The Third East Africa Internet Governance Forum: Issues and resolutions

Theme: Strengthening East Africa’s Critical Internet Resources

Ø    Cyber security management in East Africa

Ø    Strengthening critical Internet resources

Ø    IPv6 challenges in East Africa

Ø    Access and affordability to Broadband

Emerging issues

A. Cyber Security Management in East Africa

• Cyber security is a combined effort and requires collaboration at all levels.
• Harmonisation of cyber security management frameworks at the regional level should be undertaken. EACO has set up a cyber security taskforce.
• We need to develop relevant polices to address emerging issues.
• UNECA is Launching Knowledge Management platform for eastern Africa: November 2010.

B. Strengthening critical Internet Resources

• From a technical standpoint ccTLDs are quite stable and well run. However there is need to “strengthen” ccTLDs in areas of policy and involvement of stakeholders in the process of management. what criteria should be used to define a strong ccTLD
• Research findings show a lot of misunderstandings about terminology and roles of entities involved in the ccTLD and ICANN, which could contribute to the confusion that we see about what it means to do some things like re delegation of domains.
• ccTLDs are facing stiff competition from gTLDs due to perception and pricing strategies for domain names

C. IPv6 Challenges in East Africa

• The idea is to get prepared and not to panic as we make the transition.  (Timelines and not deadlines)
• Governments have set up taskforces on IPv6.
• AfriNIC has templates on IPv6 transition, deployment and can provide email support
• We need to create awareness about IPv6

D. Access and affordability to broadband

• Countries are investing in Broadband infrastructure and increasing access
• Lack of local and relevant content
• The need for last mile solutions
• Infrastructure challenges still prevail
• Interconnection should be improved with the use of provincial, national and regional IXPs
• We need to define “What is broadband?” what speeds are we benchmarking for broadband

E. Emerging Issues

• We need to have develop our human resource capability. Regionally recognised certifications should be adopted.
• We need to involve the youth more in the activities of Internet Governance
• The dot Africa initiative is a good initiative. Africa should make a combined proposal for it and should include ccTLDs in the process.
• The code of practice ensures that all the people using the internet space are give an opportunity to be involved in the process of managing how they use their space.

RESOLUTIONS AND DECLARATIONS

• A working group constituting all the ccTLDs from the 5 East African countries be set up to look into: (1) The strengthening of the ccTLDs in the region and what criteria defines a strong ccTLD in East Africa.

           (II) The business case for the dot EAC gTLD and how the    process can be moved forward.

• The East Africa Internet Governance Forum calls upon ICANN to pay more attention to the strengthening of country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) especially those in Africa, which are weak and facing stiff competition from gTLDs.
• All landlocked countries in the region should ratify the treaty The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that protects their right to access the sea and also provides legal protection in doing so.
• The EAIGF should host information and share knowledge that arises from forums so that we can consolidate the information and knowledge in one place.
• Let us unify our strategies so that we can get to our objectives quicker.

HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD?

• Code of Practice: By your participation at the forum you become a tool to carry forward the resolutions and recommendations in your organisation and country
• Organizers shall examine participation to ensure its balanced and all inclusive (private sector)