High-level Meeting on the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit Information Society (WSIS+20)

Smartphone. Laptop. Smartwatch.

I guess every morning we are kind of feeling the same, if you cannot find your smartphone, we are panicking. 

Because for almost every one of us, from email to virtual meetings—without these technological elements, we are almost incapable of working. 

In fact, some of us are so connected we have to remind ourselves to put our devices down on occasion.

In today’s world, connectivity is not just essential in big cities at work in our daily office, it is also a lifeline for those in the most remote places. 

Imagine a midwife in a village, hours from the nearest hospital, who can in these times consult a specialist through telemedicine and save a newborn who would otherwise not survive the long journey.

Or imagine a young woman with an idea for a business, but without an online identity, digital financial services, or even the basic connectivity needed to apply for a loan. 

With internet access, that idea becomes a livelihood—not only for her, but for her community.

And we all saw during COVID-19 that online education did more than keep children occupied—it saved the future of an entire generation. 

Yet those without connectivity were cut off from school entirely, widening learning gaps that many may never recover from.

I don’t need to tell this room full of experts and digital ministers why access to the internet is important. 

We agreed on this vision twenty years ago at the World Summit on the Information Society. 

And we reaffirmed it through the 20-year review process, including during the negotiations expertly guided by His Excellency Mr. Ekitela Lokaale, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, and Her Excellency Ms. Suela Janina, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania. 

I extend my sincere appreciation for their leadership and stewardship throughout this important and challenging process.

But what we must acknowledge today, two decades later, is that our shared vision of a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information society remains unfinished—and in some areas, increasingly at risk.

As we take stock of the WSIS agenda and its 11 action lines today, allow me to highlight three priority areas for action identified through this months-long process.

First, the digital divide remains a digital canyon for too many. 

Undoubtedly, we have made progress over the past two decades.

But deep inequalities remain.

While global internet access stands at 67 percent, in developing countries it is just 35 percent.

This gap is not only morally unacceptable, it also poses practical barriers to lifting societies out of poverty, expanding opportunity, improving health outcomes, and unlocking humanity’s full potential.

Second, the digital gender divide continues to deny women and girls equal access to opportunity.

Globally, men are still 21 percent more likely to have internet access than women.

On the other hand, closing this gap is not only a question of fairness. It is plain economic sense. 

It is estimated that closing the gender digital divide could add over 100 trillion US dollars to the global economy by 2050—more than the combined GDP of the United States and China today.

When women are online, societies grow stronger, more prosperous, and more resilient.

Third, access alone is not enough. We must ensure responsible governance of emerging technologies.

Artificial intelligence has immense potential to accelerate development gains, and these should be pursued.

But in our haste to make use of new technologies, we cannot ignore the red flags or risks—particularly when innovation outpaces regulation, oversight, and ethical safeguards—and as a result, amplifies gender bias online in an incredible dimension.

As many as 96 percent, so almost all, of deepfake videos online are of women engaging in sexual acts. 96 percent. 

So this is no coincidence, it is systematic. 

Without inclusive governance frameworks that keep the pace of technological advancements, such harms will only intensify.

We must therefore harness AI’s potential, minimise its risks, and equalise its reach.

Two decades after the World Summit on the Information Society, our work is far from finished. 

Delivering meaningful, safe, and inclusive connectivity for all remains a defining challenge of our time.

As we conclude the 20-year WSIS review process, we also open a new chapter of cooperation. 

This process has recognized that governments alone cannot deliver the digital future we need.

Instead, we have seen how partnership with the private sector and a strong civil society has created a truly participatory process, more than we have seen before. Making our work, making our outcomes better. 

This approach has strengthened trust, broadened ownership, and delivered an outcome that is both inclusive and transparent.

And I encourage Member States to apply this model across other UN processes and high-level meetings—to build a United Nations that is fit for purpose and fit for the realities of the digital age.

I thank you. 

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