Agenda

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF), convened by the United Nations Secretary-General, brings ‎people together from various stakeholder groups as equals in discussions on public policy issues ‎relating to the Internet. While there is no negotiated outcome, the IGF informs and inspires those with ‎policy-making power in both the public and private sectors. The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is ‎one of the major outcomes of the original WSIS, as outlined in the Tunis Agenda. The IGF mandate was ‎renewed for another 10 years during the United Nations General Assembly WSIS+10 Review High-‎Level Meeting. The IGF facilitates a common understanding of how to maximize Internet opportunities ‎and address risks and challenges that arise. ‎

Each IGF cycle is concluded with an annual meeting hosted by a different government. During the ‎annual meetings, delegates discuss, exchange information and share good practices with each other.‎

The 16th IGF was hosted in Katowice by the Government of Poland in December 2021. Over 10,000 ‎participants of the hybrid IGF sent strong messages on some of the most pressing digital policy issues ‎the world has been facing. Its main outputs are summarized in the Katowice IGF Messages. The IGF in ‎Poland set a good foundation to build on this year.‎

The 17th annual IGF meeting will be hosted by the Government of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa from 28 ‎November until 2 December 2022. The programme develops around the overarching theme of ‎Resilient Internet for a shared sustainable and common future with five main themes, agreed upon by ‎the community's input and aligned with the UN's planned Global Digital Compact:‎

• Connect All People
• Promote Human Rights & Avoid Internet Fragmentation ‎
• Protect Data
• Ensure Accountability and Security Online
• Regulate Emerging Technologies, including Artificial Intelligence 

In addition, the IGF’s thematic intersessional work gathers stakeholders from all parts of the world ‎around its two policy networks on meaningful access; and Internet fragmentation; as well as around its ‎two best practice forums focused on cybersecurity; and gender and digital rights. In addition, ‎communities work consensually witing 23 dynamic coalitions focused on particular Internet ‎governance issues.‎

The IGF is continuously being improved. The United Nations Secretary-General called for the Forum to ‎‎‘’adapt, innovate and reform’’ in his Roadmap for Digital Cooperation. The call was also echoed in his ‎Our Common Agenda Report. To respond to these actions and serve in the best possible way, several ‎changes are introduced. One change is the Leadership Panel which is expected to ensure that the ‎Forum addresses urgent issues, coordinates follow-up action on Forum discussions and relays ‎proposed policy approaches and recommendations from the Forum to the appropriate normative and ‎decision-making forums ‎. Also, it hosted the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) a few weeks ago, from ‎which several action points emerged for a stronger, more resilient, and sustainable IGF emerged. ‎
Institutionally, the IGF is supported by the IGF Secretariat located at the UN office at Geneva, ‎administered by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) based in New York. The ‎Forum’s programme is developed by the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG). The IGF is an ‎extra-budgetary project supported through donations ‎.‎

Session objectives and guiding questions
This session will bring together future IGF hosts and other participating stakeholders to discuss ‎expectations from the IGF. It will also describe how people can follow and join IGF discussions. ‎Particular aspects to be addressed relate to: ‎

• Why IGF matter to all stakeholders from all countries and regions: governments, businesses, ‎civil society and technical communities? ‎
• Digital policy challenges and how IGF can add to a more safe, secure and prosperous digital ‎environment 
• IGF on its way to Ethiopia and Japan