Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1 July 2026 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) presented the Africa 2035 Digital Implementation Roadmap at the “Africa Regional Consultation on the Implementation of WSIS+20 Outcomes: Operationalizing WSIS+20 and GDC” held from 1-2 July 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event marks the regional kickoff for translating the UN General Assembly WSIS+20 outcomes into coordinated continental action. In collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia and with participation from key stakeholders, the consultation brought together partners to review the roadmap, prepared by ECA, and align on its operationalization toward 2035, establishing a unified framework for tracking progress, impact, and delivery at regional scale across Africa.
Anchored in the WSIS+20 UNGA Resolution A/RES/80/173 and reinforcing the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the roadmap shifts the focus from fragmented initiatives to a sequenced implementation approach that aligns existing continental instruments, including Agenda 2063, the AU Digital Transformation Strategy, data governance and AI frameworks, and digital public infrastructure initiatives into a coherent delivery architecture.
The two-day regional consultation aims to translate the Implementation Roadmap into actionable priorities by examining its phased implementation approach and the identified thematic implementation pillars, while clarifying the roles of Member States and other stakeholders in strengthening interlinkages between the WSIS Action Lines, the GDC objectives, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) ecosystem. In addition, the consultation is expected to support Member States in familiarizing themselves with the proposed unified reporting framework, including key indicators for monitoring digital inclusion, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure, governance, and meaningful connectivity, thereby strengthening alignment, comparability, and evidence-based tracking of progress.
Speakers underscored that Africa’s priority is no longer only connectivity, but ensuring digital transformation drives jobs, improves education and health services, strengthens governance, accelerates innovation, and expands opportunity for all. Speaking on behalf of the Republic of Benin and the Network of African Parliamentarians for Digital Governance, Hon. Alidjanatou Saliou Arekpa called for accelerated implementation of commitments under the 2025 Cotonou Declaration, building on the outcomes of the 2025 WSIS+20 journey review in Africa held in Benin last year.
“We have not come to Addis Ababa to rewrite Cotonou. We have come to take stock and accelerate progress,” she said, stressing digital sovereignty, inclusion, cybersecurity, innovation ecosystems, and stronger parliamentary engagement in digital governance.
Addressing the meeting virtually, Ms. Isabelle Lois, Vice-Chair of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), commended the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) for effectively carrying out its mandate under the WSIS+20 Resolution to lead the regional WSIS process, including the development of the Africa 2035 Digital Implementation Roadmap, noting that this work is critical for accelerating implementation and strengthening inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships as central priorities.
In his keynote address, Mr. Samuel Kobina Annim, Director of the African Centre for Statistics, ECA, noted that while digital infrastructure has expanded across the continent, significant gaps remain in access, usage, and inclusion. “Digital transformation is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063,” he said, stressing that the roadmap serves as a decisive implementation platform to bridge Africa’s implementation gap, address the persistent data gap through a standardized set of reporting indicators, and ensure coherence across implementation, monitoring, and reporting processes at continental scale, while reducing fragmentation and administrative silos.
Representing the Government of Ethiopia, Mr. Seyoum Mengesha, Ministry of Innovation and Technology, emphasized that digital transformation is a core pillar of national development. “Digital transformation is not a standalone technology agenda, it is fundamental to inclusive growth, better public services, competitiveness, youth opportunities and regional integration,” he said, citing Ethiopia’s investments in digital public infrastructure, digital identity, e-government services, broadband, digital finance, cybersecurity and innovation ecosystems.
The consultation will contribute to advancing the Africa 2035 Digital Implementation Roadmap, including the proposed joint WSIS–GDC implementation and reporting framework, which will guide implementation, monitoring and reporting on WSIS+20 and GDC commitments across the continent.
As Africa enters the next phase of digital transformation, these milestones reaffirm that progress will be measured not by declarations, but by tangible improvements and the effective delivery of commitments across the continent.
For more information https://www.uneca.org/eca-events/africa-regional-consultation-wsis20-outcomes-implementation-operationalizing-wsis20-and-gdc
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org