Debora Comparin, SIDI Hub Co Founder has joined the panel discussion on Thursday 10th July 2025 from 9.00 to 9.45 CET in Geneva and Online.
As the global community reflects on two decades since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), Africa stands at a pivotal juncture. The WSIS+20 review offers not just a moment for assessment but a strategic opportunity to redefine the continent’s ICT development priorities in the digital era. Despite commendable progress in digital infrastructure, innovation, and policy, Africa continues to face challenges with connectivity, inclusion, affordability, trust and innovation. Addressing these challenges and harnessing the full potential of ICTs requires broad-based multi-stakeholder collaboration across government, civil society, the private sector, technical communities, and academia.
This session seeks to evaluate Africa’s progress in ICT development since the inception of the WSIS process, while identifying both the persistent and emerging challenges shaping the continent’s digital landscape. A critical focus will be the national adaptation of WSIS outcomes into local ICT policies and strategies. It will emphasize the importance of institutionalizing an annual national review and reporting mechanism to assess the level of adoption and implementation. Such regular evaluations will help monitor progress, identify policy gaps, ensure implementation, and promote accountability and shared learning across the region. The session also aims to foster inclusive dialogue among diverse stakeholders to redefine Africa’s ICT priorities beyond 2025, ensuring they remain responsive to both global digital transformations and the continent’s specific development needs.
Additionally, it will explore practical frameworks to enhance multi-stakeholder participation in digital policy-making and implementation. Central to this effort is the alignment of Africa’s digital transformation agenda with broader global and continental frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and regional ICT integration strategies.
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