A/70/L.33

United Nations

General AssemblyDistr.: Limited
13 December 2015
Original: English

Seventieth session
Agenda item 17
Information and communications technologies for development
Draft resolution submitted by the President of the General Assembly

Outcome document of the high-level meeting of theGeneral Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of
the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society
The General Assembly,
Adopts the following outcome document of the high -level meeting of theGeneral Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes ofthe World Summit on the Information Society at its seventieth session:
Outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on theoverall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the
Information Society
We, the Ministers and heads of delegations participating in the high -level
plenary meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of theimplementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society,held in New York on 15 and 16 December 2015,
Recalling the request in paragraph 111 of the Tunis Agenda for the Information
Society 1 that the General Assembly undertake an overall review of theimplementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society in2015, and in this regard reaffirming the role of the General Assembly in thisprocess, and reaffirming also that the Assembly, in its resolution 68/302 of 31 July
2014, decided that the overall review would be concluded by a two -day high-levelmeeting of the Assembly, preceded by an intergovernmental preparatory process that
also meaningfully takes into account inputs from all relevant stakeholders,
Welcoming the constructive and diverse inputs from Governments, the private
sector, civil society, international organizations, the technical and academic
communities and all other relevant stakeholders in taking stock of the progress
made in the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the__________________
1

15-21917 (E)See A/60/687.

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Information Society and addressing potential information and communications
technology gaps and areas for continued focus, as well as challenges, including
bridging digital divides and harnessing information and communications technology
for development,
Building on, among other relevant inputs, the 10-year review of the World
Summit on the Information Society conducted by the Commission on Science andTechnology for Development in May 2015, and its outcome document, entitled“Implementing World Summit on the Information Society outcomes, a 10 -year
review”; the multi-stakeholder 10-year review event hosted by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, entitled “Towards knowledge
societies for peace and sustainable development”, held in February 2013, and its
final statement entitled, “Information and knowledge for all: an expanded vision anda renewed commitment”; and the multi-stakeholder high-level event for the reviewof the Summit, coordinated and hosted by the International Telecommunication
Union and organized by the International Telecommunication Union, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development and the United Nations Development
Programme in June 2014, and its outcomes, the statement of the 10 -year review of
the World Summit on the Information Society on the implementation of Summit
outcomes and the vision of the 10-year review of the World Summit on the
Information Society beyond 2015, both adopted by consensus,
Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming
our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it ado pted acomprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative
Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its commitment to working tirelessly
for the full implementation of the Agenda by 2030, its recognition that eradicating
poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest
global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, itscommitment to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions —economic, social and environmental — in a balanced and integrated manner, and tobuilding upon the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals and seeking
to address their unfinished business,
Reaffirming its resolution 69/313 of 27 July 2015 on the Addis Ababa Actio n
Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, 2
which is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, supports
and complements it and helps to contextualize its means of implementation targets
with concrete policies and actions, and reaffirms the strong political commitment toaddress the challenge of financing and creating an enabling environment at all levels
for sustainable development in the spirit of global partnership and solidarity,
1.
We reaffirm our common desire and commitment to the World Summit
on the Information Society vision to build a people-centred, inclusive anddevelopment-oriented information society, where everyone can create, access,utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities andpeoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development
and improving their quality of life, premised on the purposes and principles of the__________________
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The Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing forDevelopment (Addis Ababa Action Agenda), adopted by the General Assembly on 27 July 2015
(resolution 69/313, annex).

