Global youth leaders urge equitable digital governance

In 2026, the World Internet Conference Global Youth Leadership Program entered its fourth year, drawing more than 2,600 outstanding young applicants from over 140 countries and regions across six continents, further expanding its global reach and influence.

Following a review by a panel of leading experts from around the world, 20 young people were selected, from Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Türkiye.

Six of the selected youth leaders plan to focus on internet governance, government policies and collaboration among countries in internet-related fields.

Flora Okine, from Ghana, is an engineer at the Radiocomunication Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union, where she works on the bureau's business intelligence and supports international cooperation to ensure the efficient, equitable and rational use of satellite orbital resources.

She said the future of the digital economy will be defined not only by technological innovation but also by international cooperation and meaningful youth participation.

Emerging technologies like satellite connectivity, AI and next-generation communication networks will bring huge opportunities to accelerate sustainable development,

particularly for underserved communities.

"But in realizing these opportunities, we also require young professionals to move beyond being beneficiaries of digital transformation to becoming active contributors to digital policymaking," she said.

As a youth leader, she plans to leverage the program's global network and learning opportunities to advance a digital capacity and mentorship network connecting young engineers, policymakers, researchers and students across regions.

The initiative would facilitate virtual mentorship, technical knowledge-sharing sessions, policy dialogues and collaborative projects, with an emphasis on empowering young people from developing countries.

Ignacio Araya, from Chile, is the founder and director of CityDiplomacy.org, a platform that brings together public policy and academia to understand how global transformations take shape at the local level, particularly in digital connectivity and smart cities.

He has worked in academia, public policy and the Chilean government, where he focused on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. He has taught university courses on China's digital transformation, illicit economies and international affairs.

As a youth leader, he said he would like to promote China-Latin America dialogue on digital governance, connecting young policymakers, researchers and professionals working on AI, digital trans-infrastructure, cybersecurity and technology policy.

Laura Iancu, from Romania, is the founder of Diplomats.Digital, an independent initiative focused on digital diplomacy, AI governance and institutional capability.

Through Diplomats.Digital, she examined how foreign ministries and public institutions can use AI and digital technology while preserving authority, traceability, continuity, human judgment and public trust.

She has spent more than 15 years working where technology institutions and international cooperation meet, with engagements across more than 60 countries that showed her how differently digital transformation is understood and implemented across regions.

Since 2019, she has supported digital data and technology work across more than 10 government entities and international programs.

As a youth leader, she plans to develop a six-month global youth exchange on responsible institutional AI. The result would be an open-access briefing with 8 to 12 cases, shared findings and a practical discussion guide.

Her objective is to bring technical depth, operational leadership, public sector experience,

a genuine professional connection with China, and a strong commitment to listening, collaboration and practical outcomes.

Lyantoniette Chua, from the Philippines, is the founder of Asia Affairs AI and works at the intersection of AI governance, technology policy and international cooperation.

Over the past several years, she has contributed to initiatives that bring together governments, institutions, researchers and civil society to address the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies.

"What motivates my work is a simple belief - institutions play a leading role in shaping the future of AI governance," she said.

She is particularly interested in building bridges across countries, sectors and communities to support responsible innovation, strengthening cooperation and advance more agile coordination in an increasingly connected digital world.

She said she is excited about the opportunity to engage with fellow youth leaders to learn more from the regents, diverse and rich perspectives and contribute Asia's experiences to the global conversation on technology, governance and development.

Motunrayo Fatoke, from Nigeria, is a fellow at the Internet Law and Policy Foundry and a public policy professional specializing in AI governance, technology policy and international development.

She said young people play a critical role in ensuring that cyberspace remains open, inclusive, secure and centered on human dignity.

"As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into every aspect of our lives, the decisions we make today about governance, safety and international cooperation will have lasting consequences for generations to come," she said.

As a youth leader, she hopes to contribute not only as a participant but also as a collaborator to launch the Global Youth AI Governance Lab, a platform that would bring together young researchers, policymakers and innovators from around the world to develop practical solutions for AI governance through research, dialogue and cross-border collaboration.

One of her goals is to strengthen youth participation in global internet governance and help build a shared future in cyberspace that reflects diverse perspectives and shared responsibility among all young people.

Nuwoe Kellen, from Liberia, is principal budget analyst at Liberia's Legislative Budget Office. At the governmental level in Liberia, he contributed to strengthening the policy angle of the draft.

Interestingly enough, he said few young people get to build digital literacy programs from the ground up while also shaping the laws and policies that govern them.

"We see governments approving budgets for investments in digital and AI systems. These governments should also build the technical capacity to oversee such spending and measure results against predetermined outcomes," he said.

Governments, he added, need to establish clear links between fiscal appropriations and stated development goals.

"Youth leaders like myself have a role to play in ensuring that public digital literacy programs and institutional oversight capacities are built together and not one being built before or after the other," he said.