Afrisig news

On the evening of 15 September 2023, the meeting room at the Envoy Hotel on Diplomatic Drive in Abuja, Nigeria was filled with anticipation as the chairperson simulated United Nations negotiations, giving civil society, media, legislators and government representatives a glimpse and vivid picture of how African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) fellows can influence policies at regional and international platforms.

“Civil society, Ladies and Gentlemen, I call to order the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) fellows to engage on implementing the African Union Data… Read more

It was a great privilege to attend the 11th edition of the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) 2023 convened by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the African Union Commission (AUC) and Research ICT Africa, in collaboration with Paradigm Initiative, the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Parliamentary Track, the hosts and organisers of the 2023 African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the AfIGF secretariat and Multistakeholder Advisory Group. AfriSIG… Read more

On 13 September, somewhere within the energetic corridors of Envoy Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria, a gathering of minds from across Africa were sharing and learning about Africa’s digital landscape at the 11th African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG). For close to a week, spanning from 13 to 18 September 2023, our mission was to contribute to working out the intricacies of the African Union’s Data Policy Framework, introduced in June 2022. A roadmap, or a compass… Read more

As a participant in the 11th African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG 2023), I had the privilege of engaging with experts from governments across Africa, members of parliament from different countries, policy makers and other fellow participants to deepen my understanding of crucial topics related to internet governance, data governance and digital transformation. The insights gained during this intensive week of learning will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the national data strategy of Uganda, the intellectual property guidelines for ICT innovations, and the national… Read more

I was excited to be considered as a fellow for the 2023 African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG), held in Abuja, Nigeria from 13 to 18 September 2023. This opportunity introduced me to learning more about the biggest challenges in governance of the internet, which include the huge paradox of the gender digital divide, the application of a human rights approach in laws and policy making, and the best approach to employ in order to involve everyone in internet governance, since a lack of involvement may lead to exclusions.

The… Read more

I left my three-year-old son, who had just gotten his tonsils and adenoids removed, to attend the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG 2023). It was a difficult decision, but I was determined to learn more about internet governance and how it could be used to improve the lives of people in Africa. It was comforting to know that he was not going to struggle with sleep apnea again and that I left him in the safe hands of my helper, his grandmother, his father, and above all, God.

AfriSIG was a treasure hunt for me. I discovered a new world of knowledge and insights, met… Read more

It was a beautiful night with the moonlight pouring onto the earth in Arua City away from the usually busy and noisy city of Kampala in late September 2021. That night, I was navigating the internet as usual after a long day of work and I received a rejection email for an opportunity I had applied for. I read the rejection email and said to myself, “Oh well, it is not yet your time, Sandie, perhaps another day or time.” I looked into the mirror in my hotel room and smiled unusually and said to myself, “Girl, it is just a bad day and not a bad life.”

I immediately forgot about the… Read more

The internet and networks mean a lot to me. I would like to share with you my journey with internet governance, which started in 2019 when I was granted a fellowship to attend the AFRINIC-31 meeting (AFRINIC is the Regional Internet Registry for Africa) where we got to know more about internet governance and PDP (packet data protocol, used in wireless networks).

In June 2021, I attended MEAC-SIG 2021v (the Middle East and Adjoining Countries School on Internet Governance), where I learned a lot in the context of internet governance and different stakeholders. Later, in September 2021… Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have brought into stark relief the implications of digital inequality in Africa, said key partners who helped organise the 2021 African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG).

AfriSIG is co-convened by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Research ICT Africa (RIA) and the African Union (AU). This ninth edition of AfriSIG, held over two weeks from 4 to 15 October 2021, was the second virtual convening of the school.

“Only a relatively small elite are able to digitally substitute… Read more

Unless you are an astronomer, architect or engineer, most of us toy with this question: “When will I use the Pythagorean theorem in real life?” In reality, this question is true for most things that are perceived as complex.

Typically, non-technical internet governance practitioners and champions of the internet often find themselves asking a similar question when approaching technical aspects of internet governance like domain name systems and infrastructure. On the other hand, technically inclined practitioners and champions of change typically harbour similar feelings for the… Read more