18th Caribbean Internet Governance Forum and Caribbean Youth IGF Workshop in collaboration with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) IGF

August 24, 2022 - August 26, 2022
Venue: Virtual Event

Registration opening soon.

BACKGROUND

The Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF) is a regional, multi-stakeholder forum initiated by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in 2005 to coordinate a regional approach to Internet Governance (IG), initially focussed on the proceedings of the United Nations’ World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).  The forum has since met annually and has delivered significant and pioneering benefits to the region including formulation of a Caribbean Internet Governance Policy Framework; the proliferation of Internet exchange points (IXPs); capacity building in IG Principles and best practices; and growth in Caribbean influence in international IG fora. The CIGF is the longest running Internet Governance Forum in the world.

This year, the 18th CIGF will feature a Caribbean Youth IGF (CYIGF) and the CIGF will also be held jointly with the inaugural Internet Governance Forum for Small Island Developing States (SIDS IGF). Having been discussed as a goal of the DC-SIDS for quite a few years, the SIDS IGF was catalysed by an intervention and offer of support by the CTU SG in 2021. Support for the idea grew given the realisation that SIDS worldwide share similar development challenges and there existed no collective IG forum that addressed SIDS-specific issues. The CIGF will provide functional input and logistical support to the inaugural SIDS IGF to facilitate its successful launch and ultimate sustainability.

CIGF OBJECTIVES

The 18th CIGF will address various work streams of Internet governance necessary to seize the waning, COVID-19-related opportunity for accelerated digital transformation. It will also actively foster input on issues relevant to young persons and continue work to update the regionally harmonised policy framework for Internet governance

  • Consider Internet governance policies and initiatives for priority attention to facilitate ICT-driven social and economic development
  • Foster inputs from young persons on IG issues of relevance to the Caribbean
  • Review regional vision, priorities and approaches for sustainably building and/or strengthening consensus and action on IG issues in the Caribbean
  • Build national capacity and systems in IG to enable, support, strengthen and sustain effective Caribbean participation and representation at regional and global Internet Governance fora

SIDS IGF OBJECTIVES

  • Establish a platform and ongoing process where SIDS can become involved, can collaborate, cooperate, share experiences and have their voices heard re: issues arising from and impacts on their countries by IG, Internet Policy and the Digital Economy without necessarily having to “join” an entity (e.g. the DC-SIDS)
  • Create a globally visible, recognized and reputable platform for engagement, discussion, cooperation, and collaboration and consensus-building (and even possible decision making) for SIDS Internet Governance, Internet Policy and Digital Economy issues.
  • Highlight and seek solutions for the critical issues facing SIDS from the Caribbean, Pacific and AIMS in the Digital Economy 
  • Consider and identify appropriate initial governance, procedural and operational mechanisms for effectively addressing and achieving the desired objectives.

CYIGF OBJECTIVES

The Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum (CYIGF) is a regional, multi-stakeholder virtual event, under the Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s (CTU’s) Caribbean Internet Governance Forum, designed by youth, for youth. It draws on inspiration from the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s) Generation Connect Global Youth Summit 2022, a three-day hybrid event, for which many of the CYIGF planning committee members attended. The aim of this first ever virtual CYIGF is to:

  • Engage and empower youth to join in the regional discussions on internet governance.
  • Work together to develop and harmonize regional policies.
  • Give youth a chance to voice their ideas and inspire them to become future changemakers in the internet governance sphere.
  • Feature multiple presentations, discussions and interactive sessions on topics such as the Metaverse and Caribbean internet resilience.

TARGET AUDIENCE

All the following stakeholder groups of the Caribbean, Pacific and AIMS (Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea) regions:

  • Academia
  • Civil society
  • Government policy makers and IT Managers
  • Internet users
  • Internet service providers and Telecommunications operators
  • International organisations
  • ICT Regulators

ICANN SIDS Survey

The objective of this survey is to collect data from stakeholders which clearly establishes the challenges and barriers to SIDS participation in ICANN to form an empirical foundation for planning future actions aimed at increasing consistent and substantive participation of SIDS in ICANN.

REGISTER

Day 1

 Day 2 Day 3
Caribbean Internet Governance Forum Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum Small Island Developing States Internet Governance Forum Small Island Developing States Internet Governance Forum
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Speakers’ Bios

WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2022

(MORNING SESSION)

CARIBBEAN INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM (CIGF)

TIME

A.S.T

 TIME

U.T.C

 TOPIC SPEAKER
9:00 – 9:05 13:00 – 13:05 Introductory Remarks and Invocation DJ Ana (Ana-Leesa Ramnarine), Host
9:05 – 9:10 13:05 – 13:10 Welcome Remarks Rodney Taylor, Secretary-General, CTU
9:10 – 9:35 13:10 – 13:35 Greetings from Partner Organisations:
  • Chengetai Masango, Head of Office, UN IGF Secretariat
  • Albert Daniels, Sr. Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, ICANN
  • Kevon Swift, Head of Public Safety Affairs, LACNIC
  • Bevil Wooding, Director of Caribbean Affairs, ARIN
  • Shernon Osepa, Director of Caribbean Affairs & Development, ISOC
9:35 – 9:55 13:35 – 13:55 CIGF @ 18

