Ripe NCC calls for stronger multistakeholder alignment and a permanent IGF mandate in its WSIS+20 Elements Paper input

The RIPE NCC, one of the world’s five Regional Internet Registries and a core part of the global technical community, has provided comprehensive input to the WSIS+20 Elements Paper, emphasising the need for the Zero Draft to reaffirm the multistakeholder foundations of internet governance and update the WSIS framework in line with established agreements and the Global Digital Compact. The organisation stresses that the WSIS mandate was reviewed extensively in 2015 and that its core commitments – including recognition of the internet as a global, interoperable resource governed through open, bottom-up processes – must be preserved.

The submission identifies three major achievements from the WSIS process that should be reflected in the Zero Draft. First is the global expansion of connectivity, facilitated by diverse stakeholders, UN-led initiatives, technical coordination and the development of resilient infrastructure. Second is the advancement of digital-age norms, including the recognition that rights offline must be protected online and that the digital sphere mirrors existing inequalities and social challenges. Third is the creation and evolution of the Internet Governance Forum, which has grown into a year-round, multistakeholder ecosystem supported by 177 National, Regional, Sub-Regional and Youth IGF Initiatives. RIPE NCC argues that these NRIs should be formally recognised as essential governance actors.

Turning to challenges, the RIPE NCC highlights persistent connectivity gaps in underserved regions, the long-standing absence of structured follow-up and accountability mechanisms, and the need to ensure meaningful participation from the Global South. It notes that many governments struggle to integrate WSIS Action Lines into national strategies because of unclear targets and fragmented coordination. To address these shortcomings, the organisation calls for embedding the Global Digital Compact into an inclusive, multistakeholder WSIS follow-up framework, backed by measurable goals and transparent reporting. It also stresses the need to safeguard the stability, availability and integrity of the global internet – particularly through technical-coordination efforts such as IPv6 deployment and routing-security improvements like RPKI.

Looking forward, the submission outlines five priorities for sustaining a people-centred, inclusive digital future. These include refocusing global efforts on closing the digital divide while preparing for emerging technologies, aligning WSIS Action Lines with the SDGs, renewing the IGF’s mandate with stable UN funding, respecting the layered architecture of the internet in policy design, and deepening cooperation between technical experts and policymakers. RIPE NCC argues that evidence-based policymaking requires closer collaboration between governments, the technical community and public-sector institutions.

The organisation also recommends amending paragraph 59 of the Elements Paper to better reflect established WSIS+10 and Global Digital Compact language affirming that internet governance must remain global and multistakeholder, involving governments, the private sector, civil society, international organisations, and technical and academic communities. Finally, it calls for strengthening WSIS governance structures, improving coordination across UN agencies, reinforcing CSTD’s follow-up role and securing long-term IGF financing that supports its Secretariat, MAG and global NRI network.

The RIPE NCC concludes by commending the co-facilitators’ transparent engagement with stakeholders throughout the review process and urging continued dialogue as the WSIS+20 negotiations move toward the Zero Draft.