Session
Subtheme
Public Makers
Yannic Plumpe, Public Makers, Civil Society, Europe Sofie Schönborn, Technical University of Munich, Academia, Europe Another Person for online moderation
Yannic Plumpe, Public Makers, Civil Society, Europe Sofie Schönborn, Technical University of Munich, Academia, Europe Another Person for online moderation
Organization's Website
Speakers
Yannic Plumpe, Public Makers, Civil Society, Europe
Sofie Schönborn, Technical University of Munich, Academia, Europe
Person, GovStack, intergovernmental, Africa
Onsite Moderator
Yannic Plumpe
Rapporteur
Sofie Schönborn
SDGs
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: 1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Why? Digital sovereignty fundamentally ties into building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable digital infrastructure. Projects like India Stack, GovStack, and Smart Africa highlight how public digital infrastructures can drive innovation, reduce dependency on monopolistic platforms, and ensure access to technology for all. 2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions Why? Digital sovereignty is not just about infrastructure but also about governance, transparency, and accountability. Ensuring open, interoperable, and rights-based digital infrastructures helps prevent digital authoritarianism and promotes strong institutions, inclusive decision-making, and equitable access to digital resources. 3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals Why? The core argument of the talk is that digital sovereignty should be built through cooperation, not isolation. Initiatives like GovStack and Smart Africa thrive on multi-stakeholder partnerships, bringing together governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to co-create inclusive digital ecosystems.
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: 1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Why? Digital sovereignty fundamentally ties into building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable digital infrastructure. Projects like India Stack, GovStack, and Smart Africa highlight how public digital infrastructures can drive innovation, reduce dependency on monopolistic platforms, and ensure access to technology for all. 2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions Why? Digital sovereignty is not just about infrastructure but also about governance, transparency, and accountability. Ensuring open, interoperable, and rights-based digital infrastructures helps prevent digital authoritarianism and promotes strong institutions, inclusive decision-making, and equitable access to digital resources. 3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals Why? The core argument of the talk is that digital sovereignty should be built through cooperation, not isolation. Initiatives like GovStack and Smart Africa thrive on multi-stakeholder partnerships, bringing together governments, businesses, academia, and civil society to co-create inclusive digital ecosystems.
Format
The session will be structured to ensure a fast-paced, engaging discussion with audience interaction and PowerPoint slides to highlight key points.
1. Interactive Opener (4 min) - Moderator
The moderator will begin with a live poll (show of hands) asking:
“What does digital sovereignty mean to you?”
Next, the moderator will introduce the core idea: Digital sovereignty is not about isolation but about strategic interdependence.
Using a slide, the moderator will briefly outline the three case studies (India Stack, GovStack, Smart Africa) and introduce the speakers.
2. Speaker Insights (18 min total, 6 min each)
Each speaker will have 5 minutes to present their case using slides, followed by a 1-minute follow-up question from the moderator to clarify key aspects:
Speaker 1: India Stack & UPI - Digital infrastructure & interoperability.
Speaker 2: GovStack - Modular public digital services.
Speaker 3: Smart Africa - Regional cooperation in digital governance.
3. Audience Q&A (5 min) - One Question, One Answer
During the talks, the audience can submit questions via Zoom or by raising hands. The moderator will select 2-3 sharp questions and assign them to the speakers. Each speaker will have 1 minute to respond, ensuring a fast-paced, insightful exchange.
4. Audience Challenge & Wrap-Up (3 min)
To conclude, the moderator will engage the audience with a quick participation challenge:
“What’s the biggest challenge or opportunity in digital sovereignty?”
3-4 audience members will have 30 seconds each to share their thoughts.
Finally, the moderator will summarize key takeaways using a final slide and close with a call to action:
“Digital sovereignty is about cooperation, not isolation, how do we ensure it remains inclusive and rights-based?”
