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.

's digital future is being negotiated away piece by piece, through opaque infrastructure deals, data-sharing arrangemen...
17/06/2026

's digital future is being negotiated away piece by piece, through opaque infrastructure deals, data-sharing arrangements, and political decisions that shrink space for journalists and civil society to gather freely.

🇿🇲 's abrupt postponement of hashtag , reportedly under pressure from Chinese diplomats over Taiwanese civic participation, exposed how geopolitical influence narrows civic space fastest where institutions are already vulnerable. The fallout also scattered World Press Freedom Day events online and to Paris.

This isn't only a China story. The US's bilateral health agreements are tying funding to up to 25 years of national health data sharing ,hashtag 's courts have already suspended implementation pending alignment with data protection law. Meanwhile, African states spend over $1 billion/year on surveillance tech from the US, UK, China, EU, and Israel combined.

The real question isn't whether African states should engage global powers ,they must. It's whether they can do so without trading away civic space, data autonomy, and democratic accountability.

✒️ : Juliet N. Nanfuka

RightsCon

Full article:https://lnkd.in/dbEk2BxS

Protecting online in requires more than policies and promises. As more young people gain access to the internet, the...
12/06/2026

Protecting online in requires more than policies and promises. As more young people gain access to the internet, they face growing risks, from cyberbullying and harmful content to exploitation and privacy violations. While many countries have developed child online protection frameworks, the real challenge lies in implementation.

Governments, technology companies, educators, parents, and civil society must work together to create safer . The goal is not only to protect children from harm but also to ensure they can learn, connect, and thrive online. It is time to move from policy to practice.

Read the full article here:https://tinyurl.com/yrnz6emp

🇺🇬Uganda's push for Artificial Intelliegence( ) & Digital Public Infrastructure ( ) must not come at the cost of citizen...
10/06/2026

🇺🇬Uganda's push for Artificial Intelliegence( ) & Digital Public Infrastructure ( ) must not come at the cost of citizens' rights. At a recent dialogue, gaps were flagged in AI policy, weak data safeguards, fragmented DPI systems & limited public participation.
Read full article here: https://tinyurl.com/33pm4hyf

Telecom operators across are failing persons with disabilities, but Vodacom & Safaricom PLC prove it doesn't have ...
08/06/2026

Telecom operators across are failing persons with disabilities, but Vodacom & Safaricom PLC prove it doesn't have to be that way.
From accessible devices to dedicated customer service and emergency SMS for the deaf, these operators set a standard.
Meanwhile, 's MTN Uganda & Airtel Uganda show little evidence of deliberate accessibility efforts.
Inclusion must be built into digital systems from the start ,not added as an afterthought.
Read the full article here: https://tinyurl.com/mvw9uhth

's telecom sector continues to treat as optional ,not obligation. At a Disability Inclusion Conference in Addis Ababa...
01/06/2026

's telecom sector continues to treat as optional ,not obligation. At a Disability Inclusion Conference in Addis Ababa, Safaricom Ethiopia invoked "Nothing About Us Without Us," yet for 's 🇪🇹 15–17 million persons with disabilities, the gap between policy and lived reality remains vast.

Our report, "ACCESS DENIED: How Telecom Operators in Africa Are Failing Persons With Disabilities" found major telecoms across Africa lack accessible products, trained staff, and affordable options. Inclusion must move from conference theme to measurable reality.
Read full article here:https://tinyurl.com/y5z3ckkv


Doesn’t Have an AI Regulation Gap, It Has an Accountability Gap.Kenya was recently reported to hold the world's highes...
29/05/2026

Doesn’t Have an AI Regulation Gap, It Has an Accountability Gap.

Kenya was recently reported to hold the world's highest tool usage rate ,42.1% of internet-using adults. The piece looks beyond the headline figure to consider what adoption, capability, and oversight mean in the Kenyan context.
Drawing on the proposed Kenya AI Bill 2026, the National AI Strategy, and the role of platform algorithms in everyday digital life, it argues that Kenya's challenge is less a regulation gap than an accountability gap.
🔗 Read full article:https://tinyurl.com/yc27d8dz
🖊️: byaruhanga

A week ago, we were at the 19th Kenya Internet Governance Forum convened by in Nairobi. Preceding the main forum was ...
27/05/2026

A week ago, we were at the 19th Kenya Internet Governance Forum convened by

in Nairobi. Preceding the main forum was the Kenya Youth IGF, held on 20th May, which brought together youth from across East African region to deliberate on issues.
The convening highlighted a generation actively engaged in shaping digital governance conversations through such convenings both nationally and globally and through active participation in consultations on legislative frameworks.

noted the strides various stakeholders made in bridging the digital divide. However, critical concerns around emerging technology laws and policies were also raised, especially whether these frameworks are designed to protect citizens or risk suppressing civic space and limiting access to evolving digital opportunities. Concerns about , , , internet shutdowns, punitive legislation, and were also highlighted.

Calls were made for stronger coordination, more meaningful inclusion, and sustained investment in youth capacity within internet governance spaces.

The response to the Call for Session Proposals has been remarkable, submissions are pouring in from across the contine...
27/05/2026

The response to the Call for Session Proposals has been remarkable, submissions are pouring in from across the continent and beyond, reflecting the breadth of voices ready to shape Africa's digital future in Mauritius this September.
If you have been finalising an idea, this is your last nudge: submissions close on 29th May. The clock is winding down, but there is still room at the table for the sessions that will move the needle on digital rights in Africa.

Don't sit this one out. Submit before Friday closes the window.
🔗:https://internetfreedom.africa

🇿🇼 's new National Artificial Intelligence( ) Strategy gives states a practical template for adopting AI without deep...
26/05/2026

🇿🇼 's new National Artificial Intelligence( ) Strategy gives states a practical template for adopting AI without deepening dependency.
Six pillars anchor it:

1.Talent & capacity development.
2.Infrastructure & computational sovereignty
3.AI adoption & service transformation
4.Governance, ethics & regulation
5.Research, development & innovation
6.Strategic international collaboration

It aligns with the AU Continental AI Strategy and treats data sovereignty as a precondition ,not an afterthought. The real test now is whether implementation matches ambition.

Read full article here:https://tinyurl.com/334vrmyv

For over a decade, we've documented Africa's digital rights landscape through the annual State of Internet Freedom in Af...
20/05/2026

For over a decade, we've documented Africa's digital rights landscape through the annual State of Internet Freedom in Africa reports. From the first edition in 2014 investigating policies in East Africa, to the 2025 report on AI and digital democracy.

These reports have shaped policy conversations across the continent, and each one has been launched at FIFAfrica ,the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa.
Access past reports here:https://cipesa.org/resources/

Now it's your turn to shape the conversation.
⏰ The Call for Proposals for closes on 29 May.

Submit your session ideas on digital democracy, data governance, AI, platform accountability, digital inclusion, and more here: https://tinyurl.com/42rwc2nv

🗓️ | 28 September – 1 October 2026

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