WS #194 The Internet Governance Landscape in The Arab World

Summary

This discussion focused on internet governance in the Arab region, exploring challenges, priorities, and future directions. Panelists emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement in shaping internet policies and governance frameworks. They highlighted the need for increased participation from civil society and the private sector, noting that funding and awareness were key barriers to involvement.

The conversation touched on several priorities for the region, including enhancing connectivity, addressing the digital divide, promoting digital literacy, and strengthening cybersecurity measures. Participants stressed the importance of aligning regional priorities with the global internet governance agenda.

The role of national and regional Internet Governance Forums (IGFs) was a recurring theme, with speakers noting their potential to foster dialogue and shape policies. The upcoming Arab IGF in Amman was highlighted as a crucial opportunity for regional stakeholders to contribute to the global WSIS+20 review process.

Panelists discussed the challenges of combating misinformation and disinformation, acknowledging the complexities introduced by emerging technologies like AI. They emphasized the need for balanced regulatory frameworks and international cooperation to address these issues.

The future of the IGF itself was debated, with participants calling for a more empowered and sustainable model. Suggestions included improving linkages between IGF outcomes and decision-making processes, and clarifying the distinction between digital governance and internet governance.

Overall, the discussion underscored the importance of continued collaboration, capacity building, and active participation from all stakeholders to shape the future of internet governance in the Arab region and beyond.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– The need for greater multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration in Internet governance in the Arab region

– Challenges and opportunities for civil society and private sector participation

– The future of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and its evolution

– Priorities for Internet governance in the Arab region, including youth engagement and capacity building

– The upcoming WSIS+20 review process and Arab participation

The overall purpose of the discussion was to examine the state of Internet governance in the Arab region, identify key challenges and priorities, and explore ways to strengthen multi-stakeholder participation and regional engagement in global Internet governance processes.

The tone of the discussion was largely constructive and forward-looking. Participants spoke candidly about challenges but focused on opportunities for progress. There was a sense of optimism about the future of Internet governance in the region, particularly regarding increased collaboration between national and regional IGF initiatives. The tone became more urgent towards the end when discussing the need for Arab voices to be heard in upcoming global processes like the WSIS+20 review.

Speakers

– Qusai AlShatty: Moderator

– Christine Arida: Government, African Group

– Ayman El-Sherbiny: UN ESCWA

– Zeina Bouharb: Ogero, Lebanon

– Charles Shaban: International Trademark Association

– Ahmed N. Tantawy: NTIA Egypt

Additional speakers:

– Waleed Alfuraih: Saudi IGF

– Nana Wachuku: Advisory board member for Digital Democracy Initiative

– Maisa Amer: PhD researcher at Leipzig Berlin, Germany

– Nermine Saadani: Regional vice president at the International Society of the Arab Region

– Tijani bin Jum’ah: Former member of the Civil Society Bureau at WSIS

– Desire Evans: Technical community and RIPE region

– Shafiq (no surname provided)

Internet Governance in the Arab Region: Challenges, Priorities, and Future Directions

This discussion, held during a global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) event, focused on the state of internet governance in the Arab region, exploring key challenges, priorities, and future directions. The conversation brought together a diverse panel of experts representing various stakeholders, including government bodies, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector.

Multi-stakeholder Engagement and Regional Initiatives

A central theme throughout the discussion was the critical importance of multi-stakeholder engagement in shaping internet policies and governance frameworks. Christine Arida emphasised the need for dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders, while Ayman El-Sherbiny highlighted the importance of promoting regional cooperation through initiatives like the Arab Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the Arab Digital Agenda.

There was broad agreement on the need for greater involvement from all sectors, with a particular focus on increasing participation from civil society and the private sector. Charles Shaban, representing the International Trademark Association, stressed the importance of strengthening civil society and private sector participation, noting the need for sustainable funding. Ahmed N. Tantawy emphasised the need to focus on youth engagement and capacity building.

Priorities and Challenges

The discussion touched on several priorities and challenges for internet governance in the Arab region:

1. Enhancing connectivity and digital infrastructure: Zeina Bouharb of Ogero, Lebanon, stressed the importance of improving digital infrastructure to ensure equitable access.

2. Addressing the digital divide and promoting digital literacy: Ahmed N. Tantawy and Zeina Bouharb highlighted these as key areas of focus.

3. Strengthening cybersecurity measures and data protection: Zeina Bouharb raised concerns about these issues.

4. Combating misinformation and disinformation: Maisa Amer, a PhD researcher, discussed the challenges of tackling these issues, particularly in light of emerging technologies like AI.

5. Aligning regional priorities with the global internet governance agenda: Ahmed N. Tantawy stressed the importance of this alignment to ensure the Arab region’s voice is heard in global discussions.

6. Balancing intergovernmental processes with multi-stakeholder engagement: Ayman El-Sherbiny provided a nuanced perspective on this challenge.

7. Clarifying concepts: Christine Arida noted the need to define the difference between digital governance and internet governance to focus future discussions and policy work.

