WSIS & GDC

Key facts

Openness

The original WSIS, held in two Summits in 2003 (Geneva) and 2005 (Tunis), laid out a vision for a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society.
The Geneva Plan of Action sets out Action Lines (activities) to achieve this vision.
The Tunis Agenda, establishes mechanisms for the follow-up and implementation of the Summit outcomes, including the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
WSIS+20 marks the 20-year review of the WSIS. It assesses the progress of the WSIS outcomes, including governance mechanisms, like the IGF, and whether the Action Lines have helped deliver development.
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is overseeing the review, with key contributions from the ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, UNCTAD, and CSTD.

Openness

The GDC is a UN-negotiated framework adopted in September 2024 as part of the Pact for the Future, outlining shared principles and commitments for an open, safe, and secure digital future.
The GDC emerged from the UN Secretary General’s report, Our Common Agenda, which called for improved digital cooperation in a range of digital policy areas.
It was developed through intergovernmental negotiations and global consultations and is built around five key areas: closing digital divides; expanding inclusive digital economies; ensuring an open, safe and rights-respecting digital space; advancing data governance; and governing AI for humanity.
It mandates the creation of new digital cooperation mechanisms, including an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and a Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, and a CSTD Working Group on Data Governance.

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[TBD] 82nd session; High Level Review of the GDC

New York, UNITED STATES

01 - 01 Sep 2027