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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>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Good morning. I'm Sameem Gaffar. We have our colleagues with us. We have a panel of experts. We're happy to have you in the room today. We thank you very warmly. We would like to thank the organizers of the IGF and thanks to the technology. We don't aim for it to be just as theoretical discussion. It is about operationalizing, trust, resilience, and equity in digital space. It is about moving from policies to theory to practice. They have the discussions and how the DCO adds to that. We have with us our special envoy. I will be giving him the floor for opening remark speaker.
>> HASSAN NASSER: Thank you for the forum. This is the second participation to IGF. I know some of the participants here have a long experience here in the forum. This year was founded only four years ago. A unique governmental organisation for the inclusive and digital economy. With this, we are supporting 16 member states across Africa, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. This mandate is mainly focusing on this aspect of digital enablers, digital business, and digital society.
Last year during the IGF hosted in Riyadh, we had the first forum to explore the areas of digital cooperation. Because again we think this is the way forward to build the prosperity and ensure resilience of the economy. We are facing today a more fragmented world and this is, of course, the reason why this is established. Addressing those barriers and lever online the opportunities in terms of creation of jobs creating new opportunities and innovation.
For today, the discussion has mentioned we really want to look and explore new cooperations. That's why we've made sure we have with us partners from member states from other international organisation and other governments. There's a space for all stakeholders and the IGF is a good example of a multistakeholder progress when it comes to digital cooperation and building a more safe, open, and sustainable and inclusive digital future for all.
In this general assembly hosted in February by the government of Jordan, they adopted the four‑year agenda for the organisation. This four‑year agenda focuses on specific elements which have been designed to really cover and ensure joint efforts. When we look at multilateral system, we can see the main challenge in terms of fragmentation.
Fragmentation of agendas, mandate, resources, and in the we really want to address the issue of fragmentation by providing a common assessment and understand of what are the situation? What is the situation today when it comes to digital economy? That's why the summit of the future hosted in the UN headquarter in New York, September 24 launched the digital economy navigator. It has been designed as a joint solution shared with all stakeholders to understand what are the priorities today.
What is the situation today when comes to digital economy? Looking at the different aspects from digital enablers, society, and business. The digital economy navigator today covers not only the 16 member states; it covers the total of 50 countries around the world. We have shared the findings, the data of the navigator, and we are currently working on a new addition of the navigator.
To work on the second addition of the navigator, we will, of course, engage with all stakeholders to get their feedback, their input, and also to see how to activate and implement the findings coming from this tool.
Today, the discussion for us is really an opportunity to start this multistakeholder dialogue when it comes to understanding better the digital economy.
Whereas the digital economy navigator, we hope to identify the right priorities for the member states, for all stakeholders to then define where to invest and where to concentrate and coordinate efforts to build a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy. This cooperation will also help us to define and ensure resilience of the digital economy, which as we've seen over the last years, is a key issue and key challenge for developing countries and also for industry countries.
And so I'm really looking forward to the discussion today. We want this to be an open discussion. We want to hear from other partners, other stakeholders, and we really also invite you to connect beyond the session to make sure we can continue the dialogue during the IGF and beyond. We will be also attending the F54 next week in Sevina. We want to open for more inclusive future. Thank you very much. Back to you
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Let me turn to over to the doctor from Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the member states and very active member state and is championing a lot of digital transformation. We're happy to have him in the room to clarify and the priorities of the government of Nigeria, especially in light of the declaration was adopted in May of 2025, last month on the review for Africa.
Doctor, good morning. Very happy to have you. What would be the priority going forward? What is the first part of the discussion? What would be the priorities and how does the modern stakeholder approach support the priorities of the government in the economy?
>> SPEAKER: Thank you very much, moderator. I'm very happy to be amongst you today for this discussion. The priorities of Nigeria in the area of digital cooperation, as well as the WSIS cooperation. I think the economy is vastly gaining ground in all that we do. It is like, as you know, Nigeria is as ‑‑ had a monolithic economy that's very dependent on minimal resources. It has been eight months deviation from only depending on that.
