Official Opening Segment

Session 256

09:00–13:00, Tuesday, 20 March 2018 Room 1, CICG Captioning Interpretation: EN/FR/AR/ZH/ES/RU Opening Ceremony Speakers/Panellists Link to WSIS Action Lines Link to SDGs Documents

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The Opening Ceremony sets the priorities of the WSIS Forum 2018, bringing forth a wide range of topics within the Global Information and Knowledge Societies while emphasizing the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), WSIS Action Lines in particular, regarding the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this way, the WSIS Forum 2018 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 SDG processes.

The WSIS Forum 2018 will therefore serve as a key forum for discussing the role of ICTs as a means of implementation of the SDGs 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). The WSIS-SDG Matrix, developed by UN WSIS Action Line Facilitator and presented at the WSIS Forum 2015, will serve as the mechanism to map, analyse and coordinate the implementation of WSIS Action Lines, and more specifically, ICTs as enablers and accelerators of the SDGs.

The ceremony will begin with opening statements from the host, co-organizers, partners and representatives of stakeholders engaged in the WSIS Process. The Opening Ceremony will conclude with the handing out of the WSIS prizes.

The format, agenda, and the thematic focus of the Forum is a result of an open consultation process with the involvement of all WSIS Stakeholders. The Forum will build upon two tracks, the High-Level Track, and the Forum Track.

Speakers/Panellists

9:00–10:00

Opening Ceremony (Statements):

Mr. Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General (Video message)

Ms. Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General
Mr. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General, ITU
H.E Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Deputy Director General, Telecommunication Sector, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), United Arab Emirates (Platinum Partner)
Ms. Isabelle Durant, Deputy Secretary-General, UNCTAD
Mr. Getachew Engida, Deputy Director-General, UNESCO
H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Salem Al-Ruwais, Governor, CITC, Saudi Arabia (Gold Partner)
Mr. Yi Xiaozhun, Deputy Director-General, WTO
Mr. Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UNITAR
Mr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice President, World Bank Group
Mr. Peter Major, Vice- Chair, UNCSTD
Mr. Huidi Li, Executive Vice President, China Mobile
Mr. Cyril Ritchie, First Vice President, The Conference of NGOs (CoNGO)

10:00–10:15

Appointment of the Chairman of the WSIS Forum 2018 and Announcement of High-level Track Facilitators

Mr. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General, ITU
Chairman Elect: H.E Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Deputy Director General, Telecommunication Sector, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), United Arab Emirates

10:15–11:15

High-level Strategic Dialogue - Multistakeholder Partnership for WSIS Implementation

Chairman — H.E Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Deputy Director General, Telecommunication Sector, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), United Arab Emirates
Mr. Malcolm Johnson, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU (Moderator)
UNECE — Ms. Olga Algayerova, Executive Secretary
UNESCWA — Mr. Mohamed Ali Alhakim, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary
Rwanda — H.E. Mr. Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa, Minister, Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (MiTEC)
Japan — H.E. Mr. Masahiko Tominaga, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination (International Affairs), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Oman — Mr. Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi, CEO, Information Technology Authority
Poland — Mr. Marcin Cichy, President, Office for Electronic Communications
Switzerland — Mr. Thomas Schneider, Ambassador and Director of International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office of Communication (OFCOM)
IEEE — Ms. Karen Bartleson, Past President and CEO
ICANN — Mr. Tarek Kamel, Senior Advisor to the President and CEO for Government and IGO Engagement
ISOC — Ms. Constance Bommelaer, Senior Director of Global Internet Policy

11:15–11:20

Announcement of WSIS Forum 2018 Hackathon Winners

11:20–12:20

High-Level Strategic Dialogue – ICTs Advancing the Implementation of SDGs Celebrating 15 Years of Geneva Plan of Implementation

Chairman — H.E Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Deputy Director General, Telecommunication Sector, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), United Arab Emirates
Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU (Moderator)
Ghana — H.E. Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister, Ministry of Communications
Brazil — H.E. Mr. Andre Borges, Secretary of Telecommunications, Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication
India — Ms. Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary (Telecom), Vice-Minister, Ministry of Communications
Mexico — Ms. Yolanda Martinez Mancilla, Chief of National Digital Strategy, Government of Mexico - Office of the Presidency
H.E. Amb. Janis Karklins, President of WSIS 2005 Preparatory Committee for the Tunis Phase
Prof. Vladimir Minkin, Chairman of the Multistakeholder Preparatory Process, WSIS +10 High-Level Event 2014, Geneva
Mr. Marc Furrer, Former Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM)
Mr. Ridha Guellouz, International Expert in ICT strategies , President - Tunisian ICT Association - ATTIC Tunisia
UNDP — Ms. Maria Luisa Silva, Director, UNDP Representation Office in Geneva
International Chamber of Commerce — Ms. Elizabeth Thomas-Raynaud, Senior Policy Executive

12:20–13:00

WSIS Project Prize Ceremony

Eighteen WSIS Project Prizes will be awarded during this session recognizing successful initiatives by governments, private sector actors, civil society members and partnerships between all stakeholders. wsis.org/prizes. The winners are awarded for their tremendous efforts and achievements on implementation of WSIS outcomes.

Mr. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General, ITU
Awarding 18 Winning Projects

Session's link to WSIS Action Lines

C1. The role of public governance authorities and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
C2. Information and communication infrastructure
C3. Access to information and knowledge
C4. Capacity building
C5. Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs
C6. Enabling environment
C7. ICT Applications: E-government
C7. ICT Applications: E-business
C7. ICT Applications: E-learning
C7. ICT Applications: E-health
C7. ICT Applications: E-employment
C7. ICT Applications: E-environment
C7. ICT Applications: E-agriculture
C7. ICT Applications: E-science
C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content
C9. Media
C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society
C11. International and regional cooperation

Session's link to Sustainable Development Process

Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development