Since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in two phases in 2003 and 2005, digital technologies and services have advanced rapidly, transforming the Information Society from an aspiration into a reality. At the same time, the outcome from WSIS has provided a foundational framework for international cooperation on digital development, influencing key global initiatives, including the Global Digital Compact as an annex to the United Nations Pact for the Future in 2024.

The Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) has conducted annual reviews of WSIS implementation on behalf of United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2005, and published an extensive report on the 10-year WSIS implementation as a major contribution to the General Assembly’s review of WSIS implementation in 2015.

This new report, commissioned by CSTD with generous financial support from the Government of the United Kingdom, serves as a key input to the General Assembly’s twenty-year review in 2025. 

The report provides: 

• An assessment of the changes that have taken place since WSIS, particularly since WSIS+10, in critical aspects of the Information Society.
• A review of stakeholders’ perceptions of both the successes and ongoing challenges since WSIS, along with progress in implementing its outcomes.
• Key priorities for the future of WSIS.

Adopting a forward-looking approach, the report is structured around six chapters dealing with digital inclusion; the digital ecosystem; the digital economy; sustainable development; human rights and ethical dimensions of Information Society; and digital governance. It also took into account the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of the Future, especially the Global Digital Compact.

Report by the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development