We take the digital economy as a priority area now, because of the accessibility, because of its lack of critical investments. We are going to have the vast humor, humor resources as well as harness the youthful age that we have in the country. Our priorities are shifted today, so that we can diversify our economy. And I'm sure African countries and policies as well as framework strategies to ensure the top from the economy offering that are available to all of us. We're far from answering the question. The Nigeria government to make sure we start from the multistakeholder area that's proposed by the WSIS+ 20.
Coming from the African inclusive manor to hold the roles, we must have a means of working together from the strengths of others and then uplift the weaknesses that are amongst us. It is obvious there are various levels to the forefront of the digital technology.
For us to be able to live rich on the disability and carry on the leadership role, there needs to be the inclusivity. We can see how we can benefit from the DCO and all of the strategies that have been formulated a plan for. So we intend to do that. But in through the unified African position in such a way that whatever we can benefit from the NGO. The global compact as well which provides for some digital economy. We look forward to actually working with the DCO to make sure the economy and the position have been made and even the digital economy, you know, for the national level.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: How do they balance the rigidity of the standards?
>> SPEAKER: Allow me. There's the legal framework which is important. But other aspects are equally important that shape this conducive IP ecosystem. This includes, of course, the infrastructure more easy to protect and manage their IP. This is about making sure that everyone can benefit from the IP system and all of the elements and many, many more should be taken into account when creating the national IP ecosystem that fostering innovation, creativity, and allowing all entrepreneurs, including, of course, the digital ones to pride.
This system is, of course, built to provide the protection for the amazing innovators and creators, through the copyright and trademarks. It gives them access to all of the information pertained, for example, in the information system. They provide services to more easily and cost effectively protect their IP rights across borders.
Also, for example, the patent scope we provide them with free‑to‑use which includes, for example, the patent scope 122 million patent documents available for everyone to use. WIPO works with the member states on many different areas and sort them in many different ways. Let me focus here on and mention three of them.
First, we support our countries from the member states to design the national IP strategy which take into account the many different elements of the legal provisions and infrastructure and help together the work of the member states to tailor the IP ecosystem to help their local innovators and creators. Second, of course, we provide research and data. That guide the policy makers which is the global innovation index which is one that ranks 130 economies and also specifies their innovation, weaknesses, and strengths. We have the statistic reports. We have the insight reports on the future of technologies.
The third element which is, of course, very close to the heart is that the range of programs and initiatives such as IP management checks for the work for the academy. We want to help the local innovators understand how they can benefit from the IP system, so at end of the day, they can successfully run their business, their initiative, and using the system. Being here now, we have the WIPO conversation which is the open, inclusive, multistakeholder platform where we provide everyone with the leading and global setting to discuss the impacts on frontier technology and all of the relevant IP rights and, of course, to bridge the existing gap.
Over the past five years, 12,000 people, experts from the global experts and many of them attending the IGF. But also local innovators, the metaverse in the past, and, also, of course, as everywhere, AI. What is also important following the conversation is that we launch a range of tools and underground projects.
For example, we have the AI and IP policy tool kit or the upcoming AI infrastructure interchange. This is the part where I can, of course, say more. The clock is ticking. WIPO and the member states have approved the committee. Let me say by ending that, of course, we are as WIPO here to serve the digital innovators, creators, entrepreneurs, and across the world and we look forward to working with DCO and all of the many partners attending IGF and to make sure that all of the innovators can benefit from the IP. Many thanks. Over to you.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you very much. We hear a lot and DCO subscribes to the notion of data making. Let me turn to Giulia Marsan. What framework can you offer from the ASEAN countries? You also have a wide range of experience. What would be the insights that you can give us on building interoperability and resilience into digital economies?