Duration (minutes)
30
Description
Digital sovereignty is often framed as a binary choice between full independence and reliance on foreign technologies. However, there is no single definition of digital sovereignty, different actors, including governments, businesses, academia, and civil society, interpret it in various ways, ranging from strict data localization to the promotion of open, interoperable infrastructures. In a multipolar world, sovereignty should not mean isolation, it should be about resilience, openness, and strategic cooperation.
To achieve this, a multistakeholder approach is key. Governments, businesses, academia, and civil society must collaborate to create digital ecosystems that are both sovereign and interconnected. Interdependence is the foundation for innovation, security, and inclusivity. That is why we want to highlight three key principles through concrete projects that show how cooperation can enhance digital sovereignty:
Digital Sovereignty Means Cooperation, Not Isolation
Example: India Stack & UPI (India)
India has built India Stack, an integrated public digital infrastructure that combines digital identity (Aadhaar), real-time payments (Unified Payments Interface - UPI), and electronic signatures.
→ This project illustrates how open, scalable digital infrastructure can empower citizens while remaining interoperable with global systems. At the same time, it raises important questions about privacy, governance, and the concentration of power in state-managed digital ecosystems.
Strengthening Public Digital Infrastructure Instead of Platform Dependence
Example: GovStack (International Initiative led by Estonia, Germany, and UNDP)
GovStack provides modular digital building blocks for governments to create digital public services without relying on dominant private tech providers.
→ This initiative demonstrates that by developing shared, interoperable solutions, countries can build resilient digital infrastructures that remain adaptable to diverse policy environments. However, ensuring that these infrastructures remain transparent, accountable, and inclusive, rather than replicating centralized control structures, must be a key concern.
Diversity as a Strength in Digital Governance
Example: Africa’s Smart Africa Initiative
The Smart Africa initiative promotes regional cooperation in digital infrastructure, regulatory alignment, and technological innovation across African countries.
→ By embracing regional collaboration, Smart Africa highlights the power of a multistakeholder approach, where governments, businesses, academia, and civil society co-develop solutions that address local and global needs alike. Yet, it is crucial to examine how these initiatives affect digital rights, local innovation ecosystems, and power asymmetries in global governance.
Digital Sovereignty Through Strategic Interdependence
These examples illustrate that digital sovereignty is not about technological isolation but about strategic interdependence. Open digital infrastructures like India Stack, modular public-sector solutions like GovStack, and regional cooperation models like Smart Africa show that sovereignty is strengthened through collaboration, not weakened by it. However, as digital public infrastructures gain traction, we must critically assess not only how they strengthen sovereignty but also their broader societal, rights-based, ethical, and power-related implications. Who governs these systems? Who benefits? And how do we ensure that sovereignty does not become a justification for digital control rather than empowerment? By fostering resilient, interoperable, and inclusive digital ecosystems, while remaining vigilant about their impact, we can redefine sovereignty in a way that supports both national interests and global digital commons.
A Hands-On, Actionable Perspective
To ensure a well-rounded and practical discussion, we aim to bring diverse perspectives to the stage. We will feature three experts with hands-on experience from civil society, academia, and the intergovernmental sector. This format is designed to provide a structured yet dynamic discussion that offers a consistent and actionable overview of the topic, concise, insightful, and directly relevant to key stakeholders.
We will ensure seamless interaction between onsite and online participants by using a dedicated hybrid moderator, allowing online attendees to ask questions via Zoom chat, which will be read aloud and displayed alongside in-room discussions. The session will be structured with live polling, interactive Q&A, and a final “30-Second Challenge,” where both onsite and online participants can share key insights. To enhance engagement, we will use Zoom’s chat and polling features, ensuring real-time participation and an inclusive hybrid experience.
We will ensure seamless interaction between onsite and online participants by using a dedicated hybrid moderator, allowing online attendees to ask questions via Zoom chat, which will be read aloud and displayed alongside in-room discussions. The session will be structured with live polling, interactive Q&A, and a final “30-Second Challenge,” where both onsite and online participants can share key insights. To enhance engagement, we will use Zoom’s chat and polling features, ensuring real-time participation and an inclusive hybrid experience.