The East African Community (EAC) in partnership with the Internet Society – Uganda Chapter, are set to host the 11th edition of the East Africa Internet Governance Forum (EAIGF) in September this year.
The Forum will take place from 11th to 12th September, 2024 in Kampala, Uganda, under the theme “Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future for East Africa.”
The primary objective of the EAIGF is to create an inclusive, multilateral, multi-stakeholder and multilingual discussion platform. The platform addresses crucial issues that enhance Internet development and governance in East Africa.
Speaking about the upcoming Forum, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, called on the region’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry players and other stakeholders to use the forum as a platform for shaping the digital integration agenda for the region.
“In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, effective Internet governance is crucial for fostering innovation, ensuring security, and promoting inclusivity. As EAC, we are committed to building a multi-stakeholder digital future where governments, private sector, civil society, and academia collaborate harmoniously,” said Hon. Ariik.
Hon. Ariik said that it was only through such collaborations that the region would be able to create an interconnected East Africa that thrives on shared knowledge, robust infrastructure and equitable access to digital opportunities.
“Our collective efforts will empower our citizens, enhance economic growth, and strengthen regional integration, driving us toward a prosperous digital future,” he added.
Since its inception in 2008, the EAIGF has served as a pivotal platform for dialogue on Internet Governance issues in East Africa. The forum fosters a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together representatives from government, media, private sector, civil society and academia to shape the future of the Internet in the region. The EAIGF aims to increase awareness, build policy capacity, and enable meaningful participation in global Internet policy and governance.
Discussion from regional forums such as the EAIGF go on to feed into the Continental Internet Governance Forum, which assembles contributions from across Africa with the goal of realising the multi-stakeholder model at both the continental and global scales. The EAIGF follows a bottom-up multi-stakeholder approach, which begins at the National IGFs that form the building blocks for the regional EAIGF.
The forum is hosted on the premise of enabling the meaningful participation of developing nation partners in global Internet policy development has long been identified as an important priority in achieving an equitable and accessible Information Society. It is in this spirit that the EAIGF brings together multi-stakeholder representatives in shaping discussions on how the Internet is run.
The EAIGF is part of the global UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) that provides an environment to continue dialogue on public policy issues around with the goal of ensuring the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet.
The 11th edition of the EAIGF will address the following issues:
Harnessing innovation and balancing risks in the digital space;
Enhancing the digital contribution to peace, development and sustainability;
Advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age; and
Improving digital governance for the Internet We Want.
Last hosted by Uganda in 2016, the EAIGF will also provide an opportunity to showcase Uganda’s vibrant digital ecosystem while learning and sharing experiences from other countries on how to make the Internet work for all in the region. Uganda’s Internet landscape has seen significant developments in the last 10 years with dynamic and growing digital innovation driven by supportive policies, increasing infrastructure investments and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community.