>> GIULIA AJMONE MARSAN: Thank you, Sameem, for the kind invitation. Cooperation when it comes to the innovation when it comes to what we do. ASEAN is a 16 member countries. We are the ten economies of ASEAN plus Korea, India, and Japan. We're in the center of the Asia and Indian Pacific. We have established thanks to the generous contribution to the Government of Japan the EDISC. We have the relationship between digital innovation and the sustainable development. The policy dialogue and capacity building. That's what many of my colleagues on the panel are working on. Let me give you a couple of examples. For instance, we are now currently very active in developing both local innovation within southeast Asia, and also some cases, transnational ones.
This is in the conversation today about the international and global becomes important. We're opening a strategic development called ASEAN Japan, AI innovation a road map for the development of ASEAN and Japan. We are looking on one hand the best strengths and the areas of improvement to the 11 countries.
Also, a way based on the connections of people and based on, you know, the skill transfers between different areas of the world. Some countries of the different countries are benefiting from very young, tech‑savvy, dynamic. Aging economies may need to think about how to develop a very effective relationship with the young entrepreneurs. They are developing fantastic startups. And also the digital innovation. This is one example of something that is very much in relation to work on the discussion today. We also know that, you know, just looking at our region is not enough in the globalized world. Hassan was telling us earlier today that global collaboration is becoming more difficult.
Nevertheless, we need to keep trying and keep developing our relationships. That's because there's so much to be learned. We're active in G20 work. Notably, this is something I'm personally very much committed to. The new startup 20 that's currently led by South Africa and we had the pleasure to work on some very, very well with India and Brazil last year.
And this is again, you know, a global group that's pushing for the development of the global innovation system looking at the strengths of different countries and ideas to physically build a global dialogue. We are at the beginning of the adventure. It is working group that was established under India. On one hand, we can share the lessons that we see in the region and learn from other regions in the world. We had a very, very interesting number of exchanges last year under Brazil. Lots of, you know, interesting developments that could be pushed forward in terms of collaboration between Indonesia and Brazil, for instance, because of the size of the economy.
Certain sectors, including the digital innovation and so on and so forth. Coming back here to the Pacific area. We are also pleased to collaborate with OPIC. You know, we'll actively contribute to something that looking at how to combine the digital transformation with the green transformation. Once again the idea to connect the different SDGs at the local level and international level. Maybe because we are short in time, let me conclude by saying even our collaboration with the GCC countries is becoming more important than ever. Especially after the two summits. This is also another area where I really look forward to staying in touch with the DCO countries in the world and, you know, all of the panelist that are here today. There's a lot that we can build. Thank you very much.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you, Giulia. I know there was a lot of nuggets and experiences of work. Let's keep it to under two to three minutes. The second part of the panel, we'll share a bit more on your experience. We have next the head of International Affairs at the Italian agency for digital.
Also, now at national level, we would like to have your experience regarding the DCO process and the IGF and national and regional initiatives. How do they contribute to address challenges in the digital economy that based on your experience both at the transnational levels and local levels? How does GDC and the platforms help to solve?
>> SPEAKER: Thank you for the invitation. It is a pleasure to be speaking at such an important panel. The global, digital contact with the road map for the cooperation. They understand the pressure and coordinated efforts for a sustainable digital future for everyone. It is forging the synergy and in participates with the global society. The digital landscape has evolved with a new priority such as the data governance. It remains relevant to use of the GDC.
The upcoming plus 20 review is an opportunity moment and key opportunity to strengthen and devotion of the framework, cooperating the objectives and priorities and to avoid redundancy and duplication. It is an important moment to discuss which mechanism could facilitate these integration.
And in this scenario, the IGF continues to serve as a private platform for an inclusive dialogue among all of the digital courses. Since its inception in 2006, the IGF has grown from a discussion forum to the structured ecosystem, including the dynamic and best practice forum and especially the network of national and regional initiatives.
Now, they are comprising of over 180 initiatives worldwide. Generalized the strategic role in the local implementation of the GDC. There are multistakeholder structure and they have a close connection to the local contacts make them particularly well suited for the implementation of the GDC principle at the local level to promote inclusive participation in digital policy development, to collect and transmit the local recommendation and the best practice to the local. The NRI can act as operational mechanism for translating at the regional level to ensure that the principles are not confined to the diplomatic sphere, but they are reflecting in public policies and local practices.
So, in conclusion, I think the practices of the GDC will depend on the international community's ability to build on the existing participatory framework. The IGF must be seen not just as a place for dialogue, but implementing in the global digital policy with the nation in the local realities. Thank you.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you. We have with us online, Mr. Friedriksson.
>> SPEAKER: Thank you very much, moderator. Greetings from Geneva. The fast pace we see on the digital landscape change represents the huge challenge for governments when it comes to developing adequate policy responses. You know, the challenge is not made easier by the fact that governing digitalisation cuts across so many different policy domains. In order for the global community, including multilateral organizations like the WIPO, ITU, and others to serve the needs or member states in the context, it is really important that we also manage to connect the dots between every different organization is doing. This can be achieved in multiple ways. We have mentioned the key processes like the WSIS GDP, et cetera. The WSIS will help to coordinate.
For example, the ITC and the universal postal union lead together in the area of eBusiness. This is clarified the IGF will be under housed, even if it is a multistakeholder forum. And the GDC, meanwhile, it helped to highlight certain areas that have more attention and in the agenda 2030 for sustainable development. So, for example, we had the area of inclusivity and sustainability aspect of the digital economy. We have the human rights online, we have the data governance, and artificial intelligence.
If I go to the area in the area of e‑commerce and the digital economy, we have taken an initiative to create what we call eTrade for all. It is the partnership with a common vision to support the developing country that is are trailing behind in what we call eTrade readiness. By bringing 35 partners together including the area find our they are doing and how you to find better ways to work together to achieve common goals.
Unfortunately, there's still too many examples of duplications of work, something that we need to minimize, especially in these times of shrinking resources for technical assistance and capacity building, as well as for dialogue. When new initiatives are developed, we also need to ensure effective integration with existing mechanisms. I agree that very much with the last speaker. It is important when it comes to the GDC that we make full use of the existing mechanisms that were born out of the WSIS process. This is what member states agreed upon in the most recent session in the UN commission of science and technology developed in the full cooperation of efforts. I'll stop there. Thank you so much again.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you for the enlightening remarks. I'll shift my focus to the professor from Brazil. He has a lot more responsibilities and titles. But in the interest of time, let me just cut to the question. You've done a lot of research. What lessons can you share that can accelerate the multilateral, digit prosperity.
>> SPEAKER: Thank you. We do a lot of research on the various issues that of interest and the members and from the participants here. It is cybersecurity. I wanted to share the mindings of the two of the flag projects, Brazil, China, South Africa, and the six more that have joined last year including some of the DCO members.
Then another one is another conference that organized in the governance and includes a lot of research and proposals to also increase the convergence of the governance. First of all, I think from what emerges from our research is to treat your digital transformation to facilitate it at multilevel; right?
First of all, policy frameworks that must be coherent, especially when you want to share them in the multiple organizations. Then you have to have the agile system that's evolving and also the securities. We focus a lot on cybersecurity and the evolving landscape of the digital threat is extremely important to take care. Don't wait to do it. It is a very agile, multistakeholder governance to continuously cooperate with the stakeholders that have their hands on cybersecurity.
Then strategic investments. It is not only about policy priorities, but also having the funds to translate this into concrete actions. This is not only to hardware and software, but humans and the most important part. Now how the elements play out in two very different groupings that we work on which are the bricks and lighter. Telling you how this may work more or less successfully depending on the maturity of the mechanism and the alignment of the priorities, and also, I think one of the most important elements that we frequently forget is the political impetus support to achieve the results.
Bricks isn't for digital policies. It sort of become one. Digital policies, cybersecurity, cybercrime, AI have emerged as priorities. Especial since 2013 when it was created. It is specific working group on the ITC security. It is very interesting. It has triggered a sort of what we call enhanced cooperation process. It is not common. But in practice, it worked over the last ten years. The case in point is the adoption of the UN convention in cybercrime. It was an initiative of Russia and China, supported by the bricks and the allied countries and brokered thanks to the skillful work of the President and diplomacy that managed to achieve the result.
Again, we can criticize the text as any convention. For me what is relevant is to see the result of this mechanism which is not even in IGO and intergovernmental organization. Now, the counterexample in the last 30 seconds that I have at my disposal about Latin. Which is a very interesting example. We do a lot of research. 19 countries already have the protection laws. All very similar, because they are copying and pasting from Europe. But diverse, because they all have to adopt them to the international id idiosyncrasy.
The union of South American, Americas, and all of the partners, despite already having all adopted laws and having the organisations, There's no regional framework which would be extremely valuable. Not only to harmonize the policy, but also to allow the unique data market in fostering more cooperation at the regional level.
As one of the results of our conference last year, we produced also not only the study on the framework, but also a suggestion of what could be a regional framework? I know that DCO does not have Latin American members. Maybe in the future we will have. We already prepared the work for you. If you want to use it. We have shared it with Brazilian colleagues that are chairing in December. I don't know. Political momentum is always a very difficult element to guess. But maybe there might be now some political momentum to practice this idea. Thank you very much.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you. They have developed a lot of solutions. What is interesting is the collaboration and support in the public and private sector. That will be the lessons that you can share with us going from global north and also extrapolating to global south. It will be the experience of implementing digital solutions, so all of the talks that we're having at global level can be translated into action.
>> SPEAKER: Thank you. Thank you for the invitation to join you all today. Hello from the U.S. where I'm currently sitting. In the global headquarters in Lithonia. I'm in the us and soon to be announcing as well our entry into Latham. Previously from the experience deploying digital solutions across Europe, Middle East, Africa, and North America, I wanted to speak to some of the under estimated enablers that can accelerate readiness and resilience for governments that may have a limited infrastructure.
The first one of four is having a lean, modular, digital architecture. Many governments over estimate or maybe over sold the need for heavy legacy IT investment. One example that we can reference is our work in Botswana where we helped the Botswana unified revenue service leapfrog to the modern API‑based tax system running in the Cloud and integrated with existing systems. This was without the need for major infrastructure upgrades.
Secondly, I would focus on looking at trusted digital identity. It is probably seems like a brainer. But some governments deprioritize the digital identity. It is foundational for trusted, scalable services. In both Lithonia and Finland, they have access to services across health, finance, and government that increases the reach and resilience.
Touching more directly your question on cross sector partnerships, public‑private collaboration accelerating resilience. In Oman, they brought together government, telecommunications operators, and banks to co‑create citizen services, expanding access farther and farther than the government could do acting alone. Probably the most important when you want to make sure you are focused on the trust and the trust of the citizens, the citizen centric service design. It is very easy to think this way rather than focusing on users. Lithuania they ensured are services very accessible across multiple channels.
This is across markets with a patchy infrastructure. I want to enforce with the right enablers, which include modular architecture, many governments can leapfrog constraints and not just work around them. Their experience showed in limited infrastructure settings, it is possible to build the digital ecosystem that drive real resilience, inclusion, and in the end ideally long‑term prosperity.
Thank you very much for including me today.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you very much. I would like to give the floor quickly to Hassan to synthesize a little bit in a lot of angles and perspectives. What do you make of it?
>> HASSAN NASSER: This is amazing. We have been from Asia and Latin America and Africa and Europe in a few minutes. We've heard the private sector, UN agencies, government agencies, and first of all, there's a use potential of the digital economy to really help prosperity and human development as long as we make sure the transformation and the new economy which is now becoming the economy is also aligned with SDG and principle that we are all caring about.
