The Secretariat of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network is pleased to announce the launch of the new Internet & Jurisdiction Regional Status Report on "Framing, Mapping and Addressing Cross-Border Digital Policies in Africa". The report has been launched at a special session at the IGF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on November 28, 2022.
The report explores why policy coordination is important to building an inclusive and vibrant digital economy in Africa. It identifies key trends taking shape across the region and presents opportunities and challenges for government, private sector, and civil society actors to consider.
KEY FINDINGS AT A GLANCE
African countries should increase their coordination on data policies.
Data sovereignty can be realized without data localization through reciprocal protection of personal data and continental policies to share benefits.
Data policies require human rights safeguards in order to create a trusted and functioning online environment.
Incremental implementation of data policy should progress towards harmonization and take into account development capacities and national contexts without requiring simultaneous conformity.
There is generally a data deficit on the continent, particularly of accurate data and data-sharing structures that can foster the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Shared data infrastructures, including a distributed network of data centers, needs to be progressively developed to enjoy the benefits of scale and scope.
A common African voice in international fora should advocate for data policies that support inclusive development and uphold both individual and collective rights.
TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE AND VIBRANT DIGITAL ECONOMY IN AFRICA
The report provides an overview of the current state of data policy with a mapping of laws and conventions in the context of the new African Union Data Policy Framework with a focus on cross-border digital issues.
The findings in this report are based on a large-scale collaborative contribution and review process, combining the expertise of the key stakeholders engaged in the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network and beyond.
The findings will contribute to the broader continental project of data policy harmonization, market integration and socio-economic development envisioned in the Digital Transformation Strategy of the African Union Commission. The report’s findings should resonate with policymakers in Africa and globally.
A KEY REGION IN A GLOBAL MAPPING EXERCISE
The report builds on the unique methodology of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network to mutualize knowledge of key regional stakeholders from states, companies, technical operators, international organizations, academia, and civil society through interviews, surveys, and workshops. It is a regional edition of the Internet & Jurisdiction Global Status Report 2019, which was followed by the Internet & Jurisdiction and ECLAC Regional Status Report in 2020.
A MILESTONE OF A 2-YEAR PROJECT ON DIGITAL POLICIES IN AFRICA
The release of the report is a milestone of the 2-year I&JPN Project on Cross-Border Digital Policies for Africa, which has been 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).
The report has been prepared by a team led by Research ICT Africa’s Executive Director, Dr. Alison Gillwald. Learn more about the project in this video.
