The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
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>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Welcome to the last session, the closing session of the IGF.
I'll wait until we see the first speaker on the screen.
Mr. Vint Cerf, the Chair of the Leadership Panel will be the first speaker. Thank you very much. So I would like to introduce Mr. Vint Cerf, the Chair of the IGF Leadership Panel who is going to be our first speaker for the closing section.
>> VINT CERF: Thank you, Chengetai and thank you Saudi Arabia for an extraordinary hosting of this 19th Internet Governance Forum.
I'm hearing a little bit of audio showing up unexpectedly. Based on the discussions among the Leadership Panel, the MAG, and in the IGF 2024 sessions, I conclude that our objective in the WSIS+20 should be permanent status for the IGF within the UN DESA structure. I would also include that the main budget for funding be part of the normal UN practice that the secretariate supported at the $3 million level. NRIs and IGF must have concrete outputs from the annual and intersessional meetings. We must earn this enhanced status.
UNESCO has proposed a revised set of Internet universality indicators, and these measures might be taken through the NRIs and summarized and reported at the annual IGF. We should look for other metrics of Internet utility across countries and user groups.
The Internet We Want document should be revised to include concrete metrics and milestones for Internet utility. It's intended to be a living document adapting to new applications and needs as the Internet and its applications continue to evolve. We can include in this work metrics for assessing implementations of the Global Digital Compact highlighting successes and opportunities for improvement.
We should consider preparing another living document which we might title The IGF We Need to summarize recommendations for changes and improvements in IGF and NRI execution.
Annual review of such a document would be beneficial for informing the figure and NRI organizers of actions that could be taken to facilitate useful outputs from our efforts. We must prepare quickly for IGF 2025 as it takes place in June in Oslo. It should get serious attention in the run up and during IGF 2025. WSIS+20 is a major opportunity to examine IGF's purpose and practices that have evolved over the 20 years since 2006. The collective experience of the participants in IGF and the NRIs is deep and broad and needs to be distilled in forms that others can use for action.
Finally, we should not imagine that IGFs can solve all problems. We may be able to identify and characterize them and even make recommendations for solutions, but we should work to deliver these observations to other institutions in the global ecosystem that have capacity and authority to address the problems and the opportunities we have identified.
Thank you so much Chengetai for the opportunity to intervene. Now, back to you.
(Applause).
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much, Vint. Our next speaker is Ms. Mieke Van Heesewijk, Deputy Director of SIDN funds. Please come to the stage. All right. We will go to the next speaker then. Dr. Angela Sulemana, medical doctor, from the Tamale teaching hospital in Ghana.
Okay. This is interesting. Then I would like to call on Mr. Olaf Kolkman, Principal Internet Technology Policy and Advocacy Director at ISOC.
>> OLAF KOLKMAN: Thank you. Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, my name is Olaf Kolkman. I'm principal at the Internet Society. I have been contributing to the development of the Internet for 2.5 decades.
This IGF takes place during a very particular moment. The ink on the Global Digital Compact is has not dried yet. The pencils are being sharpened for the review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit of the Internet Society.
As you all know, the IGF is the forum that allows relevant voices to share ideas, shape norms, iron out solutions, address concerns, and take approaches that benefit people no matter where they are and who they are. We are happy to see that the Global Digital Compact recognizes the IGF as the primary multistakeholder platform for discussion of Internet Governance issues.
However, the IGF is not the only thing that WSIS has established. WSIS in addition to defining a set of concrete action lines acknowledges that multi‑stakeholderism, a way of collaborative governance leads to positive and concrete actions.
I actually think of this as a fly wheel. Good ideas and approaches are tested at a local level, shared at National and Regional IGFs, and lead to inspirations and maybe even informal consensus at the global IGF.
Then these global views percolate downwards to the local level where people apply them locally while thinking globally. The National Regional IGFs are the cogs of the fly wheel. They allow good ideas to bubble up from national to regional to global level, and they enable us to act local while thinking global.