To do that, I think the other takeaway from me so far is we need cooperation. And that's easy to say. That's not easy to do opinion because to have this cooperation, we need to share principle. We need to have a common language. We need to have respect, as well. Which sometimes seem to be difficult in the world today.
In terms of common principle and ambition, we believe the GDC was the election. We need to build with the existing foundation as mentioned by the panelist. We have a strong foundation 20 years ago defined to help us. Now we have the political commitment coming out of the future. We have an existing mechanism that we need to reinvent and refresh and support. We need also to really ensure there's an openness when it comes to listening to different perspective.
Today, we have on the panel the global perspective, triangular cooperation, and it will remain an essential part of what we are trying to achieve. I'm curious to hear from the participants and audience as well, our commitment is to really support the consolidation of the mechanism to foster the cooperation, based on openness and based on shared knowledge and common language and common principles.
Again, we have limited time. We hope that after this forum, we have a lot of coffee that is will help us to continue the conversation. Back to you, Sameem. I hope we have questions online as well.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you, Hassan. We would really like to apologize to the audience. We haven't been able to really keep the interactive session as long as we wanted it to be. But we open the floor for the questions in the room. Then we'll have time to take questions online as well. Helen is assisting online. The floor is open. If we don't have questions from the room, let me see if we can take a question from the live audience.
Helen, over to you.
>> SPEAKER: Hello, everybody in Norway. There aren't any questions online yet to forward. Hopefully somebody in the room will participate and have a question there.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Well, in this case ‑‑ yes. Go ahead.
>> SPEAKER: Just to break the ice. Let me comment on one thing that hasn't been said here. We're talking about the digital economy becoming the economy. I wish that was the case in all parts of the world. I think it is so important to keep in mind that we still have very huge divides, especially in the digital economy.
Just to give one example in Norway, for instance. More than 80% of people are shopping online on a day‑to‑day basis. In Africa, it is typically less than 5%. It is important to keep this in mind. We are carried away by all of the thing that is are happening with AI and so on and so forth, many of the basic challenges remain in the developing parts of the world.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you. If any other parts and speakers would like to share. Maybe they didn't have a chance to complete their thoughts earlier, I'm happy to do that. Starting with Richard.
Go from left to right.
>> SPEAKER: Thank you. I can reconfirm that cooperation is extremely important and DCO and thank you for having us as well as the partner for eTrade. We're always happily contributing with the IPA expertise in eTrade and many different forums including DCO here in IGF and softer. It is just to perhaps using that opportunity for a quick conclusion is that just to perhaps say the value of intangibles has been growing rapidly over the 25 years and it reached the 62 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023 and intangibles which are, of course, many of them protected by the intellectual property. It is not only increasingly for the some of the biggest countries, but even more and it is becoming important for the SME or local businesses and innovative and creative individuals in every corner of the world. WIPO is there to serve them.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you. Back to the room. We have a question from the audience.
>> AUDIENCE: Yes. We serve as the secretariat for the Asia Pacific regional IGF. I forgot who mentioned this from the panel. About the success. Implementing the RDIs. That's an interesting question and something that's important for the community to understand. How is that ambition? What components of the GDC would you see more concretely being both promoted, advocated, and implemented in the NRIs? I guess that's my question.
>> SPEAKER: As you know, the NRI has a national and regional objectives. There are so many objectives that are of the cast and managed and also directed. We're speaking about artificial intelligence as a governance and digital divides. All of the issues are discussed and arises at the level. I think that's an important space. Coming from the discussion is closely monitoring the progress and implemented on the GDC. This is what I meant before.
