There is greater need for African stakeholders to effectively contribute and shape priorities in international cybersecurity and digital policy processes. The African civil society groups, digital rights activists, academia, think tanks, private sector and technical communities all have a role to play. International processes like the Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs in the context of international security (OEWG ICTs), the Internet Governance Forums (IGFs), the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica), World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) review processes, Global Digital Compact etc. are all important platforms and opportunity for African actors to contribute based on their unique experiences and realities. But what exactly constrain the participation of African stakeholders in these processes? How can local African expertise and activism be effectively leveraged at the global multilateral level to support a free, open, safe and secure digital environment?
At the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica23) held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania the EU Cyber Diplomacy Initiative – EU Cyber Direct and the Centre for Multilateral Affairs, in collaboration with the Innovations Dialogues Europe-Africa (IDEA) Project of the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub gathered African stakeholders to discuss the enhancement of priorities and participation in key international cyber and digital policy processes shaping global dialogues.
It was noted that from the emergence of the African Internet Group in the 1990s, to growth of national and regional Forums like FIFAfrica and the IGFs, the African continent has a longstanding tradition of participation in institutional and multistakeholder dialogues on digital governance and human rights in the cyber realm. Yet this vibrant community of digital rights activists, internet governance researchers, NGO’s and civil society expertise remain largely underrepresented in many of the international cyber and digital debates and processes that are determining the future of internet governance and local and international digital transformation policy frameworks.
From the OpenEnded Working Group on ICTs, to the Global Digital Compact, D4D Hub and the World Summit on the Information Society, this session explored cyber and digital governance processes and discussed the barriers and opportunities for the African multistakeholder community to actively engage and participate in them. Experts observed that many of the international cyber and digital policy processes takes place outside the African continent. Even if its within the continent, many stakeholders lack the financial resources to support their participation especially in in-person meetings. Acquiring visa for global north where these events take place outside the continent is a big barrier. Lack of organizational skills and capacity, adequate preparation and consultations, generating consensus and voicing common positions and priorities even for African governments were lacking in many of these processes.
It was suggested that African stakeholders, governments, researchers, activists and youth should take a keen interest and play an active role in these processes. They should join virtually where in-person opportunity to attend and participate is lacking. More awareness at all levels, regarding the specific cybersecurity and digital policy processes should be highlighted into knowledge products and information to reach out to a wide array of African stakeholders. Capacity building through webinar discussions, fellowship opportunities such as the EU Cyber Direct fellowships, fellowships offered by the Cyber Law International and supported by Global Affairs Canada and or webinar series on responsible state behavior undertaken by Global Partners Digital and the African School on Internet Governance; championed by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
Currently, there are numerous developments taking place across the continent which have direct impact on how individuals and indeed states access, store and engage with digital information. Many of the decisions are likely to have a critical impact on the future of internet use in Africa thus critical discussion are imperative to shape these prospects.
The session was moderated by Mr. Moses Owiny, the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Multilateral Affairs. Panelists included Mr. Nils Berglund, from the EU Cyber Direct, Ms. Grace Githaiga from the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANET), Ms. Shamira Ahmed from the Data Economy Policy Hub (DepHub) and Mr. Anthony Bwengye from the D4D Hub Africa.The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) is a landmark event that convenes a spectrum of stakeholders from across the internet governance and online rights arenas in Africa and beyond to deliberate on gaps, concerns and opportunities for advancing privacy, free expression, non-discrimination and the free flow of information online.
The Forum offers a platform for critical engagement of diverse stakeholders in identifying the most pressing internet rights-related issues and challenges that have to be addressed at national and regional levels. It also identifies opportunities for bringing the debate on the importance of human rights online at national, regional and global fora and aims to identify effective ways to engage with them.