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Charter of the United Nations, and respecting fully and upholding the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. 3
2.
We further reaffirm our commitment to the Geneva Declaration of
Principles, 4 the Geneva Plan of Action and its action lines, 4 the Tunis Commitment
and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, 5 and we recognize the need for
Governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, thetechnical and academic communities and all other relevant stakeholders to continue
to work together to implement the World Summit on the Informa tion Society vision
beyond 2015.
3.
We reaffirm, moreover, the value and principles of multi -stakeholder
cooperation and engagement that have characterized the World Summit on the
Information Society process since its inception, recognizing that effective
participation, partnership and cooperation of Governments, the private sector, civilsociety, international organizations, the technical and academic communities and allother relevant stakeholders, within their respective roles and responsibilities,
especially with balanced representation from developing countries, has been andcontinues to be vital in developing the information society.
4.
We welcome the remarkable evolution and diffusion of information andcommunications technologies, underpinned by the contributions of both public andprivate sectors, which have seen penetration into almost all corners of the globe,
created new opportunities for social interaction, enabled new business models, andcontributed to economic growth and development in all other sectors, while noting
the unique and emerging challenges related to their evolution and diffusion.
5.
We recognize that increased connectivity, innovation, and access playeda critical role in enabling progress on the Millennium Development Goals, an d wecall for close alignment between the World Summit on the Information Society
process and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 6 highlighting the crosscutting contribution of information and communications technology to the
Sustainable Development Goals and poverty eradication, and noting that access to
information and communications technologies has also become a development
indicator and aspiration in and of itself.
6.
We express concern, however, that there are still significant digital
divides, such as between and within countries and between women and men, which
need to be addressed through, among other actions, strengthened enabling policy
environments and international cooperation to improve affordability, access,education, capacity-building, multilingualism, cultural preservation, investment andappropriate financing. Further, we acknowledge that a gender divide exists as partof the digital divides, and encourage all stakeholders to ensure the full participationof women in the information society and women’s access to new technologies,
especially information and communications technologies for development.
7.
We acknowledge that particular attention should be paid to address theunique and emerging information and communications techno logy challenges facing
all countries, in particular developing countries, including African countries, least__________________
3

Resolution 217 A (III).
See A/C.2/59/3, annex, chap. I.
5
See A/60/687.
6
Resolution 70/1.
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developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing
States, and middle-income countries, as well as countries and territories under
foreign occupation, countries in situations of conflict, post -conflict countries andcountries affected by natural disasters. Particular attention should also be paid toaddressing the specific information and communications technology challe nges
facing children, youth, persons with disabilities, older persons, indigenous peoples,refugees and internally displaced people, migrants and remote and ruralcommunities.
8.
We reaffirm that Internet governance should continue to follow theprovisions set forth in the outcomes of the summits held in Tunis and Geneva .
9.
We reaffirm, moreover, that the same rights that people have offline mustalso be protected online. We emphasize that progress towards the vision of theWorld Summit on the Information Society should be considered not only as afunction of economic development and the spreading of information andcommunications technologies but also as a function of progress with respect to therealization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
10. Building confidence and security in the use of information andcommunications technologies for sustainable development should also be a priority,especially given growing challenges, including the abuse of such technologies forharmful activities from harassment to crime to terrorism.
11. We reiterate our commitments to the positive uses of the Internet andother information and communications technologies and to taking appropriate
actions and preventive measures, as determined by law, against abusive uses of
those technologies, as mentioned under the ethical dimensions of the informationsociety in the Geneva Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action. We also
recognize the importance of ethics, as set out in action line C10, in building theinformation society and strengthening the role of information and communications
technologies as enablers of development.
1.

Information and communications technology for development
12. We commit to harnessing the potential of information andcommunications technologies to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and other internationally agreed development goals, noting that they
can accelerate progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. We
accordingly call on all Governments, the private sector, civil society, internationalorganizations, the technical and academic communities and all other relevant
stakeholders to integrate information and communications technologies into theirapproaches to implementing the Goals, and request United Na tions entities
facilitating the World Summit on the Information Society action lines to review
their reporting and work plans to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
13. We recognize with satisfaction that the previous decade’s considerable
increases in connectivity, use, creation and innovation have created new tools todrive poverty eradication and economic, social and environmental betterment. For
example, fixed and wireless broadband, mobile Internet, smartphones and tablets,
cloud computing, open data, social media and big data were only in their earlystages at the time of the adoption of the Tunis Agenda, and are now understood tobe significant enablers of sustainable development.

