Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) 2024 to address disruptive technologies

Dakar – Abuja, July 2, 2024 – The 16th edition of the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) will take place in Dakar, Senegal, on July 11-12, 2024. This year’s theme, “Disruptive Technologies: How Far Thus Far,” will explore the impact, challenges, and opportunities presented by disruptive technologies in the region. The forum will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and virtual participation.

Initiated as an outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and guided by the Tunis Agenda, WAIGF advances Internet governance across West Africa. Supported by the United Nations and ECOWAS Commission, WAIGF engages stakeholders in discussions on public policy issues related to Internet governance.

WAIGF 2024 will address digital connectivity, AI and emerging technologies for development, advancing the digital economy and e-governance, digital inclusion and innovation, and digital rights and online content.

The forum will feature the West Africa School of Internet Governance (WASIG), the West Africa Youth IGF, and the Parliamentary Track. These tracks will engage 30 fellows, 200 youths, and 30 parliamentarians from ECOWAS countries, respectively.

WAIGF 2024 will host 20 focused workshops, 30 open sessions, and 5 plenary sessions. Participants will engage with 50 industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders, fostering deep discussions, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving.

WAIGF 2024 will promote policy development and enhance capacity in Internet governance across West Africa, ensuring stakeholders contribute to the global digital policy discourse.

For more details, visit waigf.ecowas.int  

Contact:

Ministère de la Communication des Télécommunications  

et du Numérique  

M. Serigne Abdou Lahatt SYLLA

Phone: + 221 33 889 39 56

Mobile : + 221 77 535 85 11

Email: lahatt.sylla@numerique.gouv.sn 

Français 

Communiqué de Presse

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

Le Forum sur la Gouvernance de l’Internet en Afrique de l’Ouest (WAIGF) 2024 abordera les technologies disruptives

Dakar – Abuja, 2 juillet 2024 – La 16ème édition du Forum sur la Gouvernance de l’Internet en Afrique de l’Ouest (WAIGF) se tiendra à Dakar, Sénégal, les 11 et 12 juillet 2024. Le thème de cette année, “Technologies Disruptives : bilan et perspectives”, va explorer l’impact, les défis et les opportunités présentés par les technologies disruptives dans la région. Le forum se déroulera en format hybride, permettant une participation en personne et virtuelle.

Initiée à la suite du Sommet mondial sur la société de l’information (SMSI) et guidée par l’Agenda de Tunis, le WAIGF fait progresser la gouvernance de l’Internet en Afrique de l’Ouest. Soutenu par les Nations Unies et la Commission de la CEDEAO, le WAIGF engage les parties prenantes dans des discussions sur les questions de politique publique liées à la gouvernance de l’Internet.

WAIGF 2024 abordera la connectivité numérique, l’IA et les technologies émergentes pour le développement, la promotion de l’économie numérique et de la gouvernance électronique, l’inclusion numérique et l’innovation, ainsi que les droits numériques et le contenu en ligne.

Le forum mettra en avant l’École de Gouvernance de l’Internet en Afrique de l’Ouest (WASIG), le Forum des Jeunes sur la Gouvernance de l’Internet en Afrique de l’Ouest (Youth IGF), et une session parlementaire. Ces sessions impliquent respectivement 30 boursiers, 200 jeunes et 30 parlementaires des pays de la CEDEAO.

Le WAIGF 2024 accueillera 20 ateliers ciblés, 30 sessions ouvertes et 5 sessions plénières. Les participants pourront interagir avec 50 experts du secteur, décideurs politiques et parties prenantes, favorisant des discussions approfondies, le partage de connaissances et la résolution collaborative de problèmes.

Le WAIGF 2024 va promouvoir le développement des politiques et renforcer  les capacités en matière de gouvernance de l’Internet en Afrique de l’Ouest, pour une participation des  parties prenantes de la région au discours mondial sur la politique numérique.

