Description: Over the last decade, use of the term “multistakeholder” has proliferated in the context of diverse projects, initiatives, and organizations related to technology governance. And yet too many processes, initiatives, and proposals that claim to embody “multistakeholderism” have failed to live up to them into practice. In 2024, a myriad of processes and initiatives at the intersection of sustainable development and Internet governance will continue to come to a head and the work of defining and defending the importance of multistakeholder engagement in Internet governance will be critical. The annual IGF is an essential avenue for discussing some of the foremost challenges in a rapidly evolving field, on a consistent and timely basis, which facilitates predictability, transparency, and accountability. This year, in particular, it can play an additional role: it can serve as a venue for examining the outcomes of other key convenings, including the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the WSIS+20 High-Level Event, NETMundial +10, and the Summit of the Future. This session will assess these processes through a multistakeholder lens, examining how effectively they embody this principle. In this session, we’ll hear from speakers representing different stakeholders involved in the various global processes at national, regional, and international levels to review outcomes of internet governance processes, including WSIS+20, GDC, and NetMundial. The discussion will identify gaps, and explore key challenges and opportunities for strengthening multistakeholder engagement through IGF and how it can ensure coordination and synergies in the digital cooperation system.
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