First, Internet governance for Internet development and governance – this form of Internet governance cannot be avoided. The ITU's role in Internet governance has not been without controversy.
Digital Trust
What do you think about Geneva's role as a center for internet governance (in general, including new digital issues). What made you choose Geneva for the location of the Swiss Digital Initiative Foundation. It is not only the historical reputation of Geneva, it is also the fact that most of the UN Organizations, embassies and many multinational companies are located there.
We have our office at the Biotech Campus of EPFL in Geneva – together with GESDA, another initiative with the support of the Swiss government. Member] recommended in July 2019 to the UN Secretary-General three ways to build a new Internet governance architecture.
Doris Leuthard
Values that do not only apply in the old analog world, but even more so in the digital world. The role of serving as an international hub for internet governance is therefore in Geneva's DNA. It is easy to meet experts, diplomats, people from all over the world and from academia.
Knowing how difficult it is to establish a new body, we suggested building on existing organisations/structures. What recommendations would you make to stakeholders, including but not limited to governments, to help Geneva realize its Internet governance potential?
INTERVIEW
- Digital Rights
- Response to COVID-19
- Emerging Internet Governance Issues
- The Foundations of Internet Governance in Geneva
In addition, a number of UN resolutions are beginning to recognize the impact of the internet on human rights and confirm that offline rights also apply in the online sphere. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is based in Geneva, along with the Human Rights Council (HRC) and the treaty bodies responsible for implementing the covenants. Many of the Internet Governance activities in Geneva help to promote digital rights, and these digital rights interact with the other clusters.
These efforts place Geneva at the center of artificial intelligence creation and governance. The Geneva Internet Platform is an initiative of the Swiss authorities and is managed by the Diplofundation. The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights is a joint center of the Graduate Institute of Geneva and the University of Geneva.
A number of those discussed above rely on the convening power of the UN and its organizations.
4 ASSESSMENT OF DIGITAL GENEVA
Opportunities for International Geneva
Ambassador Valentin Zellweger, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office in Geneva. According to a measure by the Geneva Internet Platform, 50% of the digital policy issues they have identified are already being addressed in Geneva today.35 The UN Secretary-General's recent High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation is helping to pave the way point to a future internet path. board could take in Geneva to build on its strengths. The Secretariat of the High-Level Panel was based in Geneva, and the recommendations all relate to the three UN pillars, which correspond to International Geneva's internet governance clusters: the digital economy, human rights, and trust and security.
In addition, the approach to developing digital helpdesks and strengthening digital collaboration embraces the strengths of international Geneva. A year after the publication of the report, in June 2020, the UN Secretary-General's Plan for Digital Cooperation was published.
Gaps in Digital Geneva
This includes the activities of the international organizations and NGOs in Geneva, the convening power of actors in Geneva to bring key participants to Geneva for events and initiatives, and a supportive Swiss policy. Global Digital Cooperation, recommending a Global Commitment for Digital Cooperation by 2020 using a multi-stakeholder systems approach. It builds on the recommendations of the high-level panel report with actions for the Secretary-General, the UN and its agencies and other stakeholders.37 The Swiss government is already leading the implementation of the recommendations, and all the nodes of internet governance in Geneva should strive to play an important role.
In our consultations, we heard a lot of dissatisfaction with existing digital collaboration arrangements: a desire for more. However, the level of cooperation could increase overall, including in Geneva, as noted by the High Level Group on Digital Cooperation.
Other hubs of Internet governance
Whether we are thinking about commercial issues, health issues, standards or indeed the intellectual property dimension – and these are just a few examples – the work takes place in Geneva. The Secretary-General of the United Nations knows this well, as a significant part of the organizational and drafting work for the UN High Panel on Digital Cooperation was done in Geneva. What do you recommend that stakeholders (including businesses, international and non-profit organizations and government) should do to ensure that International Geneva's role in Internet governance continues to grow.
We really need to start using the comparative advantages of a unique ecosystem. How do you see Geneva's future role in Internet governance?
Pierre Maudet
Attract stakeholders to Geneva
While both sets visit to attend relevant events, working groups and conferences, their lack of permanent presence is notable. In the case of companies, one of the reasons is a lack of perceived need, while in the case of civil society, the cost of a presence in Geneva also plays a role. Reasons for not being present may understandably be strengthened in the wake of the COVID crisis as organizations incorporate the increased use of online tools instead of physical presence.
Additionally, it could include video-conferencing facilities to enable wider interactions between and among visitors and their organizations, a need that is likely to remain in the post-pandemic "new normal". At the same time, a common complaint in Geneva is the cost of accommodation, especially at times of high demand, such as for large conferences.
New initiatives in Geneva
Two sets of stakeholders are largely missing from International Geneva – internet companies and civil society focused on digital issues. This co-working space will enable interactions between stakeholders, and may include meeting rooms and even conference space. This will help make Geneva more attractive and affordable for visitors who will have a place to work and network between meetings.
Any initiative to reduce or limit these costs would help attract participants, especially those from civil society and developing countries.
5 RECOMMENDATIONS
Increase cooperation
Many of the interviews conducted during the research of this report noted that cooperation between organizations in Geneva on digital issues could be increased. This can help to promote more cooperation and better recognition of the results of such cooperation. A final finding, which is also highlighted in the report of the high-level panel, is the lack of data and evidence on digital issues.
Today, the hub is centered on three groups of internet governance in Geneva – Digital for Development, Digital Trust and Digital Rights – which correspond to the three pillars of the UN. We recommend that international Geneva builds on its current strengths, to help highlight work in each of the clusters, while also helping to attract representatives from all relevant stakeholders.
6 CONCLUSION
International Geneva has a solid history and foundation of Internet governance dating back to hosting the first International Summit focusing on Internet Governance in 2003. This report highlights that the strengths of International Geneva in Internet Governance promise a strong future. However, Geneva does not attract a permanent presence of all relevant stakeholders, including especially representatives of industry focused on political issues, and other cities are building their own strengths in areas of Internet governance.
The digital landscape is changing rapidly, leading to new issues of governance, and the Digital Clusters of International Geneva must evolve to help develop solutions. We urge all stakeholders to help build on the existing foundation to ensure that the future of internet governance in Geneva is realized, to promote an inclusive digital for development, promote digital trust and secure digital rights for everyone, everywhere.
ANNEX A
ANNEX B
7 ANNEXES
In fact, these different communities are interdependent because they face the same critical questions: how to discuss a common good when there is a serious under-representation of certain parts of the world in cyber discussions. How to help targeted civilian populations in a scalable and sustainable way, when there is such an asymmetry in the capabilities of attackers and defenders. Internet governance is about ensuring that a normative framework is ready for the refinement of malicious acts by state and non-state actors.
It's about ensuring that this framework provides tools and methods to hold malicious actors accountable and that performing a malicious act has consequences. We live in an age of digital interdependence and in this time we need a platform for collaboration.
ANNEX C Glossary
For example, ensuring that technology informs diplomacy in real time and articulating how a technological breakthrough disrupts the political environment is a challenge. How to ensure accountability when state actors and related proxies operate in a culture of obscurity that benefits from a technological landscape that is evolving at an exponential pace (e.g. AI, 5G). We recognize Internet governance as a complex process, but we do not forget that civil interests should be at the center of our actions.
There is a need for a neutral and multilateral platform, with values of impartiality and inclusiveness at its core. We believe that Geneva offers this space, and it is our mission as the CyberPeace Institute to participate and contribute to this common effort.
ANNEX D
INTERNATIONAL GENEVA
INTERNATIONAL GENEVA IN FIGURES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
