Washington, D.C., May 12, 2026 — The Digital Sovereignty Alliance (DSA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing clear and ethical public policy, research and education surrounding emerging technologies, successfully concluded its participation in the Sovereign Tech for Economic Empowerment Roundtable held May 7-8 at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox National Shrine in New York City. Organized by the Council of Global Change (CGC), the roundtable convened policymakers, technologists, financial institutions, multilateral organizations, and civil society leaders.
Adrian Wall, Managing Director of DSA and a member of the CGC, led the roundtable, which focused on defining how digital identity, sovereign data, financial systems, AI, and governance must work together to enable real participation in the global economy. The roundtable focused on moving beyond discussion and contributing directly to shaping the system architecture required to make participation possible, not just in principle, but in practice.
Participants worked to define a system blueprint spanning identity, trust, rules, actions, and outcomes, while identifying key gaps preventing interoperability. The roundtable produced preliminary project frameworks and near-term action objectives to advance policy coordination, cross-sector collaboration, and pilot development.
Featured participants included Gabriel Rene, Founder and CEO of VERSES; Dr. Sangbu Kim, Vice President for Digital & AI at The World Bank; and Sandra Ro, CEO of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC).
A central outcome was the development of a Charter for Action, which outlines a shared framework for advancing interoperable digital infrastructure and economic inclusion. The charter establishes guiding principles, standards, pathways, solution assessment processes, action tracks, pilot opportunities, and 90-120 day commitments intended to support continued coordination, real-world implementation, and progress toward potential UN-level engagement.
Wall delivered closing remarks, emphasizing the importance of aligning technological innovation with practical implementation and coordination to cultivate meaningful economic inclusion.
“Digital identity, sovereign data, AI, finance, and governance are all advancing rapidly, but too often in parallel rather than together,” said Wall. “The conversation focused on what it will take to move from fragmented systems toward infrastructure capable of enabling secure, inclusive, and scalable economic participation globally.”
Through its participation alongside global leaders at the roundtable, DSA remains committed to furthering research, stakeholder engagement, and policy development that support responsible innovation, strengthen digital sovereignty, and help shape the future of secure and inclusive global economic participation.
About Digital Sovereignty Alliance
The Digital Sovereignty Alliance (DSA) is a nonprofit social welfare organization committed to advocating for public policies that support ethical innovation in decentralized technologies, blockchain, cryptocurrency, Web3, and artificial intelligence. DSA conducts research, organizes educational events, and promotes policies that prioritize public welfare and digital sovereignty.
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