Agenda

I am an Associate Professor and Vice-Dean for Studies at the University of Geneva’s School of Economics and Management, GSEM. In 2009, I established Citizen Cyberlab, a first-of-kind citizen science lab in Europe, based on a partnership with CERN and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). As director of this lab, I manage the development of solutions for crowdsourced research and promote public participation in science through hands-on events such as hackathons. In 2017 I founded the SDG Solution Space, an open innovation hub in the heart of International Geneva, which hosts the world’s first comprehensive education program for the SDGs. This is in collaboration with a range of International Organizations in Geneva including ITU. In 2024, the SDG Solution Space is organizing the SDG Olympiad, a global youth competition for developing practical solutions to planetary health challenges, which will be formally launched at WSIS.

Dr. Aminata Zerbo/Sabane has a PhD in Computer Engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal, Canada, and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering (Analyst Programmer), followed by a Master's degree in Computer Engineering. Since 2017, Dr. Zerbo/Sabane has been a dedicated faculty member at Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo in Ouagadougou, actively engaged in teaching and mentoring students. Her commitment extends beyond academia; she is a co-initiator and deputy coordinator of the university digital incubator, Incub@UO, which nurtures student startup projects.

Dr. Zerbo/Sabane's professional journey encompasses diverse leadership roles in both public and private sectors. From 2018 to 2021, she served as the Technical Secretary at the Ministry of Digital Transition, overseeing strategic analyses. In 2020, she assumed the role of Head of the budgetary program "Ecosystem and Digital Transformation", where she managed national-scale projects. In April 2021, she was appointed Director-General of the National Agency for the Promotion of Information and Communication Technologies (ANPTIC), playing a pivotal role in coordinating major sector projects.

Active in professional and scientific circles, Dr. Aminata Zerbo/Sabane is a member of IEEE Burkina and RECIF. Since 2022, she has been serving as the Minister of Digital Transition, Posts, and Electronic Communications in successive governments of Burkina Faso.

Mohammad Khansari is Deputy of ICT Minister and Head of Information Technology Organization of Iran (ITO). He received his B.S, M.S and PhD degrees in Computer Engineering all from Sharif University of Technology, in 1996, 1998 and 2008 respectively. He had a short-time research fellowship from DAAD, Germany at Fraunhofer research institute. He served as a faculty member of Sharif International Campus, Kish Island; and director of IT and Cyberspace Center of University of Tehran. He was director of ICT Research Institute of Iran (ITRC) from 2013 to 2019. He is Associate Professor of University of Tehran; and has served as Deputy Minister of ICT and Head of Information Technology of Iran from 2021.

Agnė Vaiciukevičiūtė is the Vice Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania. 

Previously she worked as a Vice Dean for Strategic Partnership of the Faculty of Business Management at VILNIUS TECH. 

Agnė‘s career has taken her to four continents including North America and Australia where she worked as a researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis, Washington DC and Australian Science Council Competence Center, Sydney, Australia.

She has a PhD in Social Sciences (Economics) from VILNIUS TECH.

Garegin Baghramyan was elected by the National Assembly Chairman of RA Public Services Regulatory Commission on April 19, 2019, and works in that position until now. In parallel with that work he teaches in National Polytechnic University of Armenia, he is a candidate of Technical Sciences, an Associate Professor. He was awarded a number of medals and other awards.

State and other Awards

- Was awarded with a Medal of Gratitude with the 2015 Decree of the President of RA.

- Was awarded with a Badge of Honored Engineer of Russia and received an Honorary Degree with the Decree No.60 of May 10, 2018 of the Russian Academy of Engineering of the Russian Federation.

- In 2019, on the occasion of the 5th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union and the 25th Anniversary of the idea of Eurasian integration, was awarded with the Medal "For the contribution to the development of the Eurasian Economic Union".

Work Experience

- 1999-2004 - First Class Specialist of Tariff Policy Division of Technical Expertise Department, then Leading Specialist of Tariff Division of Tariff Policy Department of Energy Commission of RA, Chief Specialist of Tariff Division of Tariff Policy Department of Natural Monopolies Regulatory Commission of RA, Chief Specialist of Tariff Division of Tariff Policy Department of Public Services Regulatory Commission of RA,

- 2004-2011 - Head of Tariff Division of Tariff Policy Department of Public Services Regulatory Commission of RA,

- 2011-2018 - Head of Tariff Policy Department of Public Services Regulatory Commission of RA,

- Since September 1, 2016 Lecturer at National Polytechnic University of Armenia,

- Since June 11, 2018 Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of RA,

- since October 4, 2018 Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of RA,

- since April 19, 2019 Chairman of Public Services Regulatory Commission of RA.

She is a lawyer graduated from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with a specialization in Business Law and a Master's Degree in Law from Universidad Externado de Colombia. Before taking on this new role, Duque Del Vecchio held various positions at the CRC: Coordinator of Legal Advice and Dispute Resolution, Executive Coordinator (General Secretary) in charge, Acting Commissioner for the Communications Commission Session, and legal advisor. 

In her role as Coordinator of Dispute Resolution, she managed sensitive and high-impact matters in the industry that have contributed to the effective implementation of regulatory policies, as well as the enforcement of regulations in favor of competition and consumer rights. As a result of her impeccable management, the CRC was recognized by the National Agency for Legal Defense of the State (ANDJE) as one of the entities with the best success rate in judicial defense, achieving a 95% effectiveness rate.

Aline Minko Mi Etoua is a distinguished woman of multiple academic achievements and professional accolades. Her educational journey began at the University of Omar Bongo in Libreville, Gabon, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Law. Undeterred by geographical boundaries, she furthered her studies in France, obtaining a Master's degree in Public Law from the University of Champagne Ardenne in Reims, followed by a Diploma in Public Administration from the prestigious Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris.

From mastering the intricacies of parliamentary work to championing human rights, Aline Minko Mi Etoua has consistently expanded her expertise. Her dedication to leadership, particularly in the realm of female empowerment, was recognized with a certificate from ENA in Paris.

In her professional capacity, Aline Minko Mi Etoua serves as a representative member of the State group at the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council and she is currently holding the esteemed position of First Secretary of the Bureau. Her influence extends beyond national borders, as evidenced by her participation in various sessions at the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York since January 2019.

She is fluent in French, proficient in English, and moderately skilled in Spanish.

Rose Jackson is an entrepreneur and former diplomat with 15+ years of experience strengthening democracy and defending human rights, leveraging technology for social impact, and building institutions to support democratic activists around the world. Jackson is currently the director of the Democracy + Tech Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab. She previously founded and served as CEO of Beacon, a platform leveraging data and marketing technology to make it easier for people to take meaningful civic and political action.

Prior to founding her company, Jackson served as a senior policy adviser at the Open Society Foundations (OSF) where she led a presidential transition initiative focused on reforming U.S. support to foreign military and police. During the Obama Administration, Jackson served as the chief of staff to the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the State Department, and before that as an advisor to Senator Chris Coons on foreign policy and national security issues as a Galloway Fellow.

Jackson has consulted and worked for a wide range of campaigns, governments and party organizations both in the United States and abroad. Internationally, with the National Democratic Institute, she advised parties, parliaments, and civil society organizations in East and Southern Africa. Jackson also served as a Benghazi-based adviser and political analyst to the International Organization for Migration during the Libyan uprising in 2011.

Jackson completed her master’s in International Relations as a Rotary Scholar in Kenya and earned her bachelor’s in International Relations and Economics at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. She is a Truman National Security Project fellow, term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, research fellow at the Stanford Handa Center for Human Rights, and a prior Center for New American Security NextGen fellow.