G77 and China outline priorities for WSIS+20 review

The Group of 77 and China have submitted their official input to the WSIS+20 process, offering a detailed assessment of progress since the World Summit on the Information Society and outlining priorities for the upcoming Zero Draft. Their contribution highlights both the achievements of the WSIS framework and the persistent challenges that continue to limit digital inclusion for developing countries. The submission stresses that, while WSIS has driven global recognition of the role of information and communication technologies in development, major gaps remain in connectivity, affordability and the capacity to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

The group identifies the digital divide as the most urgent challenge. Despite significant progress over the past two decades, disparities in infrastructure, affordability, digital skills and access to advanced technologies continue to widen between and within countries. The submission notes that emerging technologies such as AI, cloud computing and cross-border data flows risk creating new layers of exclusion. It calls for the Zero Draft to prioritise affordability, financing, universal meaningful connectivity and strengthened capacity-building efforts, with particular attention to women, youth, children and underserved communities. The group also underscores the importance of recognising states’ sovereignty in developing national digital policies and protecting local content and data.

Financing is presented as a structural barrier to progress. The G77 and China emphasise that developing countries still lack predictable, concessional and sustainable funding for digital transformation. Their submission urges the WSIS+20 Zero Draft to explicitly address gaps in implementing the Tunis Agenda’s paragraphs on financing, calling for renewed commitments from developed countries and international financial institutions, along with clearer responsibilities for the global community. They argue that the lack of viable financing models continues to limit the digital development of lower-income countries.

A major theme of the submission is concern about increasing fragmentation in the global digital governance landscape. The group notes that the proliferation of institutions and initiatives has led to overlapping mandates, complicating coordination and weakening the WSIS framework. They call for better alignment between the Global Digital Compact and the WSIS Action Lines, while preserving WSIS’s intergovernmental character and development orientation. The submission argues that any integration of new digital governance initiatives should reinforce, rather than replace, the WSIS framework and ensure stronger representation of the Global South in global standard-setting, particularly in areas related to AI and emerging technologies.

Looking ahead, the G77 and China outline several priorities for the next phase of WSIS. These include addressing the concentration of technological power among a small number of companies and countries, strengthening multilateral cooperation led by the UN, expanding capacity-building and digital literacy efforts, and ensuring that sustainability considerations do not become barriers to development. They argue that governance models must remain multilateral, inclusive and transparent, with equitable participation in decision-making and standard-setting processes. Youth-focused initiatives, accessible digital literacy programmes and scalable models for inclusive digital innovation are highlighted as essential elements for a people-centred Information Society.

The submission also calls for updates to existing WSIS mechanisms, including the Internet Governance Forum, WSIS Forum, WSIS Action Lines and the UN Group on the Information Society. These platforms, they say, should be strengthened rather than replaced, with enhanced support for participation from developing countries and improved institutional coherence across UN processes. The group recommends formalising the Tunis Agenda commitment to “enhanced cooperation” to ensure structured collaboration on public policy issues related to the internet and digital technologies.

Finally, the G77 and China propose that the WSIS+20 outcome document should be concise but forward-looking, reaffirming the validity of the original WSIS outcomes while identifying priorities for bridging digital divides and addressing new challenges. They also support establishing a permanent mandate for the Internet Governance Forum and developing a new programme of action that reflects the evolving digital landscape.