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14. We reaffirm that the expansion and use of information andcommunications technologies must continue to be a core focus and outcome of theWorld Summit on the Information Society process. We are highly encouraged thatthe number of mobile phone subscriptions is estimated to have risen from 2.2 billion
in 2005 to 7.1 billion in 2015, and that by the end of 2015, 3.2 billion people are
expected to be online, over 43 per cent of the total world population, of which
2 billion are from developing countries. We also note that fixed broadband
subscriptions have reached a penetration rate of almost 10 per cent, as comparedwith 3.4 per cent in 2005, and that mobile broadband remains the fastest growing
market segment, with continuous double-digit growth rates reaching 47 per cent in2015, a value that increased 12 times since 2007.
15. We note that the digital economy is an important and growing part of the
global economy, and that connectivity is correlated with increases in gross domestic
product. Information and communications technologies have created a newgeneration of businesses, innovators and jobs, while altering and making obsolete
others, and have also generally increased the efficiency, market access and ingenuityof all sectors. We recognize the critical importance of expanding the participation of
all countries, particularly developing countries, in the digital economy.
16. We also recognize that information and communications technologies arecontributing to higher levels of social benefit and inclusion, providing new channels
among citizens, businesses and Governments to share and augment knowledge, as
well as participate in decisions that affect their lives and work. As envisioned by theWorld Summit on the Information Society action lines, we have seen informationand communications technology-enabled breakthroughs in Government, includingin the provision of public services, education, health care and employment, as wellas in business, agriculture and science, with greater numbers of people having
access to services and data that might previously have bee n out of reach orunaffordable.
17. We simultaneously recognize that information and communications
technologies are fundamentally altering the way individuals and communities
interact, consume and spend their time, with new and unforeseen health and social
consequences, many of which are positive and some of which raise concerns.
18. We recognize that information and communications technologies havebecome important to disaster and humanitarian response, and further reaffirm theirrole in enhancing and developing multi-hazard early warning systems, preparedness,
response, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. We also encourage greater
investments in innovation and technology development for long -term, multi-hazard
and solution-driven research in the field of disaster risk management.
19. We recognize that information and communications technologies are also
increasingly a means to support the diversity of cultural expression and the fast growing cultural and creative industries, and we affirm that co mprehensive,
practical digital strategies are needed for the preservation of cultural heritage andaccess to recorded information in the digital environment in all its forms .
20. We further recognize that increasing use of information andcommunications technologies both generates certain environmental benefits andimposes certain environmental costs, which we aim to reduce. We welcome theopportunity afforded by sustainable energy to potentially decouple the growth of

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information and communications technologies from contributions to climate change,
and we also note their catalytic value for the deployment of renewable energy,
energy efficiency, smart and resilient city concepts and Internet -enabled delivery ofservices, among other abatement options. However, we recognize that we mustencourage further action to improve the resource efficiency of information andcommunications technologies, and to reuse, recycle and safely dispose of e-waste.
1.1

Bridging digital divides
21. Despite the previous decade’s achievements in information andcommunications technology connectivity, we express concern that many forms ofdigital divides remain, both between and within countries and between women andmen. We note that divides are often closely linked to education levels and existing
inequalities, and we recognize that further divides can emerge in the future, slowing
sustainable development. We acknowledge that, as of 2015, only around 43 per centof people globally had Internet access, only 41 per cent of women ha d Internet
access and an estimated 80 per cent of online content was available in only one of
10 languages. The poor are the most excluded from the benefits of information andcommunications technology.
22. We further express concern that digital divides remain between
developed and developing countries and that many developing countries lackaffordable access to information and communications technologies. As of 2015,
only 34 per cent of households in developing countries have Internet access, withsignificant variations by country, as compared with more than 80 per cent indeveloped countries. This means that two thirds of the households in developing
countries do not have Internet access.
23. We affirm our commitment to bridging digital and knowledge divides,
and we recognize that our approach must be multidimensional and include an
evolving understanding of what constitutes access, emphasizing the quality of thataccess. We acknowledge that speed, stability, affordability, language, local content
and accessibility for persons with disabilities are now core elements of quality, andthat high-speed broadband is already an essential enabler of sustainable
development. We acknowledge, moreover, that differences in individuals’
capabilities to both use and create information and communications technologies
represent a knowledge divide that perpetuates inequality. We note, too, the ambition
to move beyond “information societies” to “knowledge societies”, in which
information is not only created and disseminated, but put to the benefit of humandevelopment. We recognize that such divides may change with technological andservice innovation, and we call on all stakeholders, particularly United Nations
entities that are facilitating the World Summit on the Information Society actionlines, within their mandate and existing resources, to continue working together toregularly analyse the nature of digital divides, study strategies to bridge them, andmake their findings available to the international community.
24. We underscore the need for further development of local content andservices in a variety of languages and formats that are accessible to all people, who
also need the capabilities and capacities, including media, information and digital
literacy skills to make use of and further develop information and communications
technologies. Accordingly, we recognize the vital importance of the principles ofmultilingualism in the information society to ensure the linguistic, cultural and

