#Ghana #Accra #ICANN #Internet Governance #Africa Engagement Forum

Enhancing Internet Governance in Africa: Highlights from the Africa Engagement Forum

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently inaugurated the Africa Engagement Forum in Accra, Ghana, showcasing its dedication to bolstering collaboration on internet governance throughout the continent. Organized in partnership with the Association of African Universities (AAU), this significant event unites a myriad of stakeholders, aiming to harmonize regional priorities and empower Africa's position in the global internet arena.

The forum emphasizes crucial elements necessary for digital progress, featuring practical insights from ICANN on Universal Acceptance, regional readiness for new generic top-level domains (gTLD), and ongoing initiatives under the Coalition for Digital Africa. Engaging community perspectives is a vital focus of the event, facilitating open discussions between ICANN leaders and the attendees to address critical issues impacting the region's internet landscape.

Pierre Dandjinou, ICANN's Vice President for Global Stakeholder Engagement in Africa, emphasized the importance of collaboration and investment in enhancing Africa's internet capabilities. “Africa's Internet growth hinges on collective efforts and consistent technological readiness,” he noted. “This forum assembles the right mix of participants to assess successes, identify areas needing improvement, and establish actionable paths for progress. Our objective is straightforward: to ensure greater regional involvement in ICANN processes, more robust operations of the Domain Name System, and to carve out clearer pathways for innovation across Africa.”

In the following day, participants will attend the Africa DNS Forum, also organized by ICANN alongside the Africa Top Level Domains Organization, the AfRegistrar Association, and the Ghana Domain Name Registry. This event will delve deeper into topics such as DNS resilience and the various technical and commercial dynamics shaping the continent’s domain name sector.

Professor Olusola Oyewole, the Secretary-General of the AAU, remarked on the pivotal role of universities in shaping Africa's digital trajectory and cultivating essential expertise for its management. “Hosting this forum underscores our commitment to equipping the next generation of engineers, policymakers, and innovators,” he said. “We’re collaborating with ICANN to foster discussions that enhance technical skills and amplify Africa's voice in global internet governance.”

The Africa Engagement Forum epitomizes a shared commitment to fostering a multistakeholder approach, ultimately aimed at supporting a stable and resilient internet ecosystem across Africa. With registration open and additional resources available via ICANN, this forum signifies a substantial step towards improving regional cooperation in internet governance.

ICANN and Its Mission

Founded in 1998, ICANN serves as a nonprofit public benefit corporation, ensuring a dependable and united global internet. The organization plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating unique identifiers that are essential for connecting people on the internet. That includes overseeing the systems responsible for domain names and IP addresses, which form the backbone of the internet.

About the Association of African Universities (AAU)

Established in 1967, the AAU is an international NGO that fosters collaboration among African universities and promotes partnerships with the global academic community. The organization operates to enhance the quality of higher education in Africa and to bolster its contribution to the continent's development by supporting crucial functions within higher education institutions and facilitating meaningful dialogue on relevant issues affecting the education sector in Africa.

For further details, session materials, and ongoing updates from this event, visit ICANN's Africa Forums.