We have to remember that multi‑stakeholderism is more than just talking. It's about taking responsibility, fulfilling those action lines and I know that within the technical community, there are many organisations that work passionately towards connecting people to the Internet either by funding or sharing their knowledge or built capacity in other ways.
At the Internet Society we have empowered communities to get online and grow their digital literacy so they maintain agency in the digital world. Since 2019 we have invested in projects over 120 countries that are delivering on the WSIS action lines. We and other technical community organisations help technical and academic communities to organize themselves and build capacity and skills and have agency.
In addition, we built new networks that are so much needed to get stuff done. While connecting to the Internet, these communities work within their local Governments at municipal level, maybe they need right‑of‑way if they build a mast, and regional and national level often with regulators to achieve their goals.
And we have seen this model produce results with people now being connected in the highest peaks from the Himalaya to connecting the most underserved students to their schools in Jacksonville, Florida. The model works from the Canadian arctic to the Colombian jungle this, my friends, that's multi‑stakeholderism in action.
Various stakeholder groups getting things done. Each within their own role, with their own agency, but in collaboration and in coordination. It's a model that works. And, therefore, the Internet Society continues to financially and practically support the IGF at all levels.
In 2024 alone we have supported 67 IGFs, schools of Internet Governance, and supported youth participation. All of that with over a half million dollars U.S. currency. Simply because we believe this model to be effective. We put our money where our mouth is. But back to this moment, this peculiar moment after the Global Digital Compact and the WSIS review ahead.
Remember the WSIS review is a review, and we collectively should review which additional actions are needed to address the WSIS action lines and achieve the GDC objectives. We must assess how and where we can evolve the existing processes to make them better and understand where we can apply self‑learning to create tangible benefits for all.
And in order to self‑learn, we, all stakeholders need to be part of the self‑assessment itself. So that we collectively grow our approach to Internet Governance and digital cooperation. And that's why, and this is when my screen doesn't scroll, but that's why we call on those that will co‑facilitate the WSIS process to make the review inclusive and to not mistake multilateralism with multistakeholderism. The Internet is for everyone and everyone must have a voice in shaping its future. Thank you very much.
(Applause).
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Next, I would like to call on Dr. Angela Sulemana from the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
>> ANGELA SULEMANA: Esteemed delegates, distinguished guests. My name is Dr. Angela Sulemana at the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the northern region of Ghana currently working in the Department of surgery and I'm part of Ghana. I stand before you today at the closing ceremony of the 19th IGF hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh.
I am filled with profound sense of gratitude and emotion and it's an honour to address you all as members of the prestigious cadre. You are probably wondering what a medical doctor is doing here. I get that a lot.
Let me tell you what this means to me. This forum and its Secretariat enabled me for the first time I left my homeland, Ghana, to be in Addis Ababa for the Africa IGF. What a privilege! And now thinking about my life in Ghana, my hospital, my region, one experience, a 15‑year‑old patient of mine after mono reviewed asked Dr. Angela could you help me do a TikTok trend with you, could you do this latest trend with me. I smiled because this scan wasn't even ready for the elected surgery. I thought to myself, I said, but at least social media at this point is mentally helping her in terms of joy and satisfaction though she had an upcoming surgery, but she had this solace in social media and she was confident.
Maybe if we had AI algorithms that could analyze MRI and CT scans this could have accelerated the process, but reality for some people, it's a bit tricky here. But I've come to understand that in building our multistakeholder digital future, we cannot leave the health sector and health professionals out of this conversation, and I'm proud to be part of this forum.
I stand here before you just not as a delegate from the youth cohort, but as a voice representing the hopes, the aspirations, and the concerns of young people around the world. Over the past few days, we have engaged in meaningful dialogue and shared valuable insights on the pressing issues of our digital landscape. And we have explored topics ranging from AI to human rights and accessibility.
Digital is impacting our lives in all forms, however, as we reflect on our conversations, we must acknowledge the challenges that persist. Many young people still face barriers to accessing Internet including lack of infrastructures, affordability, digital literacy. This data is not merely statistics. It represents real lives and missed opportunities.
