The Ambitions of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) reaffirmed

In a changing geopolitical context, this is an important stage for the Internet governance ecosystem, reaffirming and deepening its characteristic multi-stakeholder approach and the vision of the WSIS set out 20 years ago in Tunis.[1]

This work, initiated under the terms of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 70/125,[2] commenced in early 2025[3] and was stepped up following the appointment, in April 2025, of His Excellency Mr Ekitela Lokaale, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations, and Her Excellency Ms Suela Janina, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania to the United Nations, as co-facilitators to lead the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the WSIS.

A zero draft resolution was published on 29 August 2025, and subsequently a first revised version on 7 November 2025, followed by a series of revisions.

The third revision was subject to a silence procedure, which enables a consensus to be reached if within the specified time limit no objection has been raised by any of the Member States after having read over the proposal.[4] In this case the silence was broken, calling into question several dozen paragraphs. A few days before the deadline, a compromise version 4 met a similar fate, prompting the President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly to intervene, ultimately leading to its final adoption on 17 December 2025 in New York.[5]

Although the adopted text is not perfect, reflecting numerous remaining disagreements in the plenary hall and the context of geopolitical tensions, no vote was called, thus enabling adoption by consensus.

On the WSIS vision for 2025

A number of phases of stakeholder consultation made it possible to arrive at this outcome, which is to be commended for its openness and transparency. The work of the Internet Governance Forum, at its 20^th meeting held in Lillestrøm, Norway, the WSIS Forum high-level event in Geneva, Switzerland, in July 2025, and a dedicated consultation phase at the ICANN Annual General Meeting in October 2025 thus complemented the intergovernmental negotiations.

This process was greatly enriched by in-depth contributions from stakeholders, who were consulted throughout the process, recognising their expertise and special role with regard to Internet governance and demonstrating the strength and maturity of the WSIS ecosystem.

After several years of sometimes difficult negotiations, to which Afnic contributed significantly, the outcome document strikes a balance between the various interests involved. This search for consensus demonstrates how collaborative governance, fully integrating dialogue between all stakeholders – governments, civil society, the private sector, academia and the technical community, as well as international organisations – can reaffirm the WSIS vision: the building of an inclusive, people-centred and development-oriented Information Society, based on the evolution and proper functioning of the Internet as an essential underlying technical infrastructure. Decentralisation and network openness, open standards and stakeholder involvement are prerequisites for innovation and for achieving the goal of reducing all digital divides.

In this regard, reaffirming the need to promote multilingualism is vital “to reflect the linguistic, cultural and historical diversity of all nations”.[6] Afnic welcomes the consideration given to the various digital divides and the work accomplished in the area of internationalised domain names and universal acceptance, enabling everyone to use the Internet in the language and script of their choice.

In September 2024, the Global Digital Compact[7] acknowledged the Internet Governance Forum as “the primary multi-stakeholder platform for discussion of Internet governance issues”.[8] Although the IGF has no formal decision-making power,[9] it plays a key role as a forum for discussion and informal understanding between stakeholders, with no single actor able to claim pre-eminence.

The Forum was decisively recognised and strengthened, with the outcome document deciding to establish the IGF as a permanent forum[10] as the United Nations’ primary multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue on Internet governance. Permanence is not synonymous with operationalisation. Work on methods as well as on funding is essential. In this regard, the International Telecommunication Union is to establish an “internal task force […] to submit concrete recommendations on strengthening financial mechanisms for digital development for developing countries”.[11] Proposals aimed at ensuring sustainable funding of the Forum are also expected.[12]

The Forum’s evolution has been widely praised, developing from an annual meeting into an ecosystem encompassing far-ranging intersessional work – dynamic coalitions, best practice forums, and policy networks – and resulting in more than 170 national, regional and youth forums, such as IGF France), around the world. The Forum is thus called upon “to reinforce its intersessional work, support national and regional initiatives, and apply innovative, open, inclusive, transparent and agile collaboration methods.”[13] In terms of participation and methods, subjects that gave rise to a great deal of debate during the negotiations, the compromise text calls on the Forum “to enhance its working modalities and to broaden the participation of Governments and other stakeholders from developing countries and underrepresented communities, by working on establishing and facilitating a dialogue among Governments with the participation of all stakeholders.”

As an active participant in the Forum at international level, as well as in intersessional work and in the French edition, for which it co-chairs the Organising Committee, Afnic has advocated throughout the process to strengthen the IGF and its mandate, discouraging the duplication of processes and entities. Cooperation among stakeholders is a criterion for Internet success.

In our view, the continuation and strengthening of the WSIS process, its integration with the Global Digital Compact, and the explicit reference to NETmundial and the São Paulo guidelines,[14] appear to lay a solid foundation for improved collaboration, both within the United Nations system – from the Economic and Social Council to the new Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies created to find synergies and strengthen internal cooperation – and with the various stakeholders. In a tense context, this adoption marks a milestone success under the “small steps” method. It is up to the IGF to demonstrate its relevance, and up to the WSIS to demonstrate its ability to adapt and implement the undertakings made.

To find out more:

• Outcome document of the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Overall Review of the Implementation of the Outcomes of the WSIS: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4095872
• IGF 2025 Annual Meeting Summary Report https://mail.intgovforum.org/IGF_2025_Summary_Report.pdf
• Overview of the 2025 edition of the French Internet Governance Forum (FGI France) https://www.afnic.fr/en/observatory-and-resources/expert-papers/the-french-internet-governance-forum-fgi-france-2025/
• FGI France: https://www.igf-france.fr

[1] See the Report of the WSIS (A/60/687), January 2006, available at https://docs.un.org/en/A/60/687

[2] General Assembly Resolution 70/125, Outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, A/RES/70/125, 16 December 2015. Available at https://docs.un.org/a/res/70/125. Available at https://docs.un.org/a/res/70/125.

[3] Through the adoption of Resolution 79/277 on the Modalities for the overall review by the General Assembly of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, A/RES/79/277, of 25 March 2015, available at https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/L.41.

[4] A silence procedure is comparable to qui tacet consentire videtur and tacit approval.

[5] United nations General Assembly, Outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the WSIS, A/80/L.41, December 2025. Available online: https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/L.41

[6] United nations General Assembly, Outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the WSIS, A/80/L.41, December 2025. Available online: https://docs.un.org/en/A/80/L.41 §28.

[7] General Assembly Resolution 79/1, The Pact for the Future, A/RES/79/1, 22 September 2024, available at https://docs.un.org/en/a/res/79/1. Annex I.

[8] General Assembly Resolution 79/1, The Pact for the Future, A/RES/79/1, 22 September 2024, available at https://docs.un.org/en/a/res/79/1. Annex I Ibid. §28.

[9] See in particular paragraphs 72 et seq. of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society (WSIS-05/TUNIS/DOC/6(Rev.1), November 2005). Available online: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/565827/

[10] General Assembly Resolution 79/1, The Pact for the Future, A/RES/79/1, 22 September 2024, available at https://docs.un.org/en/a/res/79/1. Annex I A/80/L.41 Op. Cit., §99.

[12] The proposals are expected for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which ends in September 2026.

[13] General Assembly Resolution 79/1, The Pact for the Future, A/RES/79/1, 22 September 2024, available at https://docs.un.org/en/a/res/79/1. Annex I A/80/L.41 Op. Cit., §102.

[14] General Assembly Resolution 79/1, The Pact for the Future, A/RES/79/1, 22 September 2024, available at https://docs.un.org/en/a/res/79/1. Annex I A/80/L.41 Op. Cit., §94.