His Excellency, Mr. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of the Government of Saudi Arabia,
Distinguished ministers,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Participants,
I have the honour to invite the Secretary-General Mr. Ant車nio Guterres to deliver his video message.
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Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General.
I echo the Secretary-General＊s appreciation to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its warm hospitality and welcoming us and hosting this important forum.
The world today faces unprecedented challenges.
Effective digital governance plays an important role in navigating this complex landscape.
Digital technology has proven its power.
It impacts us individually and as a society, affecting our economies and reshaping our future.
It is crucial to ensure that digital technologies work for people, not against them.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This year＊s Internet Governance Forum marks the eve of a pivotal moment for global digital governance. In 2025, the 51勛圖 General Assembly will conduct the twenty-year review of the outcomes of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS).
The twenty-year review will provide an opportunity to align the WSIS principles and outcomes with the broader dialogue and commitments on digital governance and sustainable development, including the recently adopted Global Digital Compact.
The WSIS review will also consider extending the IGF mandate.
The IGF has now expanded from a single event to encompass 174 national, regional, and youth forums. Through community-driven platforms, the IGF tackles key issues like cybersecurity, environmental sustainability, AI governance, human rights, gender equality, and digital infrastructure resilience, informing decision-makers worldwide.
Since 2006, over 320 prominent individuals have served the IGF through its Multistakeholder Advisory Group. This Group has been a crucial conduit of community input, translating the will of the people into tangible participation and outcomes.
Likewise, the Leadership Panel, in the last two years, has made the IGF stronger than ever, ensuring our values and mission continue to drive impactful dialogue and solutions, at the highest levels.
I am truly proud of what we have built together.
Through the IGF, you stand as guardians of an accessible, affordable, safe and resilient Internet.
Together, we are working through the challenges of the rapidly developing digital landscape 每 such as sophisticated cyber-attacks and the swift rise of generative AI 每 while maintaining the Internet as a force for good.
As we prepare for WSIS+20 in 2025, I invite you to unite like never before through the IGF platform to advance meaningful change.
First, your continued efforts are needed to ensure that IGF bridge the digital divide by serving both developing and developed countries, building capacity across sectors and boundaries, and fostering cooperation between the global South and North.
Second, I encourage you to strengthen local Internet governance by supporting national and regional IGFs as multistakeholder forums to address local needs and inspire solutions.
Finally, it is crucial that the recommendations and actions emerging from this platform support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Riyadh IGF presents a historical opportunity to build on past outcomes and create a strategic roadmap for a stronger, more inclusive digital governance ecosystem.
As we stand at the crossroads of digital transformation, our actions this week will shape the digital landscape for generations to come.
The challenges we face are formidable, but so is our collective potential.
Let us seize this moment in Riyadh.
Thank you.