By Winnie Kamau
Nairobi, Kenya: The East African Community (EAC) in partnership with the Internet Society – Uganda Chapter, have announced they will be hosting the 11th edition of the East Africa Internet Governance Forum (EAIGF) in September this year in Kampala.
The Forum will take place from 11th to 12th September, 2024 in Uganda, under the theme “Building our Multi Stakeholder Digital Future for East Africa.”
Within East Africa, the EAIGF aims to establish a platform for inclusive, multilateral, multi-stakeholder, and multilingual discussions to tackle critical issues pertaining to Internet development and governance in the region.
In anticipation of the upcoming forum, Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, Deputy Secretary General of the EAC in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, urged the region’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry stakeholders to capitalize on the platform’s potential in shaping the digital integration agenda for East Africa.
“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.
The East African Internet Governance Forum (EAIGF) serves as a regional platform for discussions on internet governance issues. These discussions and contributions from across Africa feed into the Continental Internet Governance Forum, which aims to promote the multi-stakeholder model at both continental and global levels. The EAIGF embraces a bottom-up approach, starting with National Internet Governance Forums (NIGFs) that serve as the foundation for the regional EAIGF.
Last year the EAIGF Conference was hosted by Rwanda in Kigali under the theme of “The Internet We Want- Empowering all People”
The Rwanda EAIGF was focused on optimizing as read their report, “The opportunity for open and inclusive dialogue on Internet Governance and related matters while creating opportunities for shared best practices and experiences; identifying emerging issues and bringing to attention relevant bodies and the general public on pertinent and legitimate governance matters while contributing to capacity building in the Internet ecosystem”.
The EAIGF is part of the global UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) that provides an environment to continue dialogue on public policy issues with the goal of ensuring the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet.
Uganda last hosted EAIGF in 2016. After eight years, the Uganda Internet Society is eager to showcase the remarkable evolution of its digital landscape. This event will offer a platform for learning and exchanging experiences with neighboring countries. In the past decade, Uganda’s internet landscape has experienced remarkable growth due to dynamic digital innovation, supportive policies, increased infrastructure investments, and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
