Keynote Video Message
World Internet Conference
Wuzhen Summit
Wuzhen, 26 to 28 September 2022
Excellencies,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to address you at the 2022 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit.
My Department, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, is privileged to have been a close partner since the inauguration of the Wuzhen Summit in 2014.
Much has happened over these past years. The world is now facing cascading crises -- from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, to cyber threats and armed conflicts with interlinked impact on food, energy and finance across the world.
At the United Nations, we note with growing concern how these crises are slowing down progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
How can the Internet and digital technologies play a central role in mitigating these crises and advancing the SDGs?
How can we drive technologies to shape our future for more inclusive, harmonious and resilient communities at all levels?
In this context, I applaud the timely discussion at the Wuzhen Summit, under the overarching theme - “Towards a Shared Digital Future in a Connected World - Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”.
This is both timely and forward-looking. The United Nations attaches top priority to digital technologies and the Internet in building a prosperous, inclusive and shared future with no one left behind.
Indeed, the UN Secretary-General, in his report on “Our Common Agenda”, proposed that the United Nations, Governments, the private sector and civil society come together, as a multi-stakeholder digital technology track, in preparation for a Summit of the Future to agree on a Global Digital Compact.
The Global Digital Compact would outline shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all.
It is not coincidental that the seventeenth meeting of the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will also carry a similar theme -- “Resilient Internet for a shared sustainable and common future”.
I am pleased to note that many issues being addressed at the Wuzhen Summit are also closely related to those discussed at the UN’s Internet Governance Forum.
This year’s IGF will be held in Addis Ababa on 28 November to 2 December, hosted by the Government of Ethiopia, and supported by my Department, UN DESA, in partnership with United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
I am confident that the outcomes of the Wuzhen Summit will be a timely contribution to the Internet Governance Forum.
I also invite all stakeholders to participate in-person or virtually at the Addis Ababa IGF. I look forward to closer synergies between the Wuzhen Summit and the UN Internet Governance Forum.
I wish the Wuzhen Summit a great success.
Thank you.