It is imperative that we work together to ensure that the youth have the chance to participate fully in the increasing digital world. As youth delegates we are not just passive observers, no. We are active participants in shaping the youth and the future of the Internet.
As we close the 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum together with my young colleagues and friends, I spend wonderful five days with and I want to stay, say a big thank you to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Nations, and it's IGF Secretariat organizers, speakers, donors, sponsors and all participants who cooperated and your support. I the say as a medical doctor my work is to save lives.
The Internet is a life changing and life saving tool. And the IGF is the operating room where our experts join hands to save our collective future. Thank you, thank you sell lean, thank you Fifi my mentor for their grit opportunity into this year's Internet Governance Forum and I believe more medical professionals will continue to get an opportunity to deliver and enjoy the Internet we want in 2025.
Happy new year. Thank you very much.
(Applause).
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Next I have the honour to call upon Dr. Latifa Al Abdulkarim, medical of the Shura Council, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who worked tirelessly for our parliamentary track. Thank you very much.
>> LATIFA AL ABDULKARIM: Excellencies, esteemed parliamentarians, distinguished multistakeholders, participants both in person and online, ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much. Thank you for your presence here, your insightful questions and your contributions to this important dialogue.
These collaborative efforts underscore our central role as digital citizens. We are all at the end digital citizens and protecting our humanity in this rapidly evolving digital world. This year has been significant for the IGF parliamentary track in specific with an increased number of parliamentarians actively participating and shaping the various sessions discussions.
As we are closing today, I see five actions that parliamentarians should take to shape and impact the digital future by 2025. These actions will definitely help in paving the way to govern the digital world responsibly, inclusively and sustainably. Number one, collaborate, collaborate, collaborate. Participate actively in ongoing global discussions about the governance of digital technologies with a human‑centred approach.
This is not just only about policy, but also about shaping the future of our digital world. Mark your calendars now. It is not only the global IGF in Norway in June 2025, but the IGF parliamentary track has also introduced good practices to where they have all invited you to other global events, the AI for Good Summit, the WSIS review meetings both in July 2025 and the UNESCO global forum on AI is going to be in June 2025. So we have a rich summer.
Nevertheless, don't wait to be invited. I highly recommend that the Interparliamentary Union together with the UN to compile a list of relevant global events and training programmes to ensure parliamentarians are actively involved in these conversations.
Number two, invest into the future. Build your roadmap to enhance digital capacity and competencies within your Parliament including capacity of the parliamentarians themselves or the Parliaments administration team and the institutions of the Parliament. This is not just about training funds. Don't wait for funds also. It's about leveraging free resources, promoting knowledge exchanges and creating a culture of continuous learning.
Number three, foster inclusivity. The digital world is not just for the tech community. There is always this misunderstanding. Invite parliamentarians from diverse Committees to think together in wide regional and subregional Parliaments to work together to close this connectivity gap.
Open your Parliament doors to stakeholders from Academia, from Private Sector entrepreneurships, youth and civil societies. Their perspectives are essential in drafting the legislative initiatives.
Number four, embrace flexibility, agility, harmonizations and interoperability. Those are the key principles for those innovative regulations for, to be important in our law making processes.
Explore opportunities for creating common regulatory frameworks, and interoperable legislations that work across national borders. We must work together to close the governance gap.
Action on AI is needed, not just AI Act. We must push for poll policies that encourage brain change rather than brain drain. At the same time, we must ensure that our policies protect children, safeguard the environment and ensure our safety as digital citizens. Access to data must be universal. With data sets available in all languages to promote equity, this is a principle that we should actively advocate for.
Implementing anticipatory governance. To add to future shift in technology including emerging fields like quantum computing and neuro computing. To ensure that we are also prepared for the next frontier. Number five, oversight. This is our job. It's now our responsibility as parliamentarians to work in alignment with executive bodies to prevent any governance gap within AI and data or different sectors like what we have just heard from the medical field, ensuring that the digital ecosystem is governed in a way that reflects global consensus and shared values and translates the objectives, principles and commitments outlined in the Global Digital Compact into practical actions.
Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all those who were involved in organising this event. Of course, the UN IGF security team, Celene who works with us, together with Andy for coordinating the parliamentary track, the Ministry of Communication and IT and the Digital Government Authority. They were doing all of these hard efforts to make sure that everyone is here, welcomed and feel home and like making sure that everything is fully occupied for you.
And my final word I wish the Norwegian Parliament all the best in hosting the next IGF parliamentary track 2025 and looking forward for your gathering in just six months. Thank you so much, and Shukran.
(Applause).
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. The next speaker is Mr. Juan Fernandez, Senior Advisor Ministry of Communications of the Republic of Cuba.
>> JUAN FERNANDEZ: I'm going to speak in Spanish, so put your ... dear colleagues, I would like to start congratulating the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the City of Riyadh and to all of the support staff for their successful organisation of the 19th edition of the IGF 2024.
Since its inception that took place into 2006, this forum has been developed and is not only a yearly event, but it has transformed into a system that celebrates where national foras or digital foras take place in more than 50 countries and also with activities that take place during the whole year.
This together with its unique feature that the issues that are going to be discussed are decided through consultations on the ground makes that these NRIs and the IGF have become a platform that all of the stakeholders can carry on a dialogue concerning policies that are not only important for the Internet Governance but also to the digital world.
This WSIS which we will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year established in unequivocal way the link between information technologies and communication and development. In the first phase of this Summit, after tough discussions, the representatives of countries of developing countries manage to mention that the digital branch can be recognized as a new dimension of social activities that limit the access to knowledge and information.
This Summit allows this subject to come up of the technical sphere, and it will come in political subject of this interest and for the international community. Two decades later it has been demonstrated that the information technologies on communications in general on Internet in particular are essential tools for the development of the countries.
It has also been confirmed that this positive impact of the Internet is much, it has much less importance in the developing countries than in the developed countries. So we also are using unilateral measures that don't agree with the United Nations charter and these don't allow for the social development of the affected countries and undermine the welfare of its citizens.
It is compulsory to eliminate these obstacles and bridges that are generated when we talk about access to these technologies and we have to create the skills that they can contribute for the application of human rights several political, economic, cultural rights for everyone and the development and application of emerging technologies can be online with covenants made for sustainable development.
This is not enough to implement the 2030 Agenda. It needs the support of concrete actions, access to markets financing in fair conditions. Transfer of technology and cooperation north south. The implementations of the recently approved Global Digital Compact gave us an opportunity to advance in this direction and reinforce international cooperation, but we have to try to increase the processes of digital governance because if we don't increase them this will affect especially the developing countries.
Dear colleagues, this declaration or principles of the first phase of the WSIS establish a common vision of building Information Society centred on the human being and targeting the development.
Unfortunately, that novel purpose is still only an aspiration for a big part of humanity. So now we have to make that this common vision becomes a reality, a commission that was conceived 20 years ago. Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much, Juan Fernandez. Next, I have the honour to call from our next host country, Her Excellency Ms. Kjersti Tromsdal Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
>> KJERSTI TROMSDAL: Excellencies, members of Government, Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the end of the gathering of IGF 2024 here in Riyadh. I will join the voices in others in thanking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their heartfelt hospitality and for hosting this event so graciously in this magnificent venue. You have been a fantastic host.
This IGF has been a great meeting point for interaction between stakeholders in the global Internet community from all over the world. Together we have truly been building our multistakeholder digital future, the vision that has guided IGF 2024. On behalf of the Norwegian Government, I wish you all welcome to the next IGF in Norway in June 2025.
The forthcoming IGF marks the forum’s 20th anniversary and it will be an important step on the path to the WSIS+20 review and the way forward with the Global Digital Compact. On this note I can tell you that Oslo is a very popular city in the summertime, so we encourage you to book your hotel early. You can already now visit our host country website, IGF 2025.NO and make use of the hotel booking facilities there.
