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 3^rd East African Internet Governance Forum that began on 11^th August ended today Friday 13^th 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 (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 ICANN new gTLD draft applicant guidebook and proposed process 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.  AfriNIC 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) 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 (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.  4^th 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