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historical diversity of all nations. We further recognize the value of the variety ofinteroperable and affordable information and communications technology solutions,
including such models as proprietary, open-source, and free software.
25. We call, moreover, for a significant increase in access to information andcommunications technologies, and encourage all stakeholders to strive to provide
universal and affordable access to the Internet for all. We welcome the efforts of all
stakeholders in pursuit of these goals, including efforts being undertaken in theConnect 2020 Agenda for Global Telecommunication/ICT Development, adopted by
the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union in2014.
26. We also recognize digital divides in digital uses and literacy and the needto bridge them.
27. We emphasize our concern that only 41 per cent of women have Internet
access, and draw attention to the gender digital divide, which persists in women’s
access to and use of information and communications technologies, including in
education, employment and other areas of economic and social development. We
recognize that ending the gender digital divide and the achievement of Sustainable
Development Goal 5 on gender are mutually reinforcing efforts, and we commit tomainstreaming gender in the World Summit on the Information Society process,including through a new emphasis on gender in the implementation and monitoringof the action lines, with the support of relevant United Nations entities, including
the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women(UN-Women). We call for immediate measures to achieve gender equality inInternet users by 2020, especially by significantly enhancing women’s and girls’
education and participation in information and communications technologies, as
users, content creators, employees, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders. We
reaffirm our commitment to ensure women’s full participation in decision -making
processes related to information and communications technologies.
1.2

Enabling environment
28. We recognize that certain policies have substantially contributed tobridging digital divides and the value of information and communications
technologies for sustainable development, and we commit to continuing to identify
and implement best and emerging practices for the establishment and functioning of
education, innovation and investment frameworks for information andcommunications technologies.
29. We recognize the importance of the free flow of information andknowledge, as the amount of information distributed worldwide grows and the roleof communication becomes all the more important. We acknowledge that themainstreaming of information and communications technologies in school curricula,open access to data, the fostering of competition, the creation of transparent,
predictable, independent and non-discriminatory regulatory and legal systems,
proportionate taxation and licensing fees, access to finance, facilitation of public private partnerships, multi-stakeholder cooperation, national and regional broadband
strategies, efficient allocation of the radio frequency spectrum, infrastructure sharing models, community-based approaches and public access facilities have inmany countries facilitated significant gains in connectivity and sustainable
development.

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30. We recognize that a lack of access to affordable and reliable technologies
and services remains a critical challenge in many developing countries, particularly
African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries andsmall island developing States, and middle-income countries, as well as countries insituations of conflict, post-conflict countries and countries affected by natural
disasters. All efforts should be deployed to reduce the price of information andcommunications technologies and broadband access, bearing in mind that deliberateinterventions, including through research and development and technology transfer
on mutually agreed terms, may be necessary to spur lower -cost connectivity options.
31. In building the information society, States are strongly urged to takesteps with a view to the avoidance of, and refrain from, any unilateral measure notin accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that
impedes the full achievement of economic and social development and hinders thewell-being of the people of the affected countries.
32. We recognize that the radio frequency spectrum should be managed in
the public interest and in accordance with legal principles, with full observanc e ofnational laws and regulations, as well as relevant international agreements.
33. We call for a special focus on actions that improve the enabling
environment for information and communications technologies and expand related
education and capacity-building opportunities. We also request the Commission on
Science and Technology for Development, within its mandate related to thefollow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society, and all action line
facilitators, within their respective mandates and existing resources, to work with all
stakeholders to regularly identify and promote specific, detailed actions to support
the enabling environment for information and communications technologies anddevelopment and provide the demand-driven policy advice, technical assistance andcapacity-building, as appropriate, to realize them.
1.3

