Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa

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Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa

CIPESA

CIPESA aims to promote the effective representation of African interests in policy-making processes, and to see that international policy decisions can effectively be translated into positive outcomes for Africa.

30/09/2026

Not in Mauritius 🇲🇺 ? You don't have to miss a moment.
is streaming live on our YouTube channel, bringing the conversations shaping Africa's digital future straight to your screen.

Over 500 policymakers, regulators, journalists, technologists, human rights defenders, and big tech representatives from more than 60 countries are gathered in Balaclava to confront the questions that will define the next decade of digital governance on the continent. How do we keep the internet on during elections? Who holds platforms to account? Can AI regulation protect rights rather than restrict them? What does data sovereignty look like for Africa?

Expect sharp debates on digital democracy and civic space, data governance, AI and emerging technologies, platform accountability, digital inclusion, and the digital economy. These are conversations happening at a critical moment, as the WSIS+20 Review and Global Digital Compact implementation reshape the global rules of the game.

Africa's voice in these processes cannot be an afterthought. Join the conversation, share your views, and help push for a free, open, and secure internet.
Watch live: https://lnkd.in/d-e_jjT3

28/09/2026

For the 13th edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa, more than 500 policymakers, technologists, researchers, journalists, civil society actors, private sector players and digital rights advocates are gathering at the InterContinental Resort in Balaclava 🇲🇺, in person and online, from September 28 to October 1.

Hon. Dr. Avinash Ramtohul, Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, will officially open the Forum.

We're co-hosting with Halley Movement Coalition in a country that has a strong rule of law, protects free expression online and offline, and is working through its own Digital Transformation Blueprint 2025–2029 and new National Strategy.

Over the next four days we'll be asking what responsible digital transformation looks like for the people who use technology, rely on it and are affected by it. On the agenda:
🟠 and sovereignty.
🟠AI and emerging technologies.
🟠Platform accountability.
🟠Digital inclusion.
🟠Digital economy and trade.
🟠Digital democracy and civic participation.
🟠Digital security and safety.

Africa's digital future won't shape itself. Join the conversation.

24/09/2026

𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗦𝗔 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮’𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀.

In 2025, 🇰🇪 's High Court found that WorldCoin had processed iris data from hundreds of thousands of Kenyans without a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). The draft rules meant to prevent a repeat still leave gaps.

We have submitted comments on two draft Guidance Notes by DATA COMMISSIONER (ODPC) Kenya, on Artificial Intelligence and on Emerging Technologies. They are a positive step, but the ODPC should close these gaps to ensure AI is governed in a rights-respecting, transparent, and accountable manner:
🟠 Biometrics: Make registration with the ODPC and DPIAs mandatory before any biometric processing. Ban real-time remote biometric identification and mass surveillance in public spaces.
🟠 Elections: Classify AI used in political communication and voter micro-targeting as high-risk ahead of 2027.
🟠 Platforms: Extend oversight to social media algorithms, not just enterprise tools.
🟠 AI workers: Protect the data rights of the annotators and content moderators who train AI models.
🟠 The state: Hold public sector AI to the same standard as private companies, with human review that has real power to overturn decisions.

governance that regulates companies but leaves the state unwatched is only half finished.
Read our full comments: https://lnkd.in/dUFFiNBh

22/09/2026

Last year’s Run in Windhoek was an absolute blast, filled with high energy, great company, and unforgettable momentum. Now, it's back and heading to the breathtaking shores of Mauritius for ! 🇲🇺🌊

Get ready to stretch your legs, network, and join fellow digital rights advocates on the road for the 5K Digital Rights Fun Run against the stunning backdrop of the Indian Ocean.

Whether you're walking, rolling, strolling, running, soaking in the scenery, or chasing a PB, everyone is welcome at the starting line.

Bring your energy, your running essentials, and your passion for a secure and open internet.

We shall be sharing more details shortly,stay tuned!

See you at the start line. 🏃‍♂️👨‍🦽‍👨‍🦯💨

21/09/2026

⌛️THE COUNTDOWN IS ON⏳

We are just about a week away from the 13th edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa ( ), and the energy on Whova is already unmatched.

Here is how you can make the most of the Whova platform right now:
🗓️ Curate Your Schedule: Browse the agenda and select the sessions you plan to attend.

💡 Engage Early: Drop your burning questions directly to session leaders ahead of time.

🤝 Connect & Network: Set up virtual or in-person meetups with fellow digital rights defenders, tech experts, and policymakers.

🔄 Share Insights: Break the ice by sharing highlights from your previous FIFAfrica experiences.

🎁 Bonus: We love an active community! Keep your eyes peeled and your engagement high, we have some big prizes up for grabs for the most active participants on both Whova and social media.

Hop into the app, start connecting and engaging.
Don't forget to use our official hashtags: and !

