High-Level Track | WSIS Forum 2021

WSIS 2021 High-Level Interactive Policy Sessions

Chairman

H.E. Mr. Maxim Parshin
Deputy Minister
Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media
Russian Federation

The WSIS Forum 2021 serves as a key forum for discussing the role of ICTs as a means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, with due regard to the global mechanism for follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNGA Resolution A/70/1). The WSIS Forum also provides a platform to track the achievements of WSIS Action Lines in collaboration with the UN Agencies involved and provides information and analysis of the implementation of WSIS Action Lines since 2005.

The WSIS Forum 2021 High-Level Track will start on 22 March, with the High-Level Policy sessions. The final week of the Virtual WSIS Forum 2021 will take place on 17-21 May 2021, featuring an opening segment, a Ministerial round table, and High-Level dialogues.

The High-Level Policy sessions will gather High-ranking officials of the WSIS Stakeholder community, representing the Government, Private Sector, Civil Society, Academia and International Organizations. Interactive policy statement sessions will be moderated by High-Level Track Facilitators (HLTFs), nominated and identified by each stakeholder type and will be grouped around different themes identified as important by the WSIS Stakeholders during the open consultation process. The main task of the HLTFs is to capture the vision, identify emerging trends, opportunities and challenges shared by the leaders of their session.

The concluding session of the High-Level Track will take place during the final week of the WSIS Forum 2021. During the concluding session, the WSIS Forum 2021 Chairman will provide an executive summary, giving a platform for all the HLTFs to submit the outcomes of their respective policy session. A publication entitled “WSIS Forum 2021: Policy Statements and Executive Brief” will be issued to encapsulate these outcomes.

View High-Level Track Sessions

High-Level Track Facilitators

Ms. Amali De Silva - Mitchell

Founder and Coordinator

Dynamic Coalition on Data Driven Health Technologies

Mr. Nino Letteriello

President

DAMA Italy and EMEA

Dr. Asan Gani Bin Abdul Muthalif

Associate Professor at the Dept of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Qatar University

Dr. Olga Cavalli

Co-founder and Academic Director

South School on Internet Governance

Ms. Meera Das

Project Lead

The Code to Change

Ms. Kirthi Jayakumar

Founder

The Gender Security Project

Ms. Kristin Little

Senior Manager of Public Affairs

IEEE

Mr. William Njoroge

Head of Technology

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ms. Eleanor Sarpong

Deputy Director and Policy Lead

A4AI/Web Foundation

Mr. Clifford Schmidt

Founder and Executive Director

AMPLIO

Ms. Rachel Sibande

Senior Director, Country Outreach

Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL) at the United Nations Foundation

High-Level Participants

Dr. Salma Abbasi

Chairperson and CEO

eWorldwide Group

H.E. Mr. Iyad Al Khatib

Minister of communication and technology , Ministry of Communication and Technology in Arab Syrian Republic

Syrian Arab Republic

H.E. Mr. Majed Al Mesmar

Deputy Director General , Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)

United Arab Emirates

H.E. Mr. Carlos Alfonso Morán Moguel

Deputy Minister , Ministry of Communications and Transportation

Mexico

H.E. Mr. Dr. Mohammed Al-Tamimi

Governor of Communications & Information Technology Commission (CITC) in Saudi Arabia , Communications & Information Technology Commission (CITC)

Saudi Arabia

Mr. Omar Mansoor Ansari

Acting Chair and Vice Chairman Technical , Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA)

Afghanistan

Dr. MERCEDES ARAMENDIA

Presidenta de Directorio de URSEC , UNIDAD REGULADORA DE SERVICIOS DE COMUNICACIONES- URSEC

Uruguay

Ms. Sarah Armstrong

Executive Director

Internet Society Foundation

H.E. Ms. Anna Ascani

State Secretary , Ministry of Economic Development

Italy

H.E. Ms. Andreana Atanasova

Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria , Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria

Bulgaria

H.E. Mr. Amir Azeem Bajwa

Chairman , Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)

Pakistan

H.E. Mr. Sabri Bachtobji

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations Office at Geneva , Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the United Nations Office at Geneva and specialized institutions in Switzerland

Tunisia

H.E. Mr. Deepak Balgobin

Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation , Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation

