AfriSIG 2024

The African School on Internet Governance – #AfriSIG24 – 14 to 19 November, Addis Ababa

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the African Union Commission (AUC) and Research ICT Africa, will convene the 12th annual African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG24) from 14 to 19 November 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, immediately prior to the 2024 African Internet Governance Forum.

AfriSIG24 is being organised in collaboration with the United Nations Internet Governance Forum Parliamentary Track, and the hosts and organisers of the 2024 African IGF, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the host of the AfIGF secretariat, and also with the African IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group. The practicum explores the link between the African Union Data Policy Framework and the African Continental Free Trade Area’s digital protocol.

About AfriSIG24

AfriSIG24 will take place over the course of five days as an intensive residential, interactive learning and knowledge-sharing event that will cover:

Digitalisation, sustainable development and digital inclusion and inequality.
The global internet governance ecosystem and the African institutional context at national and regional level.
Open internet architecture, infrastructure, standards and protocols and management of internet names and numbers.
Stakeholder and sector roles and responsibilities (government, intergovernmental forums, UN agencies, regulators, parliaments, civil society, business, academia, the media, the technical community and internet users).
Data governance: data as a strategic asset, driver of digital development. Data protection, security, data flows, sovereignty and localisation and the implementation of the African Union Data Policy Framework.
Digital trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area in the context of the digital economy, taxation and sustainable development.
Human rights and the internet, including freedom of expression, association, gender justice and media diversity and independence.
Cybersecurity, trust and safety and responses to harmful use of the internet, hate speech, online gender-based violence, misinformation and disinformation.
Emerging issues: Artificial Intelligence, climate change, digital sovereignty and the geopolitics of internet governance.
Current global processes and debates, e.g. WSIS +20, the Global Digital Compact and the Summit of the Future and ICANN’s latest call for gTLD proposals.

Practicum

See link below.

Honouring Makane Faye

In his honour AfriSIG will give special recognition to the the most committed participant during AfriSIG 2024 at the closing of the School. AfriSIG will launch an award during AfriSIG 2024 to honour Makane Faye, one of the early drivers and supporters of AfriSIG who was sadly killed in a car accident on 26 March 2021. Makane’s death left a huge void as he was a trainer par excellence and indeed a larger-than-life figure in the careers of his many fellows during his years at AfriSIG. He was a member of the School’s faculty specialising in the theoretical and practical multistakeholder approaches to internet governance. He was also a central figure in organising the African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), where he served as Secretary and was known and popular for his wisdom, patience and dedication.

The African IGF

Under the overarching theme “Building Our Multistakeholder Digital Future for Africa”, the 2024 Africa IGF aims to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapidly evolving digital landscape. It focuses on empowering inclusivity, ensuring robust cybersecurity measures, and promoting innovation across the continent.

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of sessions, workshops, and panel discussions led by industry experts and thought leaders. These sessions will explore topics such as digital inclusion, access for all, cybersecurity, data protection, internet governance policies and regulations, emerging technologies, online rights and freedoms, and multistakeholder cooperation.

AfriSIG cannot cover the cost of the participation in this event of AfriSIG participants, but we strongly encourage everyone to register and join the event in person or remotely.

Logistics advisory available here.

For more information, contact the AfriSIG organisers, Anriette Esterhuysen and Peace Oliver Amuge at afrisig@apc.org