Session
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The session is gathering experts from the region who will be providing strategic insights to promote digital cooperation in the Arab region.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) in collaboration with the League of Arab States (LAS) are organizing the Open Forum on Digital Cooperation in the Arab Region, in a hybrid mode in the context of the global IGF2024, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Relevant stakeholders and groups from the digital development community are gathering to discuss the Arab region perspectives on the recent developments at global level, with regard to digital cooperation processes, including the GDC and the WSIS+20 review processes and their implications on the region.
In this context, the Arab Digital Agenda (ADA) will be discussed as a strategic framework of action for the period 2023-2033 for Arab countries to coordinate their actions in order to maximize the benefits of digital transformation, digital development and digital cooperation towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Arab region. This would also enable the Arab region to achieve the position it deserves at the global level and to have an active and influential role in international decision-making forums related to digital development and digital cooperation.
In addition, the Open Forum should discuss selected key messages that would be a main input to the second edition of the Arab International Digital Cooperation and Development Forum (DCDF) in 2025, and as such will be considered as a pre-event to DCDF2.0.
United Nations-Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA)
● Mr. Khaled Wally, Director of the Communications and Information Technology Development Department, League of Arab States (Regional Organization) ● Mr. Hazem Hezzah, IT program coordinator for ICT development, Information Technology Development Department, League of Arab States (Regional Organization) ● Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, Chief of ICT Policies, UNESCWA (International organization) ● Ms. Mirna El Hajj Barbar, Programme Management Officer, UNESCWA (International organization) ● Ms. Rita Wehbe, Economic Affairs Assistant, UNESCWA (International organization)
● Mr. Khaled Wally, Director of the Communications and Information Technology Development Department, League of Arab States (Regional Organization) (TBC)
● Mr. Charles Sha'ban, Arab Multistakeholders Programme Advisory Committee (AMPAC), Arab IGF (TBC)
● Mr. Qusai AlShatti, International Expert on Internet Governance, Former Chair of the Inaugural Arab IGF 2012 and Strategic Partner to Arab IGF 2020, Kuwait (TBC)
● Ms. Christine Arida, Strategic Advisor to the Executive President, National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Egypt (TBC)
● Mr. Chafic Chaya, RIPE NCC, Regional Manager - Public Policy and Government Affairs, UAE (TBC)
● Ms. Nermine El Saadany, Regional Vice-President-Middle East, Internet Society (TBC)
● Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, Chief of ICT Policies, UNESCWA ● Ms. Mirna El Hajj Barbar, Programme Management Officer, UNESCWA
● Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, Chief of ICT Policies, UNESCWA ● Ms. Mirna El Hajj Barbar, Programme Management Officer, UNESCWA
● Ms. Rita Wehbe, Economic Affairs Assistant, UNESCWA
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
9.c
17. Partnerships for the Goals
17.6
Targets: 9.c- Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020 17.6- Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
Report
The Arab region has accompanied the long and successful journey of the three complementary processes, the WSIS, IGF and GDC through the Arab WSIS and 2030 Agenda, the Arab IGF and the Arab International Digital Cooperation and Development Forum (DCDF), and lately and most importantly with the Arab Digital Agenda for 2023-2033 which have all followed the multistakeholder model.
GDC process itself emphasizes the importance of multi-stakeholderism as a modality to discuss all issues to achieve its objectives. In this context, it is very important to leverage the IGF for GDC & use its process as a vehicle to implement GDC priorities in areas like AI governance & digital inclusion. Also, there are much synergies&similarities between the GDC objectives&the WSIS action lines; complementarity between processes is needed
The strengthened role of the UN has been recognized, both as the custodian of multilateralism, through its respective role in being the custodian of WSIS &GDC &the custodian of multi-stakeholderism through involving not only the government, but also, the business sector, civil society, technical community, academia &the internet organizations at equal distance with all the stakeholders, and acted as the enabler&facilitator for them
Leverage ADA’s alignment with WSIS pillars, robust implementation framework, and expanded focus on emerging technologies and issues to address regional challenges and drive ambitious digital transformation • The IGF as a platform for developing actionable policy recommendations for global and regional digital issues.
Amplify regional influence, through strengthening the Arab region's voice in global digital dialogues by aligning initiatives like the Arab IGF with international platforms & fostering impactful policy contributions. Advance multi-stakeholder collaboration for the implementation of the ADA in an effective way and promote partnerships that drive inclusive and sustainable digital development.
- Takeaways: The Arab region has accompanied the long and successful journey of the three complementary processes, the WSIS, IGF and GDC through the Arab WSIS and 2030 Agenda, the Arab IGF and the Arab International Digital Cooperation and Development Forum (DCDF), and lately and most importantly with the Arab Digital Agenda for 2023-2033 which have all followed the multistakeholder model.
- The process of the GDC itself emphasizes the importance of multi-stakeholderism as a modality to discuss all issues to achieve its objectives. In this context, it is very important to leverage the IGF for GDC and use its process as a vehicle to implement GDC priorities in areas like AI governance and digital inclusion. Also , there are very much synergies and similarities between the GDC objectives and the WSIS action lines; therefore complementarity between processes is needed.
- The strengthened role of the UN has been recognized, both as the custodian of multilateralism, through its respective role in being the custodian of WSIS and GDC and the custodian of multi-stakeholderism through involving not only the government, but also, the business sector, civil society, technical community and academia and the internet organizations at equal distance with all the stakeholders, and acted as the enabler and facilitator for them.
- Regional initiatives highlight the importance of partnerships to implement the GDC effectively.
- Actionable policies should be developed to integrate GDC objectives into regional initiatives and strategies, emphasizing inclusivity, strong governance, and robust infrastructure.
Call to actions
- Leverage ADA’s alignment with WSIS pillars, robust implementation framework, and expanded focus on emerging technologies and issues to address regional challenges and drive ambitious digital transformation
- The IGF as a platform for developing actionable policy recommendations for global and regional digital issues.
- Amplify regional influence, through strengthening the Arab region's voice in global digital dialogues by aligning initiatives like the Arab IGF with international platforms & fostering impactful policy contributions.
- Advance multi-stakeholder collaboration for the implementation of the ADA in an effective way and promote partnerships that drive inclusive and sustainable digital development.
- A recommendation was made to assess the multistakeholder nature of our processes and strengthen this aspect moving forward. In this regard, it has been acknowledged that collaboration with youth and parliamentarians is beginning to take shape through new activities.
- Finally, there was a recommendation to localizing IGF in each and every country.