Financial mechanisms
34. We welcome the fact that total public and private spending on
information and communications technologies has increased substantially in the l ast
decade, now reaching trillions of dollars annually, and that it has been
complemented by a proliferation of new financing mechanisms, both results
marking progress on paragraphs 23 and 27 of the Tunis Agenda.
35. We recognize, however, that harnessing information and communications
technology for development and bridging digital divides will require greater andsustainable investment in infrastructure and services, capacity-building, promotionof joint research and development and transfer of technolo gy on mutually agreed
terms. These mechanisms remain a primary focus for all countries and people,
particularly developing countries.
36. We commit to efficient public resource allocation to deployment anddevelopment of information and communications technology, recognizing the needfor budgeting for information and communications technology across all sectors,
especially education. We stress that capacity is a major barrier to closing digital
divides, and we recommend that capacity development, includin g for innovation, beemphasized to empower local experts and local communities to benefit fully fromand contribute to information and communications technology applications for

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development. We recognize the potential to improve connectivity, especially inremote and rural areas, through universal service funds and publicly funded network
infrastructure, among other tools, particularly in areas where market conditions
make investment difficult.
37. We note the commitments made in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, andrecognize that official development assistance and other concessional financial
flows for information and communications technology can make significant
contributions to development outcomes, in particular where they can reduce the riskof public and private investment, and increase the use of information andcommunications technology to strengthen good governance and tax collection.
38. We recognize the critical importance of private sector investment in
information and communications technology infrastructure, content and services,and we encourage Governments to create legal and regulatory frameworks
conducive to increased investment and innovation. We also recognize theimportance of public-private partnerships, universal access strategies and otherapproaches to this end.
39. We encourage a prominent profile for information and communications
technologies in the new Technology Facilitation Mechanism established in the
Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and consideration of how it can contribute toimplementation of the World Summit on the Information Society action lines.
40. We note with concern the challenges in implementing the Digital
Solidarity Fund, which was welcomed in the Tunis Agenda as an innovative
financial mechanism of a voluntary nature. We call for an ongoing evaluation of
innovative financing options in the annual review of the outcomes of the World
Summit on the Information Society.
2.

Human rights in the information society
41. We reaffirm the commitment set out in the Geneva Declaration and theTunis Commitment to the universality, indivisibility, interdependence andinterrelation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right todevelopment, as enshrined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of
the World Conference on Human Rights. 7 We also reaffirm that democracy,
sustainable development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, aswell as good governance at all levels, are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.
We resolve to strengthen respect for the rule of law in international, as in national,
affairs.
42. We recognize that human rights have been central to the vision of theWorld Summit on the Information Society and that information and communications
technologies have shown their potential to strengthen the exercise of human rights,
enabling access to information, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly
and association.
43. We reaffirm, moreover, as an essential foundation of the informationsociety, and as recognized in Human Rights Council resolution 26/13 of 26 June__________________
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A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III.

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2014 8 and General Assembly resolution 69/166 of 18 December 2014, that the samerights that people have offline must also be protected online.
44. We note with concern, however, that there are serious threats to freedomof expression and plurality of information, and we call for the protection ofjournalists, media workers and civil society space. We call on States to take allappropriate measures necessary to ensure the right to freedom of opin ion andexpression, the right to peaceful assembly and association and the right not to be
subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy, in accordance with their
human rights obligations.
45. We reaffirm our commitment to article 19 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, in which it is stated that everyone has the right to freedom of
opinion and expression, and that this right includes freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas throughany media and regardless of frontiers. We also recall the commitments made under
Article 19 by States that are party to the International Covenant on Civil andPolitical Rights. 9 We underscore the need to respect the independence of media. We
believe that communication is a fundamental social process, a basic human need andthe foundation of all social organization, and is therefore central to the informationsociety. Everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate, and noone should be excluded from the benefits that the information society offers.
46. We recall General Assembly resolution 69/166 and, in this context,
emphasize that no person shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interferencewith his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, consistent with countries’
obligations under international human rights law. Accordingly, we call upon all
States to review their procedures, practices and legislation regarding thesurveillance of communications, as well as their interception and collection of
personal data, including mass surveillance, with a view to upholding the right toprivacy as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and theInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for States that ar e party to theCovenant, by ensuring the full and effective implementation of all their obligations
under international human rights law.
47. We reaffirm our commitment to the provisions in article 29 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that everyone has duties to the community
in which alone the free and full development of his or her personality is possible,
and that, in the exercise of his or her rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject
only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing
due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting thejust requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democraticsociety. These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations. In this way, we shall promote an
information society in which human dignity is respected.