Reviewing CIGF Vision and Mission

 Nigel Cassimire

Deputy Secretary-General, CTU
9:55 – 10:45 13:55 – 14:45 National, Regional & Global IG Contexts:

  • Reports from National IGFs
  • LACIGF
  • UN IGF and support for National & Regional Initiatives (NRIs)
  • Rabindra Jaggernauth – Trinidad and Tobago
  • Willis Williams – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Obed Sindy – Haiti (TBC)
  • Rocio De La Fuente – LACTLD, and
  • Anja Gengo – UN IGF Secretariat

 
10:45 – 11:00 14:45 – 15:00 LACNIC/APNIC Report:

Technical Success Factors of the Internet

 Oscar Robles-Garay

Chief Executive Officer, LACNIC
11:00 – 11:15 15:00 – 15:15 COFFEE BREAK
11:15 – 12:00 15:15 – 16:00 Caribbean Internet Governance:

  • Caribbean IG Policy Framework
  • Policy Priorities for Current and Future Attention
 Nigel Cassimire

Deputy Secretary-General, CTU
12:00 – 1:00 16:00 – 17:00 LUNCH

 

WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2022

(AFTERNOON SESSION)

CARIBBEAN YOUTH INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM (CYIGF)
TIME

A.S.T

 TIME

U.T.C

 TOPIC SPEAKER
1:00 – 1:04

 

 17:00 – 17:04 CYIGF Opening Remarks
  • Mr. Rodney Taylor – Secretary-General, CTU
  • Melissa Muñoz Suro – Head of the Digital Change Culture Division of the Digital Innovation Laboratory of the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC), Dominican Republic
1:04 – 1:05 17:04 – 17:05 Video of Youth Expectations at CYIGF N/A
1:05 – 1:15

 

 17:05 – 17:15 Intro to Internet Governance (for youth) Co-Presenters:

  • Shergaun Roserie – Mechanical Engineering Intern at Microsoft and Founder of Orbtronics, Saint Lucia
  • Keeghan Patrick III – MIT Graduate Student and Co-Founder of Orbtronics, Saint Lucia
  • Antonio Deterville, Assistant Registrar – Records at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Saint Lucia
  • Naomi Padmore – Intern, University of the West Indies’ Caribbean ICT Research Programme (UWI CIRP), Trinidad and Tobago
1:15 – 1:55 17:15 – 18:00 Measuring Internet Resilience in the Caribbean (MIRC) Moderator: Melissa Muñoz Suro

Co-Presenters:

  • Daniel John – Intern (Telecommunications) at UWI CIRP, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Jeremy Baksh – Intern (Telecommunications) at UWI CIRP, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Sajjid Dan – Intern (Telecommunications) at UWI CIRP, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tyler Seudath – Associate Professional at UWI CIRP, Trinidad and Tobago
1:55 – 2:00 5 minutes Q&A
2:00 – 2:45 18:00 – 18:50 Into the Metaverse: Caribbean Youth-Centred Focus
  • Lester Garcia – Head of Public Policy – Connectivity and Access – LATAM and Caribbean, Meta
  • Xavier Jhon-Clair – Marketing and Design Consultant, and an Online Tutor through the Ministry of Barbados – Division of Youth Sports and Community Empowerment, Barbados
2:45 – 2:50 5 minutes Q&A
2:50 – 3:00 18:50 – 19:00 COFFEE BREAK
3:00 – 3:15 19:00 – 19:15 Careers in Internet Governance:

  • Road map for careers in IG
  • Day in the life of IG Professional
 Mr. Albert Daniels – Senior Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, ICANN

 
3:15 – 4:00 19:15 – 20:00 Fireside Chat with Youth: Career Paths and Journeys in ICT Moderator: Asha Collie, SQL Developer at Compings Consultants, The Bahamas

  • Michele Marius – ICT Pulse
  • Christelle Vaval, Haiti
  • Gary Kalloo – CTU, Trinidad and Tobago
4:00 – 4:10 20:00 – 20:10 INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
4:10 – 4:15 20:10 – 20:15 Closing remarks and Next Steps Nigel Cassimire – Deputy Secretary-General, CTU

THURSDAY 25TH AUGUST 2022

SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS) INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM
TIME

