High-Level Policy Sessions

The WSIS Forum builds upon the outcomes of the UN General Assembly Overall Review of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes (UNGA Resolution 70/125), which recognized the necessity of holding this Forum on an annual basis and called for a close alignment between WSIS and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) processes. The WSIS Forum will therefore serve as a key forum for discussing the role of ICTs as a means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, with due regard to the global mechanism for follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNGA Resolution A/70/1).

Policy Statements will be delivered during the High-Level Track (13-14 June 2017) of the WSIS Forum 2017 by high-ranking officials of the WSIS Stakeholder community, representing the Government, Private Sector, Civil Society, Academia and International Organizations. The high-level track will consist of the opening segment, interactive policy dialogues, ministerial round table, and a high-level networking programme. Policy statement sessions will be moderated by high-level track facilitators and will be grouped around different themes identified as important by the WSIS Stakeholders during the open consultation process.

High-Level Speakers

WSIS Forum 2017 Chairman

H.E. Mr. Jean Philbert Nsengimana

Minister of Youth and ICT
Rwanda

High-Level Track Facilitators

Ms. Brenda Aynsley

Chairman IP3 ACS Fellow and Honorary Life Member, CP

International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP)

Ms Reine Essobmadje

CO-Founder

Digital Coalition

Ms Jessica Dheere

CO-Founder and CO-Director

Social Media Exchange (SMEX)

Ms Gayatri Khandhadai

Project Coordinator

Association for Progressive Communications (APC)

Mr. Dr. Jovan Kurbalija

Founding Director

DiploFoundation

Ms. Mehwish Abid Ansari

Programme Assistant at Digital Programme

ARTICLE 19

Dr. Yury G. Grin

Deputy Director General

Intervale

Ms. Dominique Lazanski

Public Policy Director

GSM Association

Mr. Habib Kammoun

Chairperson of the IEEE Tunisia Section & leader in the REGIM-Lab. (Research Groups in Intelligent Machines)

University of Sfax

Dr. Nitya Khemka

Affiliate Lecturer

University of Cambridge

Ms. Shuchita Thapar

Project Manager Cybersecurity Team

National Law University, Delhi

Mr. André Lucas Fernandes

High Level Facilitator on behalf of the Youth SIG / President of the Commission on Technology and Information Law of the Bar Association of Brazil/PE (CDTI-OAB/PE) / Founding member of ISOC's Youth SIG

Lawyer and researcher on Law and Technology at the Federal University of Pernambuco

Mr. Justin Caso

Technology Policy and International Affairs Senior Advisor

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Mr. Shernon Osepa

Regional Affairs Manager for Latin America & The Caribbean Bureau

Internet Society (ISOC)

High-Level Speakers

Mrs. Narine Abazian

President

Women and Information Society NGO

Ms. Salma Abbasi

Chairperson and CEO

eWorldwide Group

H.E. Mr. Ped Peter Shanel Agovaka

Minister , Ministry of Communication and Aviation

Solomon Islands

H.E. Mr. Oscar Aguad

Minister , Ministry of Communications

Argentina

H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Mohamed Osman

State Minister , Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Sudan

Mr. Shahid Akbar

Chief Executive Officer

Bangladesh Institute of ICT in Development (BIID)

H.E. Mr. Jamal Al Jarrah

Minister , Ministry of Telecommunications

Lebanon

H.E. Mr. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori

Director General , Telecommunication Regulatory Authority

United Arab Emirates

Ms. Mehwish Ansari

Digital Programme Assistant

ARTICLE 19

Mr. Omar Mansoor Ansari

President

TechNation

Ms. Chinmayi Arun

Executive Director

Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University Delhi

H.E. Mr. Ravinatha Aryasinha

Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Group of Fifteen

Group of Fifteen

Ms. Brenda Aynsley

CHAIRMAN

International Professional Practice Partnership, IFIP (IFIP IP3)

Ms. Fátima Barros

Chair of ANACOM's Board of Directors , ANACOM

Portugal

Ms. Karen Bartleson

President

IEEE

Mr. Richard Beaird

Consultant

Wiley Rein LLP

Mr. Pablo Bello Arellano

Secretary General

ASIET

Ms. Tish Berard

President-elect

International Trademark Association (INTA)

Mr. Virat Bhatia

Vice-Chair, Commission on the Digital Economy

International Chamber of Commerce (AT&T)

Mr. Norbert Bollow

Co-convenor

Just Net Coalition

Dr. Veselin Bozhkov

Chairman , Communications Regulation Commission

Bulgaria

H.E. Mr. Julian Braithwaite

UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva , UK Mission to the UN and other organisations

