The WSIS+20 Africa Regional Review Meeting, held in Cotonou from 14 to 16 May 2025, concluded by adopting the Cotonou Declaration calling for the continuation of the World Summit on the Information Society process, including the Internet Governance Forum and WSIS Forum for the next decade urging a unified African voice for an inclusive digital future. This will reinforce alignment with the Global Digital Compact, enhancing Africa’s leadership in digital governance and ensuring technology serves as a force for socio-economic progress, sustainability, and equity.

The three-day event brought together ministers, parliamentarians, regional and international organizations, civil society, youth representatives, academia, and the private sector to assess progress made since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and chart a renewed course for Africa’s digital future.

Presiding over the closing ceremony, Mr. Mahougnon KAKPO, representative of the President of the National Assembly of Benin, emphasized the shared responsibility of all stakeholders in bridging the digital divide. “I call for the mobilization and commitment of all stakeholders, governments, parliaments, the private sector, civil society, and international partners to intensify our efforts to ensure universal and affordable access to information and communication technologies,” he stated.

Echoing this call, Mrs. Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou, Minister of Digital Economy and Digitalization of Benin, underscored the continent’s immense potential: “Africa is a young, dynamic, and promising continent. Digital technology is a tremendous opportunity to accelerate its development, transform its economies, and improve the lives of its people. With determination and ambition, we can build an African information society that is a model of inclusion, innovation, and shared prosperity.” (Press release)