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 TIME

U.T.C

 TOPIC SPEAKER
9:00 – 9:05 13:00 – 13:05 Review of CIGF Day 1 Ms. Nia Nanan – Senior Research Analyst – CTU
9:05 – 9:20 13:05 – 13:20 Opening Remarks Hon. Minister Davidson Ishmael – Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Barbados
9:20 – 10:50 13:20 – 14:50 Panel Discussion:  Cybersecurity / Data Protection / Cybercrime / Digital Justice Moderator  :   Cherie Lagakali, Fiji

  • Ms. Georgina Kiele – Executive Manager Cybersecurity and Government Digital Standards at Papua New Guinea Department of Information and Communications Technology, Papua New Guinea
  • Mr. Domingo Kabunare – Information Communication Technology Division, Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development, Kiribati
  • Mr. Peter Rigamoto – Head of Legal, Digicel Pacific, Fiji
INTERACTIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER SEGMENT
10:50 – 11:00    14:50 – 15:00 COFFEE BREAK
11:00 – 12:30 15:00 – 16:30 Panel Discussion:

Regional Digital Strategies and Digital Economy

 Moderator – Bevil Wooding – ARIN

  • Mr. Raj Mohabeer – Officer in Charge at the General Secretariat of the Indian Ocean Commission
  • Mr. Andrea Giacomelli – Geneva – Pacific eCommerce Initiative update
  • Mr. Rodney Taylor – Secretary General, CTU
12:30 – 2:30 16:30 – 18:30 LUNCH
2:30 – 4:00

 

 

 18:30 – 20:00 SIDS IGF Opening Ceremony
  • Hon. Simon Kofe – Minister for Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs, Tuvalu
  • Hon. Minister Deepak Balgobin – Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mauritius
  • Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill – United Nations Envoy on Technology, United States
4:00 – 5:30

 

 20:00 – 21:30 Panel Discussion   – The Internet & the Environment etc.

 

 Moderator : Selu Kauvaka 

  • Amandeep Singh Gill – United Nations Envoy on Technology, United States
  • Mr. Riad Meddeb – Director, Global Centre on Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development & Senior Principal Advisor for Small Island Developing States, UNDP, United States
  • Ms. Sylvia Cadena, Head of Programs and Partnerships, APNIC Foundation, Australia

 

               FRIDAY 26TH AUGUST 2022

SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS) INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM (IGF)
TIME

A.S.T

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U.T.C

 TOPIC SPEAKER
9:00 – 9:15 13:00 – 13:15 Review of SIDS IGF Day 1 Ms. Maureen Hilyard

ALAC Chair, ICANN, Cook Islands
9:15 – 10:45 13:15 – 14:45

 

 Roundtable Discussion :

SIDS IGF Governance/ Way Forward

–     Outcomes of the Inaugural SIDS IGF

–     The way forward

 

 Moderator: Ms. Maureen Hilyard

  • Mr. Nigel Cassimire – Deputy Secretary-General, CTU
  • Mr. Pablo Hinojosa – Director, Strategic Engagement, APNIC, Australia
  • Mr. Kevon Swift – Head of Strategic Relations and Integration, LACNIC, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Mr. Bevil Wooding – Director, Caribbean Affairs, ARIN, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Mr. Albert Daniels – Senior Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, ICANN, Saint Lucia
INTERACTIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER SEGMENT
10:45 – 11:00    14:45 – 15:00 COFFEE BREAK
11:00 – 12:30 15:00 – 16:30 Panel Discussion:

Telecoms Regulatory Issues : Is Telecom Regulations in SIDS fit for purpose to support internet development?

 Moderator : Ms. Dalsie Tolang

  • Mr. David Cox – Chairman CANTO, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Mr. Nigel Cassimire – Deputy Secretary-General, CTU
  • Mr. John Jack – Deputy CIO, Government of Vanuatu, Vanuatu
12:30 – 2:30 16:30 – 18:30 LUNCH
2:30 – 4:00

 

 

 18:30 – 20:00 Introductory Keynotes on Access, Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Mr. Riad Meddeb – Director  – UNDP Global Centre on Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development & Senior Principal Advisor for Small Island Developing States, (UNDP), United States of America
  • Mr. Stephen Bureaux, The Bahamas
  • Mr. Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, United States of America
  • Dr Jovan Kurbalija – Executive Director of DiploFoundation, Geneva
4:00 – 5:30

 

 20:00 – 21:30 Panel Discussion:

High Interest SIDS-IGF Panel – Access, Connectivity & Inclusion

 Moderator : Ms. Letitia Masaea

  • Georgina Naigulevu, Project Manager, Digital and Health Information Fiji
  • Ms. Sarai Tevita Faleupolu – ICT Director for the National University of Samoa
  • Winifred Kula Amini, Papua New Guinea
  • Tereza Horejsova, Geneva
5:30 – 6:00 21:30 – 22:00 Wrap Up and Closing
  • Mr. Nigel Cassimire, CTU
  • Ms. Cherie Lagakali, Fiji
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