The Norwegian wishes to build on outcome from Riyadh. We believe in open Internet in inclusive dialogue where all stakeholders shape its future. We wish to use the opportunity in Norway to strengthen the dialogue and secure IGF's position as the primary global arena for deliberations of Internet Governance and digital development.
I shall not keep you any longer and I will finish off by showing you a short welcome video for IGF 2025. Before I do that, I will conclude by repeating what our state Secretariat said in his statement in Opening Session on Monday. Together we shall strengthen diversity and collaboration through inclusive multistakeholder digital governance which is crucial for a vibrant and sustainable digital ecosystem. Let's meet in Norway in June next year for IGF 2025 and shape this future together. Thank you.
(Applause).
(Applause).
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Our next speaker is a video from the Under Secretary‑General of Economic and Social Affairs UN DESA, that's the home institution of the IGF, Mr. Junhua Li.
>> JUNHUA LI: Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen. As we conclude the 19th meeting of the Internet Governance Forum, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you. Thank you for your dedication and collaboration in championing the principles of inclusive and accountable digital governance. On behalf of the United Nations, I extend my profound gratitude to our gracious host, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
By welcoming us to Riyadh, you have marked a historical moment as the IGF is hosted in the Gulf region for the first time. Your leadership and the commitment to fostering inclusivity, dialogue and multistakeholder collaboration exemplifies the core values of the IGF.
Throughout this week we explored the critical issues under the theme Building Our Multistakeholder Digital Future. We tackled the challenges and opportunities of the digital age in over 300 sessions. The Riyadh IGF messages reflect the collective wisdom of this forum, distilling insights and recommendations will serve as a guiding light for our shared journey ahead.
As we approach the 20 year review of the World Summit on the Information Society, it is evident that the principles established in Geneva and Tunis are as essential today as they were two decades ago. Consider the foundational aspiration articulated in the WSIS Declaration of Principles: to build a people‑centered, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society. This aspiration remains at the heart of our collective efforts.
The ethical dimensions of the Information Society enshrined in the WSIS principles emphasize respect for peace, equality, solidarity, and the human dignity alongside shared responsibility, justice and protection of the fundamental rights.
These principles have never been more relevant. Whether confronting the challenges of artificial intelligence, safeguarding human dignity in an increasingly interconnected world, or ensuring the privacy and freedom of thought, these principles provide a steadfast ethical foundation.
They remind us to take the decisive actions against harmful uses of technology, including discrimination, violence and exploitation. Over the past 20 years, the IGF has evolved significantly embracing and upholding these principles. It has grown into a global platform that not only reflects the values of the WSIS, but it also adapts to the rapidly changing digital landscape.
Looking ahead, I'm confident that the IGF will continue to thrive as a global space where diverse voices converge to address the emerging challenges, and shape a just, inclusive and sustainable digital future. As we prepare for the next IGF annual meeting, let me express my thanks to our next host, the Government of Norway.
I urge you to remain engaged actively. The vibrancy and the impact of the IGF depends on your ideas, energy, and continued collaboration. Let us also ensure a successful outcome from the General Assembly's review of WSIS and the IGF's mandate building on the progress achieved here in Riyadh.
In closing, I thank you all for your contributions, your vision and your unwavering commitment. Let us carry forward the momentum from Riyadh as we continue to work together to realize a digital future that leaves no one behind.
I wish all of you safe travels and a joyful holiday season. To all stakeholders on site and online, thank you very much, I look forward to seeing you next year. Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. We will have a closing video from the host country.
(Applause).
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. Before we conclude, I just want to point out that the IGF Riyadh messages and all of the other outcome documents like from the parliamentary track, from our Dynamic Coalitions, and best practice documents are available now on the Web, and coming next week as well we will also be making sure that everything else is up on the Web.
I wish you safe travels and I wish you also a happy holiday. Thank you.