At the WSIS+20 moment, it is evident that there is a public financing deficit when it comes to supporting the development of digital infrastructural capabilities in the Global South. The share of ODA is insufficient and Southern governments are facing burgeoning debt burdens. Against this backdrop, we need innovative financing mechanisms for furthering digital equality and inclusive digital economies. Leading scholars like Mazzucato have pointed to the risks of mission drift and public value erosion in financing mechanisms that lack sufficient guradrails.
From this standpoint, the session will address the following questions through a panel discussion:
- What are the primary financing frameworks that have guided the WSIS implementation since 2005, and in what ways have they succeeded or failed?
- What kind of financing architectures are needed for equitable and inclusive innovation futures?
- How can we centre public accountability and public value in financing digital innovation infrastuctures (from connectivity to cloud and AI)?
- What are some initiatives/case studies we can learn from in this regard?
