Member States of the United Nations have reached a consensus on a near-term technology policy agenda. The Global Digital Compact (GDC) addresses issues such as data flows, information integrity, digital public infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. This agreement follows months of intergovernmental negotiations and consultations with industry and civil society.
The GDC will be part of the broader Pact for the Future discussed by nations last week. Under this Compact, the UN will establish three new bodies to pool technical knowledge, policy practices, and development-oriented funds for AI. Additionally, a dedicated working group will study how to support trustworthy cross-border data flows.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) actively participated in the drafting process through comments on various drafts and testimonies. Their goal was to maximize stakeholder engagement and ensure that international policies support innovation while reducing policy fragmentation.
CCIA President & CEO Matt Schruers, who is currently in New York for stakeholder meetings, provided the following statement:
"The final text of the Global Digital Compact includes several positive elements, including a multi-stakeholder led dialogue on facilitating trusted cross-border data flows. The UN’s technology policy document recognizes the ability to move data across the internet as critical to international trade and the digital economy."
Schruers added: "Elements like digital public infrastructure and the Global Dialogue on AI governance will require careful, more inclusive implementation or otherwise risk sidelining non-governmental stakeholders. The watering down of language on internet shutdowns and human rights was regrettable and highlights the limits of government-led global technology policy frameworks."
He concluded: "If the Global Digital Compact is to make progress on its ambitious agenda by its 2027 review, Member States must engage with civil society and industry as true partners at every level. Meaningful inclusion is a prerequisite for success."
