GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Jul 23, CMC – Guyana will host the 20th Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF) s well as the Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum (CYIGF) in August.
The Trinidad-based Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) said the events are being held in collaboration with the Guyana government under the theme “ Reflections, Priorities and Projections re Caribbean Internet & Digital Governance”.
“We are at a critical juncture in the digital evolution of the Caribbean,” said CTU Secretary General, Rodney Taylor, adding that the 20th CIGF and 3rd CYIGF represent an important opportunity for all stakeholders across the region to come together, share knowledge, and collaboratively chart a course towards a secure, inclusive and innovative digital Caribbean.
Prime MInister Mark Phillips said that Guyana is pleased to partner with the CTU to host the event, saying “the forum comes at a time when Guyana is experiencing tremendous growth in the ICT sector and is actively pursuing policies aimed at accelerating broadband penetration.
“ We expect the outputs of the 20th IGF to contribute to accelerating national and regional efforts at achieving universal meaningful connectivity,” he added.
The CTU said that the CIGF, the longest-running Internet Governance Forum in the world, was first held here in 2005 and that this year’s forum features a blend of in-person and virtual participation and aims to further solidify the Caribbean’s role in shaping global Internet governance policies as part of the CTU’s efforts to support regional digital transformation.
The CTU said that the primary focus of the CIGF is to address Internet governance policies and initiatives for priority attention and regional consensus to facilitate accelerated digital transformation in the Caribbean.
It will also feature an array of distinguished speakers, including key figures from the global Internet governance community, government officials and industry leaders.
“Attendees can look forward to receiving updates from national, regional and global IG fora; engaging capacity building sessions led by the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE); and insightful panel discussions on topics such as digital inclusion, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and much more,” the CBU said.
It said that the third CYIGF is designed to amplify the voices of Caribbean youth in the Internet governance conversation and ensure they are heard.
“This unique platform allows young leaders to engage with their peers, share idea and contribute to critical topics such as securing their digital future, bridging the digital divide, overcoming challenges, advancing monetisation for Caribbean content creators and boosting business efficiency through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).”
As of July this year, the CYIGF has been recognised as a National and Regional IGF initiative (NRI) by the United Nations Internet Governance Forum. NRIs are platforms established to discuss, develop, and influence policies and practices related to Internet governance at various levels with a focus on local/regional priorities, the CTU said.
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