-level discussions.