DiploFoundation will deliver a session on Internet Governance and eDiplomacy during the 4th session of the African Union Conference of ICT Ministers.
The Fourth Session of the African Union Ordinary Conference of Ministers in Charge of Communication and Information Technologies (CITMC-4) is taking place in Khartoum, Republic of Sudan, 2-6 September. DiploFoundation was invited by the African Union Commission to a deliver a session on Internet governance and eDiplomacy for the ministers.
The session on Internet governance (IG) and eDiplomacy aims at highlighting emerging diplomatic issues related to IG to the CITMC. The main focus will be on the effective participation of African states in various regional and global process related to IG (WSIS, IG Forum, African IGF, ICANN, ITU, WCIT, etc). The session will further map the emerging challenges related to Internet policy and development with a focus on specific policy concerns for Africa – such as critical infrastructure and resources, economic models and costs, domain names and .Africa initiative, local content and services and security of infrastructure – and present the diplomatic and political opportunities and benefits of harnessing e-tools and participating in global IG processes.
The thematic coverage of the session includes:
- Internet as a topic on the diplomatic agenda
- Introduction to key IG challenges: critical infrastructure and resources, economic models and costs, domain names and .Africa initiative, local content and services, jurisdiction and territoriality, cyber-security
- Functions and services of the key Internet- associated organisations and service providers (ICANN, RIR, ISOC, UN, ITU, Regional Organisations, Governments, Private Sector, Civil Society)
- Diplomatic and policy process: WSIS, IG Forum, African IGF, ICANN, ITU, WCIT, etc.
- Effective participation in various regional and global processes and harnessing e-tools.
In continuation, a session on 'Knowledge Societies in Africa with ICT as a Key Pillar' will be delivered by GeSCI.