United Kingdom

Ms. Deborah Brown

Global Advocacy Lead

Assocation for Progressive Communications

Mr. Fadi Chehadé

Senior Advisor

World Economic Forum

Mr. Marcin Cichy

President , Office of Electronic Communications

Poland

H.E. Mr. Gastão De Sousa

Minister , Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications

Timor-Leste

Dr. Beate Degen

Partner

EY Germany

H.E. Mr. Cornelius Deveaux

Deputy Minister , Ministry of Information and Communications

Sierra Leone

Mr. Pavan Duggal

President

CYBERLAW ASIA

Mr. Raul Echeberria

Vice President of Global Engagement

Internet Society

H.E. Ms. Houda Imane Faraoun

Minister , Ministry of Post, Telecommunications, Technology and Digitalization

Algeria

Mr. Kingsly Fernando

Director General , Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Mr. Akif Gilalov

Chairman

World's Global Telecom

Ms. Iffat Gill

Founder & CEO

ChunriChoupaal-The Code To Change

Prof. Alison Gillwald

Executive Director/Professor

Research ICT Africa/ University of Cape Town

Ms. Arancha González

Executive Director

International Trade Center (ITC)

Mr. Wilfredo Gonzalez Vidal

Vice Minister , Ministry of Communications

Cuba

Ms. Deborah Greenfield

Deputy Director-General for Policy

International Labour Organization

Dr. Yury Grin

Deputy Director General

Intervale

Ms. Areewan Haorangsi

Secretary General

Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT)

Mr. Jaime Herrera

Member of the Board , SUTEL, Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, órgano regulador de telecomunicaciones

Costa Rica

Dr. Richard Hill

President

Association for Proper Internet Governance

Prof. Mike Hinchey

President

International Federation for Information Processing

Mr. Bishar Abdirahman Hussein

Director General

Universal Postal Union

H.E. Mr. Léon Juste Ibombo

Ministre , Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications du Congo

Congo

H.E. Mr. Rashid Ismailov

Deputy Minister , Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications

Russian Federation

Mr. Godfrey Itaye

Director General , Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)

Malawi

H.E. Mr. Samuel Itemere

Principal Secretary, Broadcasting & Telecommunications , Ministry of Information, Communications & Technology

Kenya

H.E. Mr. Nasrollah Jahangard

ICT Vice Minister and Chairman of , Information Technology Organization of Iran (ITO)

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Mr. Malcolm Johnson

Deputy Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Mr. Tarek Kamel

Senior VP and Adviser to President

ICANN

Dr. Cisse Kane

President

Société Civile Africaine sur la Société de l'Information (ACSIS)

Mr. Leong Keng Thai

Deputy Chief Executive , Info-communications Media Development Authority

Singapore

H.E. Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan

Minister , Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication

Pakistan

Mr. Mukhisa Kituyi

Secretary-General

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

H.E. Mr. Bruno Nabagné Koné

Minister , Ministry of Communications, Digital Economy and the Post

Côte d'Ivoire

H.E. Mr. Boris Koprivnikar

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration , Ministry of Public Administration

Slovenia

Dr. Kokula Krishna Hari Kunasekaran

International Secretary

Association of Scientists, Developers and Faculties

Mr. Frank LA RUE

Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information

UNESCO

H.E. Mr. Monise Laafai

Minister , Ministry of Communications and Transport

Tuvalu

Ms. Adriana Sofía Labardini Inzunza

Commissioner , Federal Telecommunications Institute

Mexico

Mr. Tomas Lamanauskas

Group Director Public Policy

VEON

Mr. Chaesub Lee

Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau

International Telecommunication Union

Dr. Dražen Lučić

President of Council , Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM)

Croatia

Mr. Peter Major

Vice-Chair

United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD)

H.E. Mr. Pedro Marques

Minister of Planning and Infrastructure , Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure

Portugal

Mr. Marco Marsella

Head of Learning, Multilingualism, and Accessibility Unit

European Commission, DG CONNECT

H.E. Mr. Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael Measho

Minister , Ministry of Communication and Infomation Technology

Ethiopia

H.E. Mr. Maximiliano Martin Meko Abeme

Minister , Ministry of Telecommunications and New Technologies

Equatorial Guinea

H.E. Mr. Philipp Metzger

Director General , Federal Office of Communications OFCOM

Switzerland

Mr. Tontama Charles Millogo

Président , Autorité de Régulation des Communications électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP)

