The High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation was established by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on 12 July 2018.
Purpose
The scale, spread and speed of change brought about by digital technology is unprecedented,
and the current means and levels of international cooperation are unequal to the challenge.
Digital technologies make a significant contribution to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and cut uniquely across international boundaries, policy silos and
professional domains. Cooperation across domains and across borders is therefore critical to
realizing the full social and economic potential of digital technologies, mitigating the risks they
pose, and curtailing any unintended consequences.
The High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation was convened by the UN Secretary-General to
The High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation was convened by the UN Secretary-General to
advance proposals to strengthen cooperation in the digital space among Governments,
the private sector, civil society, international organizations, academia, the technical
community and other relevant stakeholders.
The Panel is expected to raise awareness about the transformative impact of digital technologies
The Panel is expected to raise awareness about the transformative impact of digital technologies
across society and the economy, and contribute to the broader public debate on how to
ensure a safe and inclusive digital future for all, taking into account relevant human
rights norms.
Panel Members
Co-chairs
Melinda Gates (USA), Co-Chair of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Mohammed Al Gergawi (UAE), Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, UAE
Yuichiro Anzai (Japan), Senior Advisor and Director of Center for Science Information
Analysis, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Nikolai Astrup (Norway), Minister of International Development, Norway
Vinton Cerf (USA), Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google
Fadi Chehadé (USA), Partner at ABRY Partners
Sophie Soowon Eom (Republic of Korea), Founder of Adriel AI and Solidware
Isabel Guerrero Pulgar (Chile), Director, IMAGO Global Grassroots and Lecturer,
Harvard Kennedy School
Marina Kaljurand (Estonia), Chair of the Global Commission on the Stability of
Cyberspace
Bogolo Kenewendo (Botswana), Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Botswana
Marina Kolesnik (Russian Federation), senior executive, entrepreneur and WEF
Young Global Leader
Doris Leuthard (Switzerland), Head of the Federal Department of the Environment,
Transport, Energy and Communications, Switzerland
Cathy Mulligan (United Kingdom), Visiting Research Fellow Imperial College
Centre for Cryptocurrency
Akaliza Keza Ntwari (Rwanda), ICT advocate and entrepreneur
Edson Prestes (Brazil), Professor, Institute of Informatics, Federal University of Rio
Grande do Sul
Kira Radinsky (Israel), Director of Data Science, eBay
Nanjira Sambuli (Kenya), Digital Equality Advocacy Manager, World Wide Web
Foundation
Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah (Australia), Secretary General, CIVICUS
Jean Tirole (France), Chairman of the Toulouse School of Economics and the Institute
for Advanced Study in Toulouse
The deliberations of the Panel will be supported by a small secretariat, co-led by:
The deliberations of the Panel will be supported by a small secretariat, co-led by:
Amandeep Singh Gill (India), Executive Director, Secretariat of the High-level Panel
on Digital Cooperation (ex officio)
Jovan Kurbalija, (Serbia), Executive Director, Secretariat of the High-level Panel on
Digital Cooperation (ex officio)
All panel members serve in their personal capacity, not as representatives of their
All panel members serve in their personal capacity, not as representatives of their
respective institutions.
Process
The Panel will hold two in-person meetings in September 2018 and January 2019, and
Process
The Panel will hold two in-person meetings in September 2018 and January 2019, and
will meet virtually as required.
The Panel will also seek to gather the views and proposals of Member States, relevant
The Panel will also seek to gather the views and proposals of Member States, relevant
industries, civil society and academia worldwide through a careful consultation process.
It will draw expertise from expert communities across the globe through engagement at
existing events, conferences and forums as well as call for contributions from the general
public through virtual hubs and online participation platforms. Two regional consultations
will be organized in Asia and in Africa.
The Panel will complete its deliberations and submit its final report, including actionable recommendations, within a nine-month period. The report will map trends in digital
The Panel will complete its deliberations and submit its final report, including actionable recommendations, within a nine-month period. The report will map trends in digital
technologies, identify gaps and opportunities, and outline proposals for strengthening
international cooperation in the digital space.
FAQs
Why was the Panel established?
FAQs
Why was the Panel established?
Current means and levels of international cooperation are not commensurate with the scale
and rapidity of changes brought about by digital technologies. Digital technologies cut
uniquely across international boundaries. Cooperation across sectors and across borders
is critical to realizing the full social and economic potential of digital technologies as
well as mitigating the risks they could pose.
Why is it called High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation?
Why is it called High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation?
The term Digital Cooperation aims to frame discussions on digital issues in a cooperative
framework; it also aims to break silos by encouraging thinking and action across domains,
and build trust among various stakeholders.
What are the expected outcomes?
What are the expected outcomes?
The Panel will submit a report that will provide a high-level independent contribution to
the broader public debate on digital cooperation frameworks and support Member States
in their consultations on these issues.
The report is expected to: 1) raise awareness about the transformative impact of digital
The report is expected to: 1) raise awareness about the transformative impact of digital
technologies across society and the economy, 2) identify policy, research and information
gaps as well as ways to improve interdisciplinary action on digital technologies, and 3)
present concrete proposals to strengthen cooperation in the digital space in an effective
and inclusive manner.
It is expected that the consultation process leading to the report will contribute to stimulating
It is expected that the consultation process leading to the report will contribute to stimulating
discussion among and between various stakeholder groups on how they can work together to
maximize the potential of the digital transformation.
How is this different from other panels, commissions and international forums on similar
How is this different from other panels, commissions and international forums on similar
topics?
The Secretary-General welcomes the increased focus on the implications of digital
The Secretary-General welcomes the increased focus on the implications of digital
technologies for our society and our economy through commissions, conferences and
other forums. This signifies that the timing is ripe for the digital policy ecosystem to
evolve to the next level of maturity.
The work of all these initiatives can and should be mutually reinforcing. Wherever
The work of all these initiatives can and should be mutually reinforcing. Wherever
possible, this Panel will work with other initiatives and seek to identify synergies and
complementarities.
How is the Panel supported?
How is the Panel supported?
The Panel is supported by a small Secretariat funded by donor resources, and based in
New York and Geneva.
How were the Panel members selected?
How were the Panel members selected?
The Secretary-General invited 20 independent experts with a range of professional
and academic backgrounds in fields related to technology and policy. All members
serve in their personal capacity, not as representatives of their affiliated institutions.
The Panel’s composition represents a broad mix of disciplines and sectors, geographic,
The Panel’s composition represents a broad mix of disciplines and sectors, geographic,
gender and age diversity in an effort to reflect the cross-boundary nature of the digital
sphere. Given that young people will be disproportionately affected by the future impact
of a digital society, the Panel includes several individuals under the age of 35.
Contact and More Information
Visit the dedicated website for further information, engagement opportunities and news: www.digitalcooperation.org
For updates about the Panel, follow on Twitter at @UNSGdigicoop or sign up for
Contact and More Information
Visit the dedicated website for further information, engagement opportunities and news: www.digitalcooperation.org
For updates about the Panel, follow on Twitter at @UNSGdigicoop or sign up for
the mailing list.
To provide suggestions or comments, contact the High Level Panel Secretariat
To provide suggestions or comments, contact the High Level Panel Secretariat
http://www.un.org/en/digital-cooperation-panel/
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