Olufuye joins WSIS+20 Informal Multi-stakeholder Sounding Board

By Juliet Umeh

The Co-Facilitators of the WSIS+20 Review process have announced the formation of the Informal Multistakeholder Sounding Board, IMSB, picking a Nigerian, Dr. Jimson Olufuye as one of the key members.

The newly established mechanism is designed to support an inclusive and responsive twenty-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society, WSIS and outcomes.

The IMSB will provide informal input and guidance to the WSIS+20 Review, reflecting a diverse range of stakeholder perspectives. Members were selected through an open call for expressions of interest issued to eligible non-governmental members of the 2025 Internet Governance Forum, IGF, Multistakeholder Advisory Group, MAG, and the IGF Leadership Panel, LP.

The newly formed IMSB comprises a diverse group of experts representing various sectors and regions.

From Civil Society, members include Valeria Betancourt (Ecuador) for Latin America and the Caribbean, Amrita Choudhury (India) for Asia Pacific, Tereza Horejsova (Czechia) for Eastern Europe, and Wolfgang Kleinwächter (Germany) for the Western European and Others Group. The Technical Community is represented by Chris Buckridge (Australia) and Theresa Swinehart (United States) from the Western European and Others Group, along with Jennifer Chung (China) from Asia Pacific.

The Private Sector representatives on the IMSB are Hossam Reda Elgamal (Egypt) and Jimson Olufuye (Nigeria) from Africa, and Maria Fernanda Garza (Mexico) from Latin America and the Caribbean, who is also an IGF Leadership Panel Member. Additionally, Vinton Cerf (United States), the esteemed Chair of the IGF Leadership Panel, serves as an Ex Officio Member, bringing his extensive at-large expertise from the Western European and Others Group to the board.

The IMSB’s composition reflects a deliberate balance across regions, sectors, and gender, ensuring broad representation and meaningful dialogue. The board will operate from July through December 2025, providing strategic insights and stakeholder perspectives leading up to the WSIS+20 High-Level Meeting. This initiative underscores the WSIS+20 Review’s commitment to inclusive multistakeholder engagement in shaping the future of the global information society.

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