__________________
8

See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/69/53),
chap. V, sect. A.
9
See resolution 2200A (XXI), annex.

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3.

Building confidence and security in the use of information andcommunications technologies
48. We affirm that strengthening confidence and security in the use of
information and communications technologies for the development of informationsocieties and the success of such technologies is a driver for economic and social
innovation.
49. We welcome the significant efforts by Governments, the private sector,
civil society, the technical community and academia to build confidence andsecurity in the use of information and communications technologies, including by
the International Telecommunications Union, the Commission on Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the open ended intergovernmental expert group to conduct a comprehensive study of the
problem of cybercrime, and the Group of Governmental Experts on Developmentsin the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International
Security, among other international, regional and national efforts.
50. We recognize the leading role for Governments in cybersecurity matte rs
relating to national security. We further recognize the important roles andcontributions of all stakeholders, in their respective roles and responsibilities. We
reaffirm that building confidence and security in the use of information andcommunications technologies should be consistent with human rights.
51. We recognize the important role of international law, especially theCharter of the United Nations, in building confidence and security in the use of
information and communications technologies by States, and welcome the 2013 and2015 reports of the Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field ofInformation and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security.
52. We are concerned, however, about certain growing uses of informationand communications technologies that threaten security and development benefits,
including the use of such technologies for terrorist purposes and cybercrime. We
express the need for existing legal and enforcement frameworks to keep up with the
speed of technological change and its application. Furthermore, we note concernsthat attacks against States, institutions, companies, other entities and individuals are
now being undertaken through digital means. We reiterate our belief that a global
culture of cybersecurity needs to be promoted and developed and that cybersecurity
measures should be implemented in cooperation with all stakeholders andinternational expert bodies in order to foster trust and security in the informationsociety.
53. We call on Member States to intensify efforts to build robust domestic
security in information and communications technologies and the use thereof,
consistent with their international obligations and domestic law. We further call on
Member States to cooperate on transnational issues of information andcommunications technologies and the use thereof, including capacity -building andcooperation in combating the criminal misuse of the technologies and preventing theuse of technology, communications and resources for criminal or terrorist purposes.
54. We recognize the challenges that States, in particular developing
countries, face in building confidence and security in the use of information andcommunications technologies. We call for renewed focus on capacity -building,
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stakeholder cooperation at all levels and raising awareness among users of
information and communications technologies, particularly among the poorest andmost vulnerable.
4.

Internet governance
55. We reaffirm paragraph 55 of the Tunis Agenda, and in this regard we
recognize that the existing arrangements have worked effectively to make theInternet the highly robust, dynamic and geographically diverse medium that it istoday, with the private sector taking the lead in day-to-day operations and with
innovation and the creation of value at the edges. However, almost 4 billion people,
representing approximately two thirds of the people residing in developing
countries, remain offline.
56. We recognize that there are many cross-cutting international public
policy issues that require attention and have not been adequately addressed.
57. We take note of paragraph 29 of the Tunis Agenda and recognize that the
management of the Internet as a global facility includes multilateral, transparent,
democratic and multi-stakeholder processes, with the full involvement ofGovernments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, technicaland academic communities, and all other relevant stakeholders in accordance with
their respective roles and responsibilities.
58. We reiterate the working definition of Internet governance, set out inparagraph 34 of the Tunis Agenda, as the development and application by
Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of sharedprinciples, norms, rules, decision-making procedures and programmes that shape theevolution and use of the Internet.
59. We reaffirm the principle agreed in the Geneva Declaration that the
management of the Internet encompasses both technical and public policy issues
and should involve all stakeholders and relevant intergovernmental and internationalorganizations, within their respective roles and responsibilities, as set out inparagraph 35 of the Tunis Agenda.
60. We take note of the hosting by the Government of Brazil of the
NETMundial Global Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet
Governance, in Sao Paulo, on 23 and 24 April 2014.
61. We recognize that there is a need to promote greater participation andengagement in the Internet governance discussions of Governments, the private
sector, civil society, international organizations, the technical and academic
communities and all other relevant stakeholders from developing countries,
particularly African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing
countries and small island developing States, and middle -income countries, as wellas countries in situations of conflict, post-conflict countries and countries affectedby natural disasters. We call for strengthened, stable, transparent and voluntary
funding mechanisms to this end.
62. We note the important regulatory and legislative processes in someMember States on the open Internet in the context of the information society and theunderlying drivers for it, and call for further information -sharing at the international
level on the opportunities and challenges.

