BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a772426e6443 DTSTART:20241011T060000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241011T080000Z LOCATION:Dar es Salaam\, United Republic of Tanzania SUMMARY:CSTD consultation in the African Region on WSIS at 20: Successes\, failures and future expectations CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:WSIS+20: Assessing Progress and Shaping the Future of the Infor mation Society in AfricaIn 2005\, the World Summit on the Information Soci ety (WSIS) established a vision for a people-centred\, inclusive and devel opment-oriented information society. Now\, twenty years on\, the UN Commis sion on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD)\, in collaboration w ith the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)\, is convening a regional consultation to take stock of progress\, address ongoing challenges and sh ape the future of this vision.This consultation will provide a platform fo r African stakeholders to share their experiences\, discuss emerging trend s and identify strategies for harnessing technology to achieve sustainable development. Participants will engage in a multi-stakeholder dialogue on key issues. These include how the WSIS vision has evolved in the face of r apid technological change\, the impact of emerging technologies (particula rly AI) on human development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ways to strengthen international cooperation and governance for an inc lusive digital future.The aim of this consultation is to foster a comprehe nsive dialogue among African stakeholders on the implementation of the WSI S vision and to chart a course for future action. This involves evaluating the successes and challenges in implementing WSIS action lines over the p ast two decades\, identifying persistent barriers to creating a people-cen tred information society and showcasing best practices that can inspire fu rther progress.  A key goal is to generate actionable policy recommendati ons for various stakeholders and international partners to ensure an inclu sive and sustainable digital future for Africa\, aligned with the goals of the Global Digital Compact. Ultimately\, the consultation seeks to streng then partnerships and collaborative efforts that will drive effective WSIS implementation across the continent.This consultation will provide a foru m for participants to share insights and lessons learned on the implementa tion of the WSIS vision in Africa\, discuss challenges and opportunities r elated to emerging technologies and their impact on sustainable developmen t\, and contribute to the development of recommendations for strengthening international cooperation and governance in the digital sphere. The outco mes of the consultation will inform the CSTD'\;s final report on the W SIS+20 Review\, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly.This co nsultation will bring together a range of individuals and organizations in vested in shaping the future of the information society in Africa. Partici pants will include policymakers from African governments\, representatives from regional organizations\, such as the African Union\, international o rganizations focusing on ICT development\, the technical community\, the p rivate sector (encompassing technology companies and telecommunications pr oviders) and civil society organizations working on digital rights\, inclu sion and access.<\;h3 class="\;text-align-center\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/cstd-consultation-african-region-ws is-20-successes-failures-and-future-expectations DTSTAMP:20260808T124214Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR