IGF 2024 Day 0 Event #61 Accelerating progress for unified digital cooperation

    International Chamber of Commerce
    Ms Timea Suto, Global Digital Policy Lead, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Private Sector, Eastern European Group
    Ms Whitney Jolivet, Executive Assistant, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Private Sector, African Group
    Ms Nan Schechter, Program and Policy Associate, United States Council for International Business (USCIB), Western European and Others Group

    Speakers

    Ms Maria Fernanda Garza, ICC Chair, IGF Leadership Panel Member, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean

    The session will be chaired by ICC Chair and IGF Leadership Panel member Ms Maria Fernanda Garza, and will feature a balanced panel of experts from across sectors and geographies.

    Onsite Moderator

    Ms Timea Suto, Global Digital Policy Lead, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Private Sector, Eastern European Group

    Online Moderator

    Ms Whitney Jolivet, Executive Assistant, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Private Sector, African Group

    Rapporteur

    Ms Nan Schechter, Program and Policy Associates, United States Council for International Business (USCIB), Western European and Others Group

    SDGs

    4. Quality Education
    5. Gender Equality
    8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
    9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    10. Reduced Inequalities
    17. Partnerships for the Goals


    Targets: Digital technologies, can be a formidable engine of innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable economic growth, as well as a powerful catalyst to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This roundtable will aim to bring government and industry representatives together to discuss mutual priorities on advancing sustainable development through partnerships, as described in Goal 17 of the SDGs.

    Format

    Roundtable

    A Round Table format is best-placed for the type of cross-sector, collaborative session that we envisage. It will be optimal for establishing an atmosphere that ensures both participants and panellists can engage in fruitful discussion, and that they can do so on equal footing through a seating arrangement conducive to multi-person dialogue. To allow time for in-depth discussion and a Q&A section, 90 minutes is the most suitable timeframe for the session.

    Description

    In our increasingly interconnected world, digitalisation has become the cornerstone of economic growth and societal progress. New technologies and innovative business models are reshaping industries, transcending borders, and transforming economies. As we stand at this pivotal juncture, it is crucial to assess the state of global digital policy and chart a course that fosters sustainable and inclusive development.

    This roundtable brings together government representatives and industry leaders, to deliberate on critical issues at the intersection of technology, policy, and governance. We will draw insights from key global forums, including the G7, G20, the Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact, WSIS+20, NETmundial+10, and potentially other regional policy fora. Our goal is to synthesize policy discussions and recommendations from these diverse platforms, identifying common ground and areas for collaboration.

    We will discuss key issues of business priority, including:

    1. AI: AI is reshaping industries, enhancing productivity, and revolutionizing decision-making. We will explore responsible AI deployment, ethical considerations, and the need for international cooperation in AI governance.
    2. Data Governance: Data flows underpin the digital economy. We'll delve into data privacy, cross-border data transfers, and mechanisms for harmonizing data regulations across jurisdictions.
    3. Digital governance mechanisms: Take stock of policy discussions and recommendations from NETmundial+10, the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, and share considerations ahead of the WSIS+20 review process.

    By fostering dialogue, sharing best practices, and forging partnerships, we aim to advance a cohesive global digital policy framework—one that balances innovation, security, and inclusivity. The aim of this session is also to incentivise increased participation in the IGF by businesses and governments – traditionally the most underrepresented stakeholder groups in IGF sessions. A moderated, interactive panel discussion will consider the core policy areas noted above, based on the below draft session structure
    • Introduction by Session Chair presenting the vision for partnerships and collaboration enabling globally interoperable policy solutions;
    • For each topic (data, AI,) a government and a business speaker will be invited to set the scene for discussion by other roundtable participants facilitated by the speaker moderator;
    • Interventions from the audience both online and offline will be facilitated by the floor moderator, with priority given to representatives of civil society, academia and the technical community;
    • The speaker moderator will then take stock of the discussion before moving to the next topic;
    At the end of the session, all roundtable participants will be given the opportunity to share concluding reflections before the speaker moderator takes stock of the session.

    The list below provides examples of the ways discussion will be facilitated amongst speakers and with audience members (both online and in-person participants) and ensure the session format is used to its optimum:

    Seating in-person participants: Participants will sit in a round-table format (room permitting), with scene-setter speakers seated randomly between them, so that this provides an inclusive setting for the roundtable discussions. Audience members will be given assigned seats based on their stakeholder group. The virtual room will be projected on a screen facing the the group, but in-person participants will be encouraged to also connect to the session online so that they are aware in real-time of the chat discussions and can see online speakers and participants. This will facilitate discussion by creating an enabling and comfortable atmosphere where all speakers and participants are given an equal footing in the discussion.

    Set-up online participants: Online participants and speakers will connect to the session plenary room, during roundtable discussions, online participants will be able to ask for the floor or note their thoughts or questions in writing, which will be weaved into the discussion by the online moderator.

    Preparation: A preparation call will be organised for the supporting staff, moderators and co-organisers in advance of the session so that everyone has a chance to meet, share views and prepare for the session. Given the varied background of participants and audience members, organisers will advertise the session and introduce questions to animate discussion on social media in the run-up to the session. This will introduce the subject, encourage conversation and create links to other dialogues on the topic taking place in other forums to create awareness and help prepare in-person and remote participants for the session. Social media will also be used to generate wider discussion and create momentum for online participation as the session is unfolding.
    Co-organizers will ensure that the session is promoted in advance to the wider community to give remote participants the opportunity to prepare questions and interventions in advance and to generate interest in the session. Organizers will also explore the possibility of connecting with remote hubs around the globe and organize remote interventions from participants in those hubs.

    Moderators: The speaker moderator is an expert well-informed on the topic and experienced in animating multistakeholder discussions. The online moderator has experience moderating online discussions, both at the IGF and other events and will play an important role, especially in conveying interventions expressed in writing by online participants.

    Reporting: Following the discussion, participants will be encouraged to share their key takeaways from the session through online tools and social media. This will help ensure diverse perspectives raised during the discussion are included in the reporting.