13th Africa Internet Governance Forum underway in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, November 20, 2024 (FBC) – The 13th edition of Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) has started today.at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Organized by Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) Secretariat, in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Ethiopia, the event is scheduled to be held from 20 to 22 November 2024 in the Ethiopian capital.
This year’s theme, “Building Our Multi-Stakeholder Digital Future for Africa,” reflects the forum’s commitment to inclusive and collaborative approaches to addressing internet governance issues across the continent. The forum brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society representatives, technical experts, and young innovators, to engage in discussions that are shaping Africa’s digital landscape.
It was indicated that the AfIGF will focus on current challenges and opportunities in digital governance, with topics that include cybersecurity, data governance, digital rights, sustainability, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). The outcomes will support Africa’s contributions to the upcoming 19th Global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2024.
The 13th AfIGF also aims to facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue on the ethical, policy, and operational dimensions of Africa’s Internet and digital governance landscape; to support alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union Agenda 2063 “The Africa We Want,” the Global Digital Compact (GDC), and the Africa WSIS+20 Review process, and to strengthen Africa’s digital ecosystem through sustainable, secure, and inclusive digital policies that protect digital rights and support meaningful connectivity.