Mauritius

H.E. Ms. Baroness Barran

Minister for Civil Society , Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Mr. Suman Basnet

Asia-Pacific Regional Director

World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC)

Mr. Edmunds Belskis

Chairman of the Board , Latvia State Radio and Television Centre

Latvia

H.E. Mr. Eng. Kamal Bin Ahmed Mohamed

Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications , Ministry of Transportation & Telecommunications

Bahrain

Mr. Sh. Nasser Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa

Acting General Director , Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA)

Bahrain

H.E. Ms. Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid

Minister , Ministry of Community Development, United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

H.E. Mr. Chad Blackman

Ambassador , Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations, BARBADOS

Barbados

Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin

Director Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Ms. Daniela Brönstrup

Deputy Director General , Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy

Germany

Mr. Ramiro Camacho Castillo

Commissioner , Federal Telecommunications Institute

Mexico

Mr. Gilbert Camacho Mora

Commissioner of the Board of Directors , Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones

Costa Rica

Dr. Olga Cavalli

Co-founder and Director

South School on Internet Governance

H.E. Ms. Marie Chantal Rwakazina

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations Office at Geneva , Permanent Mission of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

Rwanda

Mr. Nishan Chelvachandran

Founder

Iron Lakes, 'Chair, Trustworthy Technical Implementations of Children’s Online/Offline Experiences Industry Connections Activity, IEEE Standards Association

H.E. Mr. Newin Chochaiyathip

Vice Minister for Digital Economy and Society , Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Thailand

Thailand

Ms. Jane Coffin

Senior Vice President, Internet Growth

Internet Society

H.E. Mr. Zbigniew Czech

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the UN Office in Geneva

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations Office in Geneva

H.E. Mr. Karma D. Wangdi

Minister , Ministry of Information and Communications, Bhutan

Bhutan

Dr. Isaias da Rosa

President , Multisectoral Regulatory Agency of the Economy (ARME)

Cabo Verde

H.E. Mr. Nelson de Jesús Arroyo Perdomo

Chairman, Board of Directors , Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL)

Dominican Rep.

Ms. Moira de Roche

Chair: IFIP IP3, IFIP Board member

International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP)

H.E. Mr. Sanjay Dhotre

Union Minister of State for Education, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India , Ministry of Communications

India

Ms. Nahima Díaz

Directora General , Instituto Nicaraguense de Telecomunicaciones y Correos - TELCOR

Nicaragua

H.E. Ms. Aurora Diaz-Rato Revuelta

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva , Permanent Mission of Spain to the United Nations Office Geneva and other international organisations in Geneva

Spain

H.E. Ms. Usha Chandnee Dwarka-Canabady

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary , Permanent Mission of the Republic of Mauritius to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva

Mauritius

H.E. Ms. Grata E. Werdaningtyas

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia , Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the UN, WTO & other International Organizations

Indonesia

Ms. monique epstein

Directrice et fondatrice de E-SENIORS

E-SENIORS

Dr. Wilhelm Eschweiler

Vice President , Bundesnetzagentur

Germany

Ms. Chi Hsia Foo

Assistant Chief Executive Officer (International) , Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore

Singapore

H.E. Mr. Johnny G. Plate

Minister , Ministry of Communications and Informatics

Indonesia

H.E. Mr. Gennady Gatilov

Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, and Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Conference on Disarmament , Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva

Russian Federation

H.E. Mr. Peter Geršak

State Secretary , Ministry of Public Administration

Slovenia

H.E. Ms. Pamela Gidi

Undersecretary of Telecommunications , Undersecretariat of Telecommunications

Chile

H.E. Mr. Wilfredo González Vidal

First Deputy Minister , Ministry of Communications

Cuba

Prof. NK Goyal

President & Chairman Emeritus

CMAI Association of India

H.E. Mr. Ahmad Hanandeh

Minister , Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship

Jordan

H.E. Mr. Hasanul Haq Inu

Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee for Ministry of Information & Chairperson- Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum , Parliamentary Standing Committee for Ministry of Information & Chairperson- Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum

Bangladesh

H.E. Mr. Sattar Hashemi

Deputy Minister for Technology and Innovation , The Ministry of ICT

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

H.E. Mr. Khalil Hashmi

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva , Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva

Pakistan

Mr. Michael Hodin

CEO

Global Coalition on Aging

H.E. Mr. HAJYMYRAT HUDAYGULIYEV

Chairman (Minister) of the «Türkmenaragatnaşyk» (Turkmen Communications) Agency of Turkmenistan , «Türkmenaragatnaşyk» (Turkmen Communications) Agency of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan

H.E. Mr. Dr Hamadoun I TOURÉ

Ministre de la Communication et de l'Économie Numérique du Mali.

