Name: WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025
Start: 2025-07-07T07:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-07-11T23:00:00+02:00
Location: Palexpo

South Africa 20-Year Country Report

South Africa

Session 543

Friday, 11 July 2025 09:00–09:45 (UTC+02:00) Physical (on-site) and Virtual (remote) participation Room E, Palexpo Interactive Session 1 Document

20-Year Country Report

During the session, the Government of the Republic of South Africa will launch South Africa's 20-year country report on the implementation of the WSIS Action Line, highlighting progress and challenges, and sharing best practices to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

Ms. Nonkqubela Thathakahle Jordan-Dyani Director-General Department of Communications and Digital Technologies Remote Panellist

https://www.dcdt.gov.za/about-us/the-director-general.html

Dr. Alison Gillwald Executive Director Research ICT Africa

https://researchictafrica.net/author/alison-gillwald/

Mr. Mothibi Glenview Ramusi Chairperson Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).

https://aiforgood.itu.int/speaker/mothibi-ramusi/

Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen Senior Advisor Internet Governance, Association for Progressive Communications

https://www.apc.org/en/profile/anriette

Dr. Jabu Mtsweni Chief Researcher and Centre Manager: Information and Cyber Security Research Centre Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

https://www.csir.co.za/dr-jabu-mtsweni

Ms. Tshego Mpete Head of the Broadband Access Fund Broadband Infraco SoC Moderator

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tshego-mpete-42942b158?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Mr. Jim Peterson Director ICT Multilateral Affairs Department of Communications and Digital Technologies

Jim Paterson is the Director for ICT Multilateral Affairs at the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies in South Africa. He is a trained economist and represents South Africa in the G20. This year, he is leading the work of the Digital Economy Working Group for the South African Presidency of the G20, as well as the work of the Task Force on AI, Data Governance and Innovation for Sustainable Development.

Topics

5G Technology Artificial Intelligence Capacity Building Cultural Diversity Cybersecurity Digital Divide Digital Economy Digital Inclusion Digital Skills Digital Transformation Education Emerging Technologies Environment Ethics Global Digital Compact (GDC) Health Human Rights Infrastructure Media WSIS+20 Review

WSIS Action Lines

C1. The role of governments 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 use of ICTs
C6. Enabling environment
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-government
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-business
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-learning
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-health
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-employment
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-environment
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-agriculture
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — 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

The Country Report provides an overview of South Africa's progress, challenges, and future priorities with respect to all the WSIS Action Lines.

Sustainable Development Goals

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 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

ICTs are an enabler and contribute to achieving the SDGs. The Country Report shares best practices to achieve the WSIS Action Lines and the SDGs.

GDC Objectives

Objective 1: Close all digital divides and accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals
Objective 2: Expand inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all
Objective 3: Foster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rights
Objective 4: Advance responsible, equitable and interoperable data governance approaches
Objective 5: Enhance international governance of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity

Documents

Concept Note South Africa Side Event on the launch of 20-year Country Report

Links

The report will be published after the launch - at www.dcdt.gov.za