13
Dec 2021
1st Cross-Border Digital Policies for Africa Knowledge Dialogue
I&J contributed
December 2, 2021
Prepared by a team at Research ICT Africa (RIA) the Synthesis Report, provides an overview of the discussion at the workshop highlighting key issues raised including legislation on data flows, alternative rights-based approaches to data regulation, and data indicators.
The Synthesis Report shares the main findings from the workshop and provides an overview of the cross-border digital policy developments identified by participants such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, the Africa Data Policy Framework recently proposed by the African Union Commission, and the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (the Malabo Convention).
Participants underscored the way in which the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology by those with access to it, but has exacerbated digital inequality, with compounding effects on those unable to access digital substitutes for work, schooling, business, financial access, and social relief.
At the workshop, participants heard from Datasphere Initiative Fellows Nashilongo Gervasius and Benjamin Akinmoyeje who shared case studies on data policy in Africa with relation to health data and the development of open data guidelines for Namibia.
Cross-Border Digital Policies for Africa: Project
The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network will conduct a regional mapping exercise of the rapidly expanding digital policy field. The resulting Internet & Jurisdiction Regional Status Report will showcase current trends, initiatives and actors as well as inform about the regional developments in future editions of the Internet & Jurisdiction Global Status Report, the standard-setting global mapping initiative of cross-border legal challenges on the Internet.
The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network is inviting all interested stakeholders to share their unique expertise in the following Data Collection survey. The Cross-border Digital Policies for Africa Report will be based on the input provided in this survey, as well as interviews conducted with actors working on the topic. The survey is available in English, French and Portuguese.
The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network has partnered with Alison Gillwald, Executive Director of Research ICT Africa (South Africa), a world-leading expert in this field, who is entrusted with authoring the report in close coordination with I&JPN.
Knowledge Dialogue Workshops
To support the development of the report I&JPN will be conducting a Knowledge Dialogue which will consist of two workshops. The objectives of the workshops are to:
• Bring together relevant experts and practitioners from Africa in a recurring and safe space,
• collect & frame the most relevant questions,
• share knowledge & expertise,
• support peer-to-peer learning,
• consult on upcoming trends & challenges, and
• amplify African perspectives and voices towards stakeholders in the Global North (part of the 2nd workshop in Q1 2022).
This project is enabled with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Prepared by a team at Research ICT Africa (RIA) the Synthesis Report, provides an overview of the discussion at the workshop highlighting key issues raised including legislation on data flows, alternative rights-based approaches to data regulation, and data indicators.
The Synthesis Report shares the main findings from the workshop and provides an overview of the cross-border digital policy developments identified by participants such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, the Africa Data Policy Framework recently proposed by the African Union Commission, and the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (the Malabo Convention).
Participants underscored the way in which the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology by those with access to it, but has exacerbated digital inequality, with compounding effects on those unable to access digital substitutes for work, schooling, business, financial access, and social relief.
At the workshop, participants heard from Datasphere Initiative Fellows Nashilongo Gervasius and Benjamin Akinmoyeje who shared case studies on data policy in Africa with relation to health data and the development of open data guidelines for Namibia.
Cross-Border Digital Policies for Africa: Project
The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network will conduct a regional mapping exercise of the rapidly expanding digital policy field. The resulting Internet & Jurisdiction Regional Status Report will showcase current trends, initiatives and actors as well as inform about the regional developments in future editions of the Internet & Jurisdiction Global Status Report, the standard-setting global mapping initiative of cross-border legal challenges on the Internet.
The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network is inviting all interested stakeholders to share their unique expertise in the following Data Collection survey. The Cross-border Digital Policies for Africa Report will be based on the input provided in this survey, as well as interviews conducted with actors working on the topic. The survey is available in English, French and Portuguese.
The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network has partnered with Alison Gillwald, Executive Director of Research ICT Africa (South Africa), a world-leading expert in this field, who is entrusted with authoring the report in close coordination with I&JPN.
Knowledge Dialogue Workshops
To support the development of the report I&JPN will be conducting a Knowledge Dialogue which will consist of two workshops. The objectives of the workshops are to:
• Bring together relevant experts and practitioners from Africa in a recurring and safe space,
• collect & frame the most relevant questions,
• share knowledge & expertise,
• support peer-to-peer learning,
• consult on upcoming trends & challenges, and
• amplify African perspectives and voices towards stakeholders in the Global North (part of the 2nd workshop in Q1 2022).
This project is enabled with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