Ministère de la Communication et de l'Economie Numérique du Mali.

H.E. Ms. Paula Ingabire

Minister , Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation

Rwanda

Ms. Clarisse Iribagiza

Founder and CEO

HeHe

H.E. Mr. Dr. Ismail Ismail

Director General of Spectrum Management and Standardization of Post and ICT , Ministry of Communications and Informatics

Indonesia

H.E. Mr. Mustafa Jabbar

Minister , Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology

Bangladesh

Mr. Manhal JNEADY

Director General , Syrian Telecommunications & Post Regulatory Authority

Syrian Arab Republic

Mr. Malcolm Johnson

Deputy Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Mr. ÖMER ABDULLAH KARAGÖZOĞLU

Chairman of the Board, President of the Authority , Information and Communication Technologies Authority of Turkey

Turkey

H.E. Mr. Wadi Karim

Senior Deputy Minister of Communications for Technical Affairs , Ministry of communications

Iraq

H.E. Ms. Pinky KEKANA

Deputy Minister , Department of Communications and Digital Technologies

South Africa

H.E. Ms. Masooma Khawari

Minister of Communications and Information Technology , Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)

Afghanistan

Mr. Apollo Knights

Director , National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

H.E. Mr. Simon Kofe

Minister , Ministry of Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs

Tuvalu

H.E. Mr. Boštjan Koritnik

Minister of Public Administration , Ministry of Public Administration

Slovenia

H.E. Mr. Fadhel Kraiem

Minister , Ministry of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy

Tunisia

Dr. Vladimir Krstic

Member of the Managing Board of RATEL , RATEL

Serbia

Dr. Kokula Krishna Hari Kunasekaran

International Secretary

Association of Scientists Developers anf Faculties

Ms. Jensine Larsen

World Pulse Founder and CEO

World Pulse

Dr. Chaesub Lee

Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau

International Telecommunication Union

H.E. Ms. Nele Leosk

Ambassador-at-Large for Digital Affairs , Ministry of Foreign Affaris of Estonia

Estonia

H.E. Ms. Minette Libom Li Likeng

Minister , Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications

Cameroon

Dr. Farid Lozada

CEO

Fundacion Abba Colombia

Mr. Eduard Lysenko

Minister, Head of the Department of Information Technologies of Moscow , Government of Moscow

Russian Federation

H.E. Mr. Yoshida Mabito

Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination , Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

Japan

Dr. Gift Kallisto Machengete

Director General , Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Mr. Bernard Maissen

Director General , Federal Office of Communications OFCOM

Switzerland

Mr. WILLIAM MAKATIANI

Managing Director

Serianu Limited

H.E. Mr. Indra Mani Pandey

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva , Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland

India

Mr. Mario Maniewicz

Director, Radiocommunication Bureau

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

H.E. Mr. Simon Manley

Ambassador and the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation, United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva , UK Mission to the WTO, UN and Other International Organisations (Geneva)

United Kingdom

H.E. Ms. Eglė Markevičiūtė

Vice Minister , Ministry of Economy and Innovations

Lithuania

Mr. Sergio Martinez

Executive Director of the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) , Communications Regulation Commission (CRC)

Colombia

Prof. Konstantinos Masselos

President , Hellenic Telecommunications And Post Commission

Greece

H.E. Mr. Mouhammad Mazen Al-Mahayri

Deputy Minister , Ministry of Communication and Technology

Syrian Arab Republic

Ms. KAY McCONNEY

SENATOR THE HON. KAY McCONNEY , Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology

Barbados

Mr. George Michaelides

Commissioner of Communications , Office of the Commissioner of Communications

Cyprus

Dr. Keabetswe Modimoeng

Chairperson , Independent Communications Authority of South Africa

South Africa

Mr. Rafael Muente

Chairman of the Board , Telecommunications Regulatory Agency - OSIPTEL

Peru

H.E. Mr. Peya Mushelenga

Minister of Information and Communication Technology , Republic of Namibia

Namibia

Dr. Jenfan Muswere

Honourable Dr Jenfan Muswere,Minister of ICT ,Postal and Courier Services , Ministry of Information Communication Technology ,Postal and Courier Services

Zimbabwe

Mr. Dick Christophe Ng Sui Wa

Chairperson , Information and Communication Technologies Authority

Mauritius

H.E. Mr. Mxolisi NKOSI

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations in Geneva and Other International Organisations in Switzerland , Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland

South Africa

Dr. Jacek Oko

President of UKE , Office of Electronic Communications (UKE)

Poland

H.E. Mr. Saïd Oumar KOULIBALY

Minister , Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy

Guinea

H.E. Ms. URSULA OWUSU-EKUFUL

Minister , Ministry of Communication and Digitalization

Ghana

H.E. Mr. Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan

Director General of Application and Informatics , Ministry of Communication and Informatics

Indonesia

H.E. Mr. Maxim Parshin

Deputy-Minister , Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media

Russian Federation

Dr. David Passarelli

Executive Director

United Nations University Centre for Policy Research

Mr. AHM Bazlur Rahman

Chief Executive Officer

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication(BNNRC)

Dr. Dzulkifli Abdul Razak

Rector

International Islamic University, Malaysia

H.E. Mr. Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández

Vice Minister , Ministry of Communications

Cuba

H.E. Ms. Carla Maria Rodriguez Mancia

Ambassador of Guatemala and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland , Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva

Guatemala

Ms. Jessica Rosenworcel

Acting Chairwoman , Federal Communications Commission

United States

Ms. Yolanda Rueda

Founder and President of Fundación Cibervoluntarios

Fundación Cibervoluntarios

H.E. Mr. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Civil Service, and Communications , Ministry of Communications

Fiji

Dr. Hadi Shahriar Shahhoseini

IUST Vice Chancellor for International Affairs and Director of Research Center for ICT Strategic and International Studies (ICT-SIS)

Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST)

Prof. Ahmad Reza Sharafat

Professor and Senior Advisor, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Tarbiat Modares University

H.E. Ms. Aminath Shauna

Minister , Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology

Maldives

Dr. Naila Siddiqui Kamal

Founder and Educational Director

MedRet Healthcare Ltd

Mr. Dan Sjöblom

Director General , Swedish Post and Telecom Authority

Sweden

Mr. Robert Skidmore

Chief Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness at International Trade Centre

International Trade Centre

H.E. Mr. AMIN UL HAQUE Syed

FEDERAL MINISTER (IT & TELECOMMUNICATION) , Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication

Pakistan

H.E. Mr. Chenda Thong

Chairman , Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia

Cambodia

H.E. Mr. Phuntsho Tobgay

Secretary , Ministry of Information and Communications

Bhutan

H.E. Mr. Frank Tressler Zamorano

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Mission of Chile to the United Nations and other International Organizations based in Geneva , Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations and other International Organizations based in Geneva

Chile

Dr. P.D Vaghela

Chairman , Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

India

H.E. Mr. Daryl Vaz

Minister of Science, Energy & Technology , Ministry of Science, Energy & Technology

Jamaica

H.E. Ms. Paola Vega Castillo

Minister , Ministry of Science, Technology and telecommunications

Costa Rica

H.E. Mr. Elmir Velizadeh

Deputy Minister , Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies

Azerbaijan

H.E. Ms. Allyson West

Senator the Honourable Allyson West, Minister of Public Administration and Digital Transformation , Ministry of Public Administration and Digital Transformation

Trinidad and Tobago

Ms. Kate Wilson

CEO

DIAL

H.E. Mr. Etjen Xhafaj

Minister , Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy

Albania

H.E. Mr. Marek Zagórski

Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and Government Plenipotentiary for Cybersecurity , The Chancellery of the Prime Minister

Poland

Mr. Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Prof. PHILEMON ZOO ZAME

DIRECTEUR GENERAL , AGENCE DE REGULATION DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS( ART)

Cameroon