Grenada will host the 22ndCaribbean Internet Governance Forum and the fifth Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum (CYIGF) next week.
The two events from August 24-26 are being held in collaboration with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and will bring together regional and international stakeholders to help shape the future of the Caribbean’s digital landscape. The two fora will be held in a hybrid format, enabling both in-person and remote participation, under the theme: ‘Connectivity to Capability: Shaping a Resilient, Trusted, and Innovative Digital Caribbean.’
Established in 2005 by the CTU and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, the CIGF is the world’s longest-running Internet Governance Forum. For more than two decades, the CIGF has provided an invaluable, non-hierarchical, multi-stakeholder platform where governments, the private sector, technical community, academia, civil society and international organisations collaborate to address the region’s internet governance priorities.
The organsiers said that in addition to reviewing achievements over the years, the Fora will address various facets of internet governance of current importance to the Caribbean coming as the conclusion of the WSIS+20 review and the implementation of the Global Digital Compact reshape the global digital agenda and call for a coordinated Caribbean response.
They said that discussions will examine how the region can close its cybersecurity maturity gap, harness and govern the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and advance development in ways that are effective, inclusive and sustainable.
Central to these conversations is the continued strengthening of the region’s policy architecture, including the review and updating of the Caribbean Internet Governance Policy Framework, so that it remains relevant to emerging technologies and evolving threats.