[kictanet] 3rd East African Internet Governance Forum (EAIGF) highlights

Sat Aug 14 01:11:48 EAT 2010

** EAIGF programme

Dear all

The following are highlights of dicussions that I captured from the just
concluded 3rd EAIGF in Kampala, Uganda, which are also available on the
following links:

   -
   http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profiles/blogs/highlights-of-ongoing-east
   -
   http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profiles/blogs/3rd-eaigf-final-day-highlights

The 3rd East African Internet Governance Forum
<http://www.eaigf.or.ke/>that began on 11
th August ended today Friday 13th August.  The following are the highlights
the issues discussed at the forum.

*Session 1: Official Opening*

*Session 2: Reports of national IGF process: *

   - The need to create value and awareness in order to engage the private
   sector in IG discussion.
   - United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa<http://www.uneca.org/index.htm>(UNECA) reported that:
      - It would soon be launching a knowledge management platform
      - It working on evaluating Africa’s participation in the WSIS and IGF
      process as well as seeking to establish Africa’s position in light of
      discussions on the continuation of the IGF.
      - Developing indicators on the implementation of cybersecurity in ICT
      policies

*Session 3: Cyber Security Management:   *

   - The forum acknowledged that cybersecurity threats were on the rise as a
   result of increased usage and access to broadband.
   - The need for collaboration in establishment of harmonized cybersecurity
   policies, legislation and management frameworks specifically the creation of
   Computer Incident Response Teams (CIRT) was recognized.

*Session 4: Strengthening Critical Internet Resources:  *

   - An appreciation of different ccTLD management and governance structures
   in each country as these structures were factors determined by the local
   context/circumstances
   - ccTLDs faced stiff competition from gTLDs hence the need to
   “strengthening of ccTLDs” in terms of technical excellence, governance and
   policy structures, quality of service and price, marketing and branding
   - The pricing of ccTLD was determined by numbers (critical mass=reduction
   in prices), nature of operation, need for sustainability and perception of
   the value of ccTLD
   - A proposal to set up a working group to discuss the viability/business
   model of DOT EAC (.eac) was considered taking note of the proposed EAIGF
   programmeICANN new gTLD draft applicant
guidebook<http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/dag-en.htm>and
proposedprocess which were lengthy, complex and expensive.

*Session 5:  IPv6 Challenge*

   - Africa for historical reasons (late adopters, relatively new RIR) has
   not exhausted its IPv4 address block. Another factor of the relatively low
   utilization of IPv4 has been the current network design employed by ISPs and
   network operators.  EAIGF programmeAfriNIC <http://www.afrinic.net/> has
   therefore launched of the ‘No-NAT’ project
   - IPv6 presents Africa with an opportunity to engage on the same footing
   as the rest of the world particularly in light of the growth of the mobile
   sector by starting the transition to IPv6 early/now!
   - The need to create awareness, training and development of a transition
   strategy was identified.

*Session 6: Access and affordability to Broadband*

   - Acknowledgement of the important of establishing redundancy and
   resilience of the national, trans-national and submarine fibre optic
   networks
   - Proposal to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea(UNCLOS)<http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf>to
guarantee connection and transit to submarine cables for land-locked
   countries in the East African region.
   - Recognition of the need for a regional IXP through harmonization of
   regulatory frameworks (licensing requirements and interconnection
   guidelines) to facilitate cross-border network operators.

*Session 7: Emerging issues*

   - Creation of viable framework for ICT skills enhancement.  This would
   include regional mutual recognition of IT certification to foster
   acquisition of internationally compatible and competitive skills to take
   advantage of the regional integration and globalization.
   - Recognizing that the youth form over 50% of the population in East
   Africa, to forum recognized the need to support youth in ICT
   entrepreneurship and facilitate their engagement in the Internet-governance
   related policy making processes.
   - Emphasis to strengthen existing ccTLDs in light of other gTLD
   initiatives in the continent including the Dot Africa initiative.  The dot
   Africa was presented as a compliment rather than a competitor to existing
   ccTLDs.
   - Code of Good Practice and its application to Internet Governance
guidelines
   was presented.  The aim of the code is to improve information,
   participation, transparency and inclusive engagement of IG-related
   entities in their arrangements and practices.

*Session 8: Way Forward*

Some of resolutions of the forum are paraphrased below:

   1. Formation of a working group to develop strategies to strengthen
   ccTLDs in the region in light of competition for gTLDs and determine the
   business case for the .eac domain.
   2. Registration of the EAIGF domain name (.ug .tz .rw .bi) all pointing
   to www.eaigf.or.ke
   3. East African countries ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law
   of the Sea<http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf>(UNCLOS).
 Relevant sections of the Convention in view of submarine cables
   include Part VI; Article 79 and Part VII; Article 87(c) and Article 112.
   4.  EAIGF host a knowledge management repository for that IG-relevant
   information from national and regional organisations in particular East
   African Communications Organization (EACO)
   5. Support of the creation of a regional exchange point and [*taking into
   cognizance the local context develop harmonized IPv6 transition strategies
   *]
   6. Adoption of unified strategies in initiatives including youth
   initiatives, mutual recognition IT skills certification, new gTLDs, among
   others.
   7. Utilize the Code of practice as a tool for achieving balanced
   participation and carry forward IG-related resolutions of and
   recommendations from organisation and country in the region.
   8.  4th EAIGF to be hosted in Rwanda and a call for support for the
   Kenya’s bid to host the UN-IGF in 2011 in the event that the UN-IGF’s
   mandate is extended.

Kind regards
Mwende

(Ps: I was unfortunately unable to twit)

*Disclaimer: Views expressed here (except those reported, quoted or
referenced) are the author’s own*

On Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 2:46 PM, Grace Bomu <nmutungu at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Walu,
> yesterday I was just asking someone whether there is some way to
> participate remotely. This helps.
> Who is in the Kenyan delegation? Perhaps we can follow their tweets for
> more customised info or info of particular interest to Kenyan youth.
> best!
>
>
> rgds,
> Grace
>
> On 13 August 2010 10:17, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>  below the updates from the East African Internet Governance Forum in
>> Uganda.
>>
>> walu.
>> Alice: any major\key decisions coming out of the Kampala meeting?
>> --- On *Wed, 8/11/10, I-Network Secretariat Eunice Namirembe <
>> namirembe at i-network.or.ug>* wrote:
>>
>>
>> From: I-Network Secretariat Eunice Namirembe <namirembe at i-network.or.ug>
>> Subject: [i-network] East African Internet Governance Forum
>> To: "I-Network Uganda" <i-network at dgroups.org>
>> Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 6:38 PM
>>
>> Dear Members,
>>
>> Like most of you may know already, The East African Internet Governance
>> Forum is taking place now. You are invited to follow proceedings on Twitter
>> @EA_IGF, read updates on the blog http://www.eaigf-uganda.blogspot.com/or follow participants updates on facebook when you search East African
>> Internet Governance Forum and be part of the event.
>>
>> You can also access day one presentations on  the EAIGF website using this
>> link http://www.eaigf.or.ke/eaigf/eaigf/2010-eaigf-presentation.html.
>>
>> Kind regards
>>
>> Eunice
>>
>>
>> ________________________
>> Visit the I-Network website - www.i-network.or.ug
>> Follow I-Network on Twitter: http://twitter.com/inetwork
>> The I-Network Dgroup is a platform for ICT Knowledge Sharing
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Grace L.N. Mutung'u (Bomu)
>  Kenya
>
>
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