Open Source as key enabler to achieve Digital Sovereignty
Panel by the UN agencies grouped under the banner Open Source United
As digital technologies become increasingly central to public services, governance, and international cooperation, organizations from both public and private sectors are looking for ways to strengthen their strategic autonomy while maintaining flexibility in their technology choices. Open source offers an important approach that can complement existing technology ecosystems by promoting transparency, interoperability, and collaborative innovation.
This session will explore how open source can help governments and organizations build resilient and adaptable digital infrastructures. By enabling greater visibility into code, fostering shared development, and supporting local capacity building, open source can contribute to stronger institutional control over critical digital systems while encouraging collaboration across sectors and borders.
Speakers from governments, international organizations, and the open source community will share practical experiences on integrating open source into broader digital strategies. The discussion will highlight policy approaches, procurement practices, and partnership models that help institutions benefit from open source while working alongside a diverse ecosystem of technology providers.
Luc Dockendorf is Luxembourg's Cyber and Digital Ambassador since March 2025. He started working in international relations in 2003, after graduating with a Master in English and International Relations. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2006 and has notably been in Luxembourg's team for the UN Security Council (2013-2014) and the Human Rights Council (2022-2024). Chaired the EU's Friends of the Presidency on Cyber Issues in 2015.
Evans is currently the OSEE Kenya Project Manager, supporting the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy to implement the National Open Source Program Office (OSPO). The Open Source Ecosystem Enabler (OSEE) is a project of the UNDP and ITU and funded by the European Commission.
Evans is a visionary IT consultant and entrepreneur at the intersection of cybersecurity, open source innovation, and African digital transformation. Based in Kenya, he is not just building enterprises, he is shaping the tech future of an entire region. Whether advising organizations, championing open source through initiatives like OSEE, he brings strategic clarity and execution power to every engagement.
Evans is a tech enabler and a policy architect. He is not just influencing the market, he is helping define the ecosystem it thrives in. His work bridges policy, innovation, and industrial growth in a way that reflects a long-term commitment to Africa’s self-determined digital and economic future. He is not just enabling change — he is architecting a blueprint for it.
Zeynep Varoglu is a Senior Programme Specialist at UNESCO, where she leads the Open Solutions portfolio spanning OER, Open Access, Open Data, and FOSS to support open and interoperable knowledge infrastructures.
Ms Varoglu provides global leadership for the implementation of the 2019 Recommendation on OER and leads initiatives supporting equitable access to scientific communications.