Burkina Faso

H.E. Mr. Win Busayi Juyana Mlambo

Deputy-Minister , Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services

Zimbabwe

H.E. Ms. Rafiatou Monrou

Ministre de l'Economie Numerique et de la communication , Government

Benin

Prof. Allam Mousa

Minister , Ministry of Telecom & Information Technology

State of Palestine

Dr. Carolyn Nguyen

Vice-Chair, Commission on the Digital Economy

International Chamber of Commerce (Microsoft)

Prof. Saul Njie

Co-Founder

Be Inspired Internationally

H.E. Mr. Jean Philbert Nsengimana

Minister , Ministry of Youth and ICT

Rwanda

Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Adarkwa

Chief Executive Officer

25th Century Technology Limited

H.E. Mr. Edgar Olvera Jiménez

Vice Minister of Communications , Secretariat of Communications and Transportation

Mexico

Mr. Hussaini Omale

Chief Executive Officer

Hypergreen Environmental Consultancy

H.E. Ms. Hadja Fatimata Ouattara née SANON

Ministre , Ministère du Développement de l'Economie Numérique et des Postes

Burkina Faso

H.E. Mrs. Hadja Fatimata Ouattara/Sanon

Ministre , Ministère du Développement de l'Economie numérique et des Postes

Burkina Faso

Ms. Mirian Teresita Palacios Ferreira

Presidente , Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL)

Paraguay

Mr. Robert Pepper

Head, Global Connectivity Policy & Planning

Facebook

Mr. Scott Phipps

President and CEO

Clean Development Group (CDG)

Mr. Christophe Pierre

Directeur , Département de l'Equipement, de l'Environnement et de l'Urbanisme

Monaco

Mrs. Maya Plentz Fagundes

Executive Director

50 More Ventures

Prof. Khondkar Siddique-e Rabbani

Honorary Professor

University of Dhaka

Dr. Yvette Ramos

Head

International Network of Women Engineers & Scientists

Mr. François Rancy

Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau (BR)

International Telecommunication Union

H.E. Ms. Irini Reljin

Assistant Minister for Electronic Communications and Postal Services , Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Telecommunications

Serbia

Prof. Alfredo M. Ronchi

Secretary General

MEDICI Framework of Cooperation

Mr. Brahima Sanou

Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)

International Telecommunication Union

Mr. Birendra Sasmal

Chief Executive

Subah Infosolutions

Dr. Madeleine Scherb

President

Health and Environment Program (HEP)

Mr. Min Bahadur Shahi

Executive Director

Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC)

H.E. Mr. Roman Shaykhutdinov

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan - Minister of Information and Communication of the Republic of Tatarstan , Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan

Russian Federation

H.E. Mr. Manoj Sinha

Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Railways , Ministry of Communications

India

H.E. Mr. Pansak Siriruchatapong

Vice Minister , Ministry of Digital Economy and Society

Thailand

Dr. Martha Liliana Suárez Peñaloza

Directora General , Agencia Nacional del Espectro

Colombia

H.E. Mr. Shigeki Suzuki

Vice Minister for Policy Coordination , Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Japan

Ms. Anna Szóstak

Deputy CEO and Commercial Proxy

Systemics-PAB

Mr. Petteri Taalas

Secretary-General

World Meteorological Organization

H.E. Mr. Phan Tam

Deputy Minister , Ministry Of Information And Communications

Viet Nam

Ms. Joy Tan

President, Corporate Communications

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd

Mr. Syed Tarek

Founder

Earth Aid

Prof. Dimitrios Tsamakis

President , Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT)

Greece

H.E. Mr. Frank Tumwebaze Kagyigyi

Minister , Ministry of ICT and National Guidance

Uganda

H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Vaezi

Minister , Ministry of Information & Communication Technology

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Mr. Marc Vancoppenolle

Global Head of Nokia Government Relations

Nokia

Mr. Grigore Varanita

Director , National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI)

Republic of Moldova

Dr. Andrejs Vasiļjevs

CEO

European Language Technology Company "Tilde"

H.E. Mr. Elmir Velizadeh

Deputy Minister , Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies

Azerbaijan

Mr. Igor Vilas Boas de Freitas

Comissioner , National Telecommunications Agency - Anatel

Brazil

Ms. Angelique Weeks

Chairperson , Liberia Telecommunications Authority

Liberia

Mr. Piro Xhixho

Chairman , Electronic and Postal Communication Authority (AKEP)

Albania

H.E. Mr. Leonid Yevdochenko

Chairman , State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection

Ukraine

H.E. Mr. Abdi Youssouf Sougueh

Minister , Ministry of Communications, Posts & Telecommunications

Djibouti

Mr. Houlin Zhao

Secretary-General

International Telecommunication Union

Ms. Julie Zoller

Acting Coordinator for International Communication and Information Policy , U.S. Department of State

United States of America