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63. We acknowledge the role of the Internet Governance Forum as amulti-stakeholder platform for discussion of Internet governance issues. We support
the recommendations in the report of the Working Group on Improvements to theInternet Governance Forum of the Commission on Science and Technology for
Development, 10 which the General Assembly took note of in its resolution 68/198 of
20 December 2013, and we call for their accelerated implementation. We extend foranother 10 years the existing mandate of the Internet Governance Forum as set out
in paragraphs 72 to 78 of the Tunis Agenda. We recognize that during that period,
the Forum should continue to show progress on working modalities and theparticipation of relevant stakeholders from developing countries. We call on theCommission, within its regular reporting, to give due co nsideration to fulfilment of
the recommendations in the report of its Working Group.
4.1.

Enhanced cooperation
64. We acknowledge that various initiatives have been implemented andsome progress has been made in relation to the process towards enhance dcooperation detailed in paragraphs 69 to 71 of the Tunis Agenda.
65. We note, however, the divergent views held by Member States withrespect to the process towards implementation of enhanced cooperation asenvisioned in the Tunis Agenda. We call for continued dialogue and work on theimplementation of enhanced cooperation. We accordingly request the Chair of theCommission on Science and Technology for Development, through the Economic
and Social Council, to establish a working group to develop recomme ndations on
how to further implement enhanced cooperation as envisioned in the Tunis Agenda,
taking into consideration the work that has been done on this matter thus far. The
group, which shall be constituted no later than July 2016, will decide at the ou tset
on its methods of work, including modalities, and will ensure the full involvementof all relevant stakeholders, taking into account all their diverse views andexpertise. The group will submit a report to the Commission on Science andTechnology for Development at its twenty-first session for inclusion in the annual
report of the Commission to the Council. The report will also serve as an input tothe regular reporting of the Secretary-General on implementation of the outcomes ofthe World Summit on the Information Society.

5.

Follow-up and review
66. We reaffirm that the ongoing implementation of the outcomes of theWorld Summit on the Information Society will require the continued commitment
and action of all stakeholders, including Governments, the private sector, civilsociety, international organizations and the technical and academic communities,
and that regular review of progress of the full set of Summit action lines will beessential to achieving the vision of the Summit.
67. We call for the continuation of annual reports on the implementation ofoutcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, through the Commission
on Science and Technology for Development, to the Economic and Social Council,
taking into account the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, and in this regard invite the high -level political forum on sustainable__________________
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development to consider the annual reports of the Commission on Science andTechnology for Development. We encourage the members of the United Nations
Group on the Information Society to contribute to the reports.
68. We also call for the continuation of the work of the United Nations
Group on the Information Society in coordinating the work of United Nations
agencies, according to their mandates and competencies, and we invite the regional
commissions to continue their work in implementation of the World Summit on the
Information Society action lines and their contribution to the reviews thereof,
including through regional reviews.
69. We recognize that the World Summit on the Information Society Forumhas been a platform for discussion and sharing of best practices in theimplementation of the World Summit outcomes by all stakeholders, and it should
continue to be held annually.
70. We acknowledge the importance of data and statistics to support
information and communications technology for development, and call for further
quantitative data to support evidence-based decision-making, as well as for the
inclusion of information and communications technology statistics in national
strategies for the development of statistics and in regional statistical work
programmes, and for strengthening local statistical capacity and targeted training by
Governments and all other relevant stakeholders. The activities of the Partnershipon Measuring Information and Communications Technology for Development havemade a valuable contribution to data-gathering and dissemination and should becontinued.
71. We recognize that, in the preparation of this review, a number ofchallenges and opportunities have been identified, requiring longer -term
consultations to determine appropriate responses, and that the pace of thedevelopment of information and communications technologies necessitates higher level consideration of progress achieved and future action. We accordingly request
the General Assembly to hold a high-level meeting on the overall review of theimplementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society in
2025, involving the input and participation of all stakeholders, including in the
preparatory process, to take stock of progress on the outcomes of the World Summit
on the Information Society and identify both areas of continued focus andchallenges. We recommend that the outcome of the high-level meeting be an input
into the review process for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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