18/09/2026

We were part of the The Freedom Café conversation hosted by FNF Kenya on defending information integrity in a .

The session brought together fact-checkers, policymakers, technologists, and content creators, each bringing a different mandate to the same table. The consensus was clear: information integrity is a shared responsibility, not the job of any single actor.

One sharp point that stood out: the pressure for visibility, driven by clickbait, algorithms, and the demand for likes and views, continues to incentivise the spread of misleading or sensational content. Platforms reward attention, not accuracy, and that tension sits at the heart of the disinformation problem.

Our input as CIPESA was that aren't just an access issue. They are an information integrity crisis and a violation of digital rights. When access is cut, verified information stops flowing, and that vacuum becomes fertile ground for speculation, unchecked narratives, and real economic and political harm.

Journalists, content creators, and everyday social media users all have a role to play in interrogating and communicating the broader implications of shutdowns, not just when they happen, but why they matter.

As 🇰🇪 heads into its next electoral cycle, sustained, cross-sector conversations like this one are essential to keeping digital spaces open, credible, and accountable.
hashtag

15/09/2026

is reshaping economies and daily life across . But "is it safe?" isn't the main question. The bigger issue is whether African countries have the compute power, , skills, and seat at the table to actually shape how AI is built and used.

Right now Africa🌍 has less than 1% of global AI computing capacity, even though it supplies critical minerals and data the industry depends on. That's a real imbalance, not just a technical gap.

conversations need to deal with sovereignty and capacity, not just safety.

Dig into the details here:https://tinyurl.com/4ewsb3e2

14/09/2026

☎️Accept the call and come ready to "Be The Experience"!☎️

At the upcoming Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2026 ( ), be ready to do lots of the following:

🟧Connect and meet people beyond your usual networks.
🟧Bring the difficult questions.
🟧Learn by stepping into conversations beyond your usual area of work.
🟧Contribute through sharing your experience, ideas and perspective.
🟧Collaborate and find people you can build with.
🟧Experience and make the Forum your own!

As you enjoy the weekend, take a little time to think about what you are bringing to FIFAfrica26, what you hope to take away, and the conversations you want to be part of.

We look forward to engaging with you more as we get closer to the Forum.

Until then, get ready to accept the Call📲 and !

If you haven't yet registered for FIFAfrica26, you can still do so here.

Register:https://tinyurl.com/bdej8pux

11/09/2026

𝐌𝐨𝐳𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞’𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞: 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫.

In July, 's 🇲🇿 Constitutional Council struck down 18 provisions of a telecommunications decree that gave the regulator sweeping powers, to intercept traffic, collect user data, and intervene directly in networks, all without Parliament's approval.

The Council called this "organic unconstitutionality": powers that restrict fundamental rights cannot be created by executive regulation alone, only by parliamentary legislation with real human rights safeguards.

It's part of a wider pattern. Courts in 🇿🇼 , 🇹🇬 , 🇳🇬 , 🇬🇳 and 🇸🇳 have each found shutdowns unlawful, for lacking legal authority, failing proportionality, or both. Together, these rulings are shaping a continental standard: no legal basis, no legitimate aim, no proportionality, no shutdown.

But courts alone can't keep pace. In 2025, the # KeepItOn coalition recorded 30 across 15 countries, most over long before any judgment lands. What's still missing is independent oversight, public transparency, and real avenues for redress, plus protection for telecom operators pressured into carrying out unlawful orders.

Mozambique's ruling is a genuine win for the rule of law. The work now is making sure it isn't the exception.

Read the full analysis: https://lnkd.in/dapEFUVz

09/09/2026

This week, we joined Trust and partners at a High-Level Parliamentary Breakfast Dialogue on Kenya's accession to the .

is increasingly treated as the "new oil," and as Kenya heads into a general cycle, the country's next moves on data governance will shape how citizens' information, including biometric data, is collected, stored, and protected.

Accession to the Convention would signal a firm commitment to data privacy, stronger cybersecurity, and a more secure information society.

At the dialogue, Mzalendo Trust, with support from Oxfam, launched a new report: "Building a Resilient Kenya: The Malabo Convention as a Framework for , , and ."

The report makes the case plainly: trusted digital ecosystems are not optional extras; they are the foundation for cross-border trade and continental integration.

Yet only 16 African countries have ratified the Convention to date. That gap, between the reforms countries pursue nationally and the continental commitments they're willing to sign onto, remains wide.

We continue to urge governments to fast-track ratification and align national and county-level frameworks with African data protection instruments, particularly as AI and emerging technologies reshape what data governance needs to look like. Digital sovereignty without continental alignment is a contradiction Africa can't afford.

Address

Plot 156/158 Mutesa II Road, Ntinda
Kampala

Telephone

+256 414 289 502

Website

http://www.cipesa.org/

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