Egypt called for translating global discussions on digital transformation into concrete action, as Communications and Information Technology Minister Raafat Hindy presented Egypt's presidency report during the closing session of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026 in Geneva.
Speaking in his capacity as President of the WSIS Forum 2026, Hindy said the next phase should focus on implementing practical measures that promote digital inclusion, responsible artificial intelligence, digital trust, and shared prosperity.
The closing session was attended by International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Egypt's Permanent Representative to Geneva Ambassador Alaa Hegazy, as well as ministers, ambassadors, senior government officials, private-sector executives, civil society representatives, international organizations, academics, and technology experts from around the world.
Hindy said this year's forum brought together governments, regulators, United Nations agencies, the private sector, academia, civil society, the technical community, and young people, emphasizing that such diversity demonstrates that digital transformation can only succeed through partnership, trust, and shared responsibility.
He stressed that policymakers must move beyond commitments and convert digital strategies into tangible public benefits, including improved services, expanded digital skills, employment opportunities, and broader economic participation.
According to Hindy, discussions throughout the forum reaffirmed that digital inclusion remains a global priority. Achieving it, he said, requires affordable connectivity, stronger digital literacy, relevant local content, and empowering citizens to use technology safely and effectively.
He also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in supporting sustainable development, while emphasizing that AI deployment should remain human-centered, ethical, and responsible.
Digital finance, he noted, has become a powerful tool for expanding inclusion by enabling individuals, small businesses, women, young people, and underserved communities to access financial services and economic opportunities. He added that maximizing these benefits requires robust digital infrastructure, effective regulatory frameworks, and greater digital literacy.
Hindy further underscored the importance of empowering youth as active partners in shaping the digital future and ensuring women and girls enjoy equal access to internet connectivity, digital skills, financial services, and leadership opportunities within the technology sector.
The minister said participants agreed on the need to improve measurement of the real-world impact of information and communications technology initiatives, arguing that success should ultimately be judged by improvements in people's quality of life.
He announced that work has begun on developing measurable roadmaps and implementation indicators for the forum's new mandates. The results are expected to be presented to the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) in 2027, alongside a review of progress achieved over the past two decades and the development of a shared vision extending to 2035.
Hindy also highlighted the success of the WSIS Prizes, describing them as evidence of practical implementation. This year's awards recognized 18 winning projects and 72 champion projects selected from 1,595 submissions representing 122 countries, supported by more than 2.2 million public votes.
He said the awards demonstrate how WSIS action lines continue to deliver tangible improvements in people's lives while evolving to address emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, data governance, and expanding digital connectivity.
Egypt formally assumed the presidency of the WSIS Forum 2026 from South Africa during the opening session of Geneva Digital Week, which also hosted the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the AI for Good Global Summit.
Throughout the week, delegates participated in high-level discussions organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Council of Europe, Rwanda, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), focusing on digital transformation, AI governance, international standards, and responsible AI deployment.
During the event, Egypt's Digital Citizenship and Online Protection Initiative received a Certificate of Excellence after being selected among the world's top five projects in the category of Building Confidence and Security in the Use of Information and Communication Technologies, underscoring the country's growing international profile in digital governance and online safety.
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