Pour plus de détails, visitez waigf.ecowas.int  

Contact :

Ministère de la Communication des Télécommunications  

et du Numérique  

M. Serigne Abdou Lahatt SYLLA  

Téléphone : +221 33 889 39 56  

Mobile : +221 77 535 85 11  

Email : lahatt.sylla@numerique.gouv.sn   

All stakeholders are invited to submit proposals for workshops at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) through the workshop application e-form. The deadline is 30 May  2024, 23:59 UTC.

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Themes in the WAIGF ‎‎2024 Programme

The WAIGF 2024 programme will be organized according to the following four sub-themes:

• Digital Connectivity, AI & Emerging Technologies for Development
• Advancing Digital Economy & e-Governance
• Digital Inclusion & Innovation
• Digital Rights & Online Content

After reviewing inputs from the WAIGF 2024 call for issues, the themes above were decided on during the WAIGF 2024 First Open Consultations.

The IGF’s thematic inputs and stocktaking processes are open to everyone, with a combined 286 submissions received this year. The overarching theme of WAIGF 2024 is “Disruptive Technologies: How Far, Thus Far?”. 

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WAIGF 2024 Workshops

WAIGF 2024 will be organized in a hybrid format allowing for equitable online and onsite participation. Proposals should be designed to take this hybrid meeting approach ‎into account; 

Proposers are invited to make submissions under the following themes:‎

1. Digital Connectivity, AI & Emerging Technologies for Development
2. Advancing Digital Economy & e-Governance
3. Digital Inclusion & Innovation
4. Digital Rights & Online Content

It is important that the organizers of the proposed workshops prepare their proposals clearly aligned to one of the themes described above. However, it is even more important that the description of the sessions show a specific and completely focused approach to the chosen theme, considering that for this year, this characteristic will be considered as one of the main evaluation criteria when choosing the proposals that will be included in the WAIGF 2024 programme.

The ECOWAS Commission as the Secretariat for the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) along with the WAIGF Team plan to organise the 15th edition of the West African Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) from 25 to 26 May 2023. To precede the WAIGF is the 6th West African School on Internet Governance (WASIG) to be organised from 22 – 24 May 2023.

Curriculum:

The school is structured as a three (3) day intensive learning program intended to introduce participants to Internet governance (IG) from the global and West African perspectives. The format will include fireside discussions with experts in the field and participation in the Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa’s (PRIDA) virtual training platform. Certificates will be issued to participants who successfully complete the training. The key areas covered by the program are:

• Evolution of the Internet and the history of Internet Governance
• Mapping of Internet Governance processes and actors
• Classifications of Internet Governance issues (infrastructure, legal, economic and development) from African contexts
• In-depth analysis of opportunities and challenges of emerging issues (cybersecurity, digital economy, human rights) from the West African context
• A practical exercise on a key Internet Governance issue affecting West Africa

Applications: Stakeholders from West Africa are invited to apply. Prospective candidates should ideally be involved as key actors or decision-makers in Internet governance or ICT policy processes. They should also be able to contribute now or soon to IG activities or/and processes within their institutions, countries, continent and globally.

Candidates should be from all stakeholder groups including:

• Youth and Women groups
• Civil society
• Private Sector
• Media
• Government offices and Regulatory agencies
• Security and Defence forces
• Academia and technical community
• Archives, Libraries, and Documentation centers
• Parliament
• West African regional institutions, etc

Women and youth are particularly encouraged to apply. Spaces are limited. Candidates are kindly requested to complete the online form and submit it by 1st April, 2023. For further information on WAIGF and WASIG, please visit the website – “www.waigf.org

The West African Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) invites Internet Stakeholders to submit issues for discussion at the 2023 forum.

We welcome submissions on a wide range of topics related to internet governance, including but not limited to:

• Cybersecurity and online safety
• Access to and affordability of the internet
• Digital economy and e-commerce
• Digital rights and freedoms
• Internet infrastructure and connectivity
• Digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Internet governance policy and regulation

Please submit your issues via the online submission form on the WAIGF website by February 11, 2023. Selected issues will be discussed during the forum, which will take place in May 2023.

We look forward to your contributions and participation in shaping the future of the West African digital ecosystem.