DENIC endorses the 5-point plan published by a cross-stakeholder group on the WSIS+20 modalities and the follow-up with eight practical recommendations.
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which took place in two phases in Geneva and Tunis in 2003 and 2005. This year, for the second time since 2005, the implementation of the outcomes of WSIS will be reviewed - including the mandate of the IGF and the multi-stakeholder approach. Particularly in the case of the latter, the efforts of the various stakeholders differ greatly in some cases, with some stakeholders wanting to strengthen the multi-stakeholder model, while others favour a multilateral approach.
Following the recent example around the Global Digital Compact negotiations last year, which were heavily criticised for their non-transparent process and lack of participation opportunities for non-governmental actors, some stakeholders now fear that the WSIS+20 review process could follow suit. The modalities therefore have a crucial role to play. Although the resolution on the modalities of the review process adopted by the United Nations in March differs only slightly from the modalities of the WSIS+10 process, the geopolitical environment has changed. To ensure transparency, inclusivity and meaningful stakeholder participation during the process, a cross-stakeholder group of actors presented a five-point plan with recommendations for operationalising the modalities of the process in an open letter back in March.
In response to the publication of an indicative roadmap for the WSIS+20 review process by the co-facilitators - Kenya and Albania - on 20 May, the cross-stakeholder group has now further published a follow-up with eight practical recommendations. Among other things, it calls for participation opportunities for the various stakeholder groups in the intergovernmental negotiations and at the High Level Meeting. The follow-up also recommends the publication of synthesis reports explaining, among other things, the extent to which stakeholder contributions have been taken into account. Overall, the recommendations are closely modelled on the Sao Paulo Multistakeholder Guidelines, which were adopted last year at NetMundial+10 and serve as a kind of blueprint for processes with successful multistakeholder participation.
DENIC does not only endorse these measures, but we also work closely with other players in the technical community. As part of the ‘A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism’, DENIC is currently working in task forces on positions for the further course of the WSIS+20 review process.
In the next step of the WSIS+20 review process, the first stakeholder consultations are scheduled for 9 and 10 June, in which DENIC will again participate via the TCCM.
