II. Background In July 2018, the Secretary-General convened a High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation to advance proposals to strengthen cooperation in the digital space among Governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, academic institutions, the technical community and other relevant stakeholders. Co-chaired by Melinda Gates and Jack Ma, the 20 members of the Panel served in their personal capacities, representing an unprecedented mix of disciplines and sectors and geographic, gender and age diversity. The Panel completed its deliberations and submitted its final report, entitled “The Age of Digital Interdependence”, in June 2019. In the report, the Panel included five sets of recommendations on how the international community could work together to optimize the use of digital technologies and mitigate the risks: 1. Build an inclusive digital economy and society; 2. Develop human and institutional capacity; 3. Protect human rights and human agency; 4. Promote digital trust, security and stability; 5. Foster global digital cooperation. 4 ROADMAP FOR DIGITAL COOPER ATION Following the issuance of the report, Member States and over 300 entities and organizations were contacted. More than 100 sent feedback to the Secretariat, including volunteering to lead or participate in discussions on the Panel’s recommendations. The Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Preparations for the Commemoration of the United Nations 75th Anniversary coordinated the follow-up process to the Panel. Round-table discussion groups of subject-matter experts were constituted to address the Panel’s recommendations.6 Champions were selected on the basis of experience, previous engagement with the Panel and geographic and stakeholder diversity to coordinate and lead each group. The round-table groups held consultations on how to proceed with the recommendations, including by providing input for the present report. Their contributions provided invaluable advice, which was carefully considered in the preparation of sections III and IV of the present report. The report is aimed at, first, summarizing the state of play in relation to each of the Panel’s recommendations, incorporating the subsequent consultations on follow-up, and, second, setting out in the concluding observations the envisaged action points for the way forward.