ICANN Forum Insights: WSIS+20 Review and the Future of Internet GovernanceJoe CatapanoElizabeth Oluoch

More than 100 stakeholders convened in Washington, DC, and online for a half-day forum focused on the WSIS+20 review process and the future of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The timing could not have been better - in the latter half of 2025, governments at the United Nations (U.N.) will review the progress made on the implementation of the WSIS outcomes (WSIS+20) and decide whether to continue with the multistakeholder collaborative framework for another ten years. Additionally, the U.N. will decide whether the mandate for the U.N.'s main multistakeholder platform (the IGF) should be renewed. The event brought participants from a wide range of stakeholder groups, including government, academia, business, and the technical community to discuss recent developments at the U.N. and the path ahead for WSIS and the IGF.

The event featured a fireside chat with Ambassador Steve Lang, U.S. Coordinator for International Communications, and Information Policy at the U.S. Department of State, who shared insights on the evolving Internet governance landscape. He was joined by Veni Markovski, ICANN's Vice President, Government Engagement - United Nations New York, and Interim Head of Government and Intergovernmental Organization Engagement, to discuss the roles stakeholders play in these processes. The conversation highlighted the progress of the Global Digital Compact (GDC), noting that Internet governance and the importance of maintaining a multistakeholder approach were initially missing from the draft but were later included and preserved in the final version of the Compact.

Two panel discussions followed, each focusing on different stakeholder perspectives and engagement. The first panel reflected perspectives from the business community and the second from the viewpoints of other stakeholder groups.

Main takeaways from the event.

• Recognition that the challenges of stakeholder participation in the GDC process present valuable lessons for the WSIS+20 review process. Stakeholder involvement and input in the WSIS+20 review is important and increases the likelihood that the Outcome Documents support and align with their interests.
• Support for the IGF was a common theme that resonated throughout the event. The IGF's open and inclusive platform was seen as both its strength and one of its defining features. Furthermore, the IGF fosters multistakeholder dialogue, considering the voices of all participants.
• Marketing the IGF to the business community is important to attract their participation. Demonstrating the value proposition or business case for the participation of the business community in the IGF is another key consideration.
• Building on two decades of accomplishments, the IGF has the potential to do much more; however, the IGF requires sustainable funding to take up the suggestions and ideas by the IGF multistakeholder community to strengthen it and attract more stakeholder groups.
• Youth perspectives are important in the IGF, and their participation should continue to be encouraged.

The forum was part of the WSIS+20 Outreach Network, which was launched earlier this year to encourage ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders. The event is one of the initial offerings from ICANN's Washington, DC, Engagement Center, aimed at fostering greater engagement and understanding of Internet governance issues.

For those who missed the live event, a recording is available here.