Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and Chairman World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2022, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has unveiled his strategy for ensuring that the objectives of the WSIS Action Lines are achieved optimally.
He made this disclosure while receiving the reports of the high level tracks during the Ministerial round table at the ongoing event in Geneva, Switzerland.
Addressing global Ministers of technology at the end of the two day multi-stakeholder deliberations, the Chairman informed his counterparts that “my vision for this year’s WSIS Forum includes a paradigm shift from a focus on the five day activity to one that will entail a set of activities over the period of the year to enhance the ability of the stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the WSIS Action Lines, with the reports of the high-level tracks as our baseline and launch pad for the year-long activities. ”
The intense high level track deliberations, which consisted of eleven sessions, explored the areas such as bridging digital divides, inclusiveness and access to information for all, applications and services, climate change, enabling environment, digital economy and trade, financing for development and the role of ICT, cultural diversity and identity, dimensions of information and knowledge societies, media, ICTs and gender mainstreaming, among others.
According to Uwa Suleiman, Spokesperson to the Minister, the Chairman further emphasised that the WSIS Action Lines are crucial for advancing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals hence, it is important to continue to align the process with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
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Pantami Chairs WSIS Forum 2022, calls for high level multi-stakeholders advisory council
Similarly, Pantami on Tuesday 31st May 2022 made history as he formally chaired the on-going World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
The Minister led global economies converging on the headquarters of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to declare the high level policy sessions open.
Addressing participants from over one hundred countries, Professor Pantami leveraged on this year’s theme titled: ICTs for well-being, Inclusion and Resilience; WSIS Cooperation for Accelerating Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to call for more support for technological development through multi stakeholder engagements, partnerships and collaborations between institutions and global economies, as it is the enabling tool for global economic prosperity and development.
“There is a need for this forum to constitute a high level multistakeholder advisory council and a multistakeholder implementation committee to ensure that we continue to track and monitor outcomes and engagements post event.”
Speaking further, Professor Pantami noted that “Today, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is no longer a choice but a necessity as the world has come to realise particularly during the pandemic, as technology enabled us to continue with our activities and especially the business of governance virtually”. Using Nigeria as a case study, the Forum Chairman disclosed that “Nigeria exited the recession brought about by the pandemic a year earlier than predicted, ahead of several other countries in spite of global projections, largely due to the influence of technologies. Available statistics further provide proof that ICT played a principal role in achieving this feat”.
In the last quarter of 2020, the Nigerian ICT Sector grew by 14.70% and 12.90% for the whole year, and the sector continues to make quantum leaps as we take advantage of resources at our disposal to enable economic development. Nigeria’s youthful population with an average age of 18.3 years, coupled with the advantage of having the largest economy on the African continent, positions it strategically to explore digital technologies for optimal growth.”
The forum consists of eleven high level panel discussions with globally recognised sector experts, policy makers, heads of governments, corporations and civil society organisations.
WSIS 2022: Chairman Pantami Bags International Commendation
Mr Houlin Zhao, the Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has commended the energetic spirit and outstanding contribution Minister Pantami brought into his role as the Chairman, World Summit on Information Society.
The Secretary General made this known shortly before presenting the ITU certificate of appreciation and medal of honour to Minister Pantami who serves as the Chairman of the UN summit taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.
The certificate reads;
“The International Telecommunication Union recognises Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
Chairman of the WSIS Forum 2022 for his outstanding contributions to the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022″.