Using that space to track what has been implemented that is related to the GDC, I think. And the report to the global IGF. The global region. They essentially are bringing a vision of specific issues. This vision should be reported to the GDC and also to the other entities. I think this is an important process. They should start after IGF enough to national and regional initiative. It is important to communication, to spread resulting and create the link annuals. It is now a little bit weak.
>> AUDIENCE: That's a good clarification. If I understand correctly, what you are suggesting is NRIs take the GDC as part of their input to their agenda setting as well as look at how the outcomes or outputs for the reporting could tie in back to the GDC. I think that makes a lot of sense.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you very much. Giulia, do you have any comments on the question? The question was addressed from the regional.
>> GIULIA AJMONE MARSAN: No specific comment. I think she has addressed the very well. Let me just add, I think she mentioned the UN system. There's organizations beyond the UN system. We work a lot and happy with the UN system. Nevertheless, this is the global effort. There's a kind of vision. I mention at the beginning of my intervention. They ask for the relationship between the transformation and sustainable development goals. It is something that's going to inspire a lot of organizations and stakeholders around the world. Multistakeholder approach. I think other speakers mention this before me. They were private and in the local something that we need to work together and we also need to learn how to work together and in some cases, we need to work with the portfolios and mandates.
Let me just add something before we move on. I think it is also important to kind of be open to learn across regions. Before it was based, you mentioned I was working for another big organisation that I moved to Asia. I just realised that now that I'm based in Asia, not everyone, we had a wonderful conversation before the panel. Don't look at us as an Asian organisation. You know, we have a lot. We have expertise on Asia. We want to learn from Europe, America, Africa, and everyone in the world. We also have lessons to share. I think it is very important to break the boundaries. You know, think outside of the box. Learn from different regions without just leveling the institutions, the Asia and Africa and had nothing to do with me. It is not interesting. Every day you are not even. I'm learning so much about the continent. So many for the development and prosperity of the member states.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you. We have time for 30 seconds from Luca and doctor.
>> SPEAKER: Yeah. I'll use my 30 seconds wisely. Just to reiterate a couple of points. When we are speaking about the GDC or any kind of other effort aimed at transforming digitally a nation, a company, a society, this is not only about adoption of the technology, it is not only technology that's going to shift. It is also an evolution in the cultural evolution and organizational evolution; right?
So this. I think sometimes amongst the academics, we are frustrated. There are a lot of very nice declarations, policies, and even regulations at the national level that sound fantastic in theory. The practice is very far. I think the challenge hire is how multistakeholder interaction could be explored for as to translate this excellence, sometimes policy objectives into concrete actions. To make it percolate from the policy level and concrete change and capacity building is essential. Even to let the simply public servants know the policy exists or capacity building is essential to make the people understand.
Cybersecurity is a very good example. People consider it a cost. If you make them understand it is an opportunity for business. They will consider it a business opportunity to invest. I'm speaking too much. I'm seeing from your glance. I will stop here.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: We have one minute to go.
>> SPEAKER: Just to conclude. DCO has a good role in it. Many regions in the world do not have a player like this that would help articulate in this.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you very much. I think it wraps it up. Now to the doctor for the last comment.
>> SPEAKER: My comment will go in the area of disparities, globally, and as well as nationally. As the professor says, there are beautiful policies and regulations. The implementation is difficult. How do we address the differences? Technology levels, infrastructure availability, and as well as understanding the nitty‑gritty of the implementation part that is the things will take is a difficult terrain. I think the people in Africa will stand to benefit from these international cooperations from our peculiar issues were put in the picture as well. That's my final words for this.
>> SAMEEM GAFFAR: Thank you very much. That's a beautiful statement.
Unfortunately, we can't go further along this very, very exciting discussion. We've come to an end. I'm getting accused that I have to wrap up. Thank you very, very much. Everybody in the room, online panel, audience, online organisers, and everybody else involved. It's been a very, very engaging session. We hope that you've learned from this. Like Hassan said, we have time for coffee after for more discussion. Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. I hope you enjoyed it.
