Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Chair of the Advisory Council of the Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA), delivered this address at the United Nations General Assembly during the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20). Speaking in his capacity as a member of the WSIS+20 Informal Multistakeholder Sounding Board (IMSB) and the Internet Governance Forum Multistakeholder Advisory Group, he reflected on the origins of WSIS and its foundational recognition of the multistakeholder nature of the information society. He highlighted AfICTA’s growth from a six-country initiative in 2012 to a pan-African alliance spanning over 40 countries, noting that the WSIS vision directly inspired its formation and mission to ensure the fulfillment of the promise of the digital age for everyone in Africa.
In his remarks, Dr. Olufuye emphasized the urgency of enhanced digital cooperation in the era of artificial intelligence, calling for interoperable data governance, strengthened online security, respect for human rights, and sustained investment in digital infrastructure, literacy, and connectivity to bridge digital divides within and across countries. He welcomed the decision to make the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) permanent, recognizing it as a critical platform for reviewing WSIS outcomes and the Global Digital Compact while avoiding duplication across national, regional, and global processes. He also commended Nigeria for convening Africa’s first truly multistakeholder delegation to the UN General Assembly and expressed appreciation to the leadership of the General Assembly for the opportunity to contribute to this historic review.
