This year, I had the privilege of participating in the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG2024) as a fellow. AfriSIG is a unique platform that brings together stakeholders across Africa to explore and tackle some of the continent’s most pressing internet governance challenges.
AfriSIG 2024 brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, and the discussions were nothing short of amazing. We discussed:
- Data governance and the complex landscape of digital trade and data governance: Exploring the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its impact on Africa’s digital economy.
- Digital equity, internet infrastructure, digital identities, and strategies to bridge the digital divide to empower inclusive participation and drive innovation in line with the vision of Agenda 2063.
- Multistakeholder collaboration, exploring collaborative models for impactful internet policy development across Africa, and the role of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
- Cybersecurity, online safety and human rights on the internet. Here we explored freedom of expression, gender justice, internet fragmentation, and media diversity in the digital space.
- Global processes and debates, aimed at understanding how global initiatives like WSIS+20, the Global Digital Compact and ICANN's gTLD proposals will shape the future.
One of the highlights of the programme was the highly engaging practicum, which centred on multistakeholder consultations to implement the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade in compliance with the AU Data Policy Framework (AUDPF). During this practicum, we were split into groups representing different stakeholders – governments, civil society, businesses, the technical community, parliamentarians, media groups and international organisations – and tasked with negotiating the implementation of the protocol while aligning it with the AUDPF. It was intense, but also incredibly rewarding. I learned first-hand how challenging it can be to find common ground when everyone has different priorities. For example, businesses were focused on minimising regulations to boost trade, while civil society groups were more concerned about protecting user privacy and ensuring equitable access. Through the simulation, I gained a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in policy making and the importance of compromise and collaboration. It was a valuable experience that will stay with me as I continue to engage in internet governance issues.
These discussions highlighted the importance of aligning regional efforts with global frameworks while considering Africa’s unique context.
Honored to receive the Makane Faye AfriSIG Award
A special moment for me was being recognised with the Makane Faye AfriSIG Award as the most committed participant of AfriSIG 2024. AfriSIG launched this award during AfriSIG 2024 to honour Makane Faye, one of the early drivers and supporters of AfriSIG, who sadly passed away in March 2021. This award is a tremendous honour, a testament to his legacy and a powerful motivator for me to continue my journey in the field of internet governance. You can read more about Makane Faye and his inspiring work on this page.
The programme provided invaluable opportunities to interact with and learn from seasoned experts and fellow participants representing the rich diversity of African nations. A huge thank you goes to the organisers, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) team, the faculty members who shared their knowledge, and the IGF secretariat for making this transformative experience possible.
As I move forward, I carry the lessons learned, the connections forged, and the unwavering spirit of collaboration that defines AfriSIG.
Athanase Bahizire Biluge is a software engineer and system administrator from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He assisted the 17th global IGF as a UNECA technical support volunteer and was an Internet Society Youth Ambassador and an ICANN 78 fellow. He is a member of the Internet Society DRC chapter and the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance. He is the co-founder and co-coordinator for the Youth IGF in the DRC, an initiative that brings stakeholders together to discuss Internet Governance issues with young people. He also serves as coordinator of the DRC School of Internet Governance (CdSIG), principal facilitator for the Central African School of Internet Governance (CASIG), and facilitator of the Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG).