The Kenyan IGF held on 6th
July 2012 at Jacaranda hotel was a vibrant and engaging forum, this is one
among many active and engaging forums in the country that continues to attract
the attention of the internet fraternity that is very vibrant in Kenya. And was
attended by DotCOnnectAfrica among other stakeholders.
Issues that were of main discussion included the International Telecommunications Union under the ATU arm, presentations that discussed the ITR’s (International Telecommunications Resolutions )and how they affect Africa especially now that the telecommunication sector has experienced tremendous changes from the 80’s and 90’s when only telephony was the main technology, the introduction of internet a facet that has evidently changed the whole communication aspect in the industry.
Of major concern deliberated was how
the Effects of including internet among the ITR’s and how it would affect
internet as an entirely independent yet synergizing. Questions raised that will
remain perhaps unanswered for a long time would include the freedoms that have
been achieved by internet even as the UN has recently declared its freedom a
human right, Shall the ITR’s proposed Jeopardize these gains, shall countries
be able to come to a concussive and sober agreements despite the vested
individual interest. Another major issue is how Africa as an emerging force
shall be able to put forward its own recommendations to the international
platform without feeling left out or intimidated.
The Issue of Content and how Africa
needed to achieve its digital revolution were well articulated by Dr. Ndemo who
urged the Africans and indeed the youth to be critically involved in changing
the face of Africa in the blogosphere by investing in creating African Content
without which Africa would not be able to preserve its culture. This he noted
was one of the greatest challenges of ICT in the region was availability of
locally generated content.
He decried the fact that The
availability of opendata from government was not being fully utilized despite
the huge resources put in introducing OpenData, he reiterated two main factors
of great importance, that everybody must access internet and that the Internet
must e used to visibly change lives.
The current ICANN new gTLD process
where delegates were informed of the new process, of major concern was the low
number of strings applied for by Africa . Africa applied for only 17 gTLD’s
among them our own DotAfrica (.Africa). Participants were challenged on the
lack of using the subsidized fee of 47,000 USD despite the sustained lobbying.
DotConnectAfrica also took to this
opportunity to clarify that it has Applied for the same gTLD as uniforum and
that it would continue to work hard as it has always done to ensure that the
effective campaigns single handedly made by DCA to market Africa come to
fruition come 2013 t bring a local world class registry.
By and large African region was
urged to be more involved in ICANNs activities by participating in the local
for a as well as using the available fellowships offered by ICANN to attend
conferences, it’s a challenge that the effect of ICANN’s activities have not
been fully felt and intense lobbying still needs to be made by the local ISOC
chapters as well as IGF’s.
We look forward to the EastAfrican
IGF slated for 17th to 18th July, and we shall keep
you posted .
