[governance] the IGF : what does it mean for Africa?

[Lohento Ken]

Dear all,

One the eve of Egypt 2009, for your info, this article I wrote on the 
IGF and Africa - in French however, but please find a summary in English 
below - our list/caucus is somehow concerned - comments welcome - Regards KL

The Internet Governance Forum: what does it mean for Africa? - Octobre 
2009 - working document in French - Download here 
http://www.iafric.net/benin/gouvernanceinternet.html

SUMMARY

This article seeks to understand the representation and interest of the 
IGF process within the African ICT community, and to give illustrations 
of its eventual impact. To do this, we, primarily, have analyzed 
exchanges on two key discussion lists on which African views on Internet 
governance are conveyed. To complement and validate if necessary 
observations, we have consulted some documents produced by some players 
and have questioned others. We have also based conclusions on our 
observation of the process since its launch in 2006.

The two lists analyzed are a panAfrican list (the AfrICANN list, created 
by the AfriNIC, the body responsible for managing IP and ASN addresses 
for the continent) and an international list (the Governance list, a 
discussion space for the international civil society Internet Governance 
Caucus). The first space was analyzed during six months (November 2008 - 
April 2009) and the second during a year (May 2008 - April 2009). These 
lists are two public lists, the most relevant for our analysis. It has 
been observed only 7% of contributions dealt with IGF on the AfrICANN in 
the period; this figure shows an interest in the international process, 
but it is minimal, on a space that gathered key African ICT governance 
players. However, as contributions on other subjects discussed on the 
list illustrates, Internet Governance as an issue is of a strong 
concern, specifically when it relates to its consolidation in Africa. 
“Localising IGF” has then become a common leitmotiv on the continent. 
 From another point of view, 5.43% of the Internet Governance Caucus 
list came from African subscribers during the twelve months analyzed. 
This figure is at least below the continent's presence on this space 
(about 10%). However, it has to be stressed that Africa do contributes 
to life in this group at all levels, including during development of 
contributions submitted to IGF. On both lists, the feeble African 
participation that may be understood by several factors is regretted, by 
African stakeholders themselves first of all, and calls for reversing 
this trend are often made. All these conclusions are validated by the 
observation of the whole process, the analysis of some written 
productions and discussions with some key actors.

A main conclusion after this research is that, although Africa 
contributes and participates in IGF in different manners and for various 
reasons, its interest in the international process is minimal; this is 
due to the mandate of the Forum (which is not seen as a space for 
solutions that Africa is urgently longing for), due to the basic access 
to ICT needs and to the crucial need to strengthen internet governance 
on the continent, which is seen as a greater priority. In addition, the 
involvement of the academia is laking, as well that of regional economic 
organizations (ECOWAS, SADC, etc.), maybe because governments seems less 
interested in the process. The other main conclusion is that, capacity 
building for some African ICT actors, and the increased awareness on the 
importance of the multi-stakeholder approach in policy making the 
sector, are seen as the key advantages gained from the international 
process.

It is therefore crucial, in this period of mid-term “evaluation” of IGF, 
and some days before its fourth annual meeting organized in Africa, that 
mechanisms that support capacity building are strengthened and made more 
visible, if further enhancing the importance of the international 
process in the eyes of actors of the continent is an aim.

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