The Role of Internet Governance Forums

The role of national and regional Internet Governance Forums (IGFs) was a recurring theme. Speakers noted the potential of these forums to foster dialogue and shape policies. Ayman El-Sherbiny called for revitalising the Arab IGF and creating an “Arab IGF 2.0”, while Desire Evans emphasised the importance of linking national, regional, and global IGF initiatives. Evans also suggested including NRI representatives on the IGF leadership panel.

The upcoming Arab IGF in Amman, scheduled for February 23-27, 2025, was highlighted as a crucial opportunity for regional stakeholders to contribute to the global WSIS+20 review process. Christine Arida and Nermine Saadani both stressed the importance of connecting IGF discussions to actual decision-making processes. Saadani also mentioned ongoing research on intermediary liability in the region.

WSIS+20 Review and Arab Participation

Tijani bin Jum’ah and other speakers emphasized the importance of the WSIS+20 review process and the need for strong Arab participation. This global review presents an opportunity for the Arab region to contribute to shaping the future of internet governance.

Future Directions and Call to Action

Looking to the future, participants called for a more empowered and sustainable model for the IGF. Suggestions included improving linkages between IGF outcomes and decision-making processes, and creating a network of regional internet governance initiatives to enhance collaboration and focus on regional challenges. Dr. Waleed highlighted the importance of educating society about the internet ecosystem.

The discussion concluded with a strong call to action for participants to engage in open consultations and upcoming meetings to contribute to these important conversations. Ayman El-Sherbiny specifically mentioned an upcoming consultation meeting, urging stakeholders to participate and provide input.

Conclusion

The discussion underscored the importance of continued collaboration, capacity building, and active participation from all stakeholders to shape the future of internet governance in the Arab region and beyond. As the region prepares for upcoming global processes like the WSIS+20 review and the Arab IGF in Amman, there is a clear need for coordinated input and a strong Arab voice in shaping the future of internet governance. Stakeholders are encouraged to engage in open consultations, participate in upcoming meetings, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on internet governance in the Arab region.

Christine Arida: wants to open up to dialogue with other stakeholders within the classical intergovernmental processes, so specifically within the Arab League, to shape the future of policies related to digital governance as we approach the WSIS plus 20 and also to talk about the future of the IJF in that perspective. So I think governments do play a role and I think there is a need for enhancing and empowering the role and the dialogue that governments have by injecting further multi-stakeholder processes into that and I see here that national and regional IJFs that are in the Arab region, you mentioned Tunisia, Lebanon, now we hear about Saudi Arabia but also the Arab IJF, the North African IJF, they can play a great role to bring those processes and paths together. I hope this helps. Thank you, Koussaï.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you, dear Christine, for your intervention and very interesting points. I’ll shift to my dear colleague Ayman Sherbini from the UN SQA and I would like to address the question on how can intergovernmental organisations such as the UN SQA facilitate more substantial synergies among and between the Arab countries and the global internet governance ecosystem, including if you can shed the light on the digital cooperation, the panel of digital cooperation.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: Hello, thank you, do you hear me? Yes, we hear you. Okay, thank you very much, my dear colleague.

Qusai AlShatty: No, we’re not hearing you clearly.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: There you go Thank you very much Poseidon for Organizing and organizing this session and the way I see very dear faces and partners that we haven’t met for some time and That is not by coincidence actually we in you and economic and social commission for Western Asia Have Collaborated with our dear colleagues in the Saudi government the digital government authority and others more than a year ago during the hosting arrangements and preparations for this very dear and very Honorable event that we do in the region for the second time in the last 15 years I recall Sharma Sheikh in 2009 and here we are in Riyadh and We are proud to be here in the right time in the right place like 10 months or less from the WSIS plus 20 review, so What what is the role of the United Nations in the internet governance Arena and in the region first of all as you all know the WSIS itself which gives spin-off the global IGF was a platform Under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General and General Assembly during 2003 2005 the inception as you define of the definition of the internet governance was part of the world in group on internet governance during 2003 2005 Which give birth in Tunis agenda to the IGF it also gave birth to other processes like in has cooperation and others During this period During this period In the beginning, few IGFs spawned off in different parts of the world. So in 2009 in Sharm el-Sheikh, we in ESCWA came up with the idea of having an Arab Internet Governance Forum, similar to other regions, and we took a couple of years for internal consultation with the League of Arab States.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: From 2009 Sharm el-Sheikh till 2011, we got all the arrangements in partnership between us and the League of Arab States and member countries, and I here commend the role of the Egyptian government, the National Telecom Regulatory Authority, in a very important event which Kosai shared and Shafi and many others, Christine also, called Habtour event, January 2012. We put the first building block for the Arab Internet Governance Forum, which is under the auspices of the ESCWA and LAS, and has its mag also like the global model, as well as hosting changes from one place to the other. I also recall the role of Kuwait as the first host of the Arab Internet Governance Forum and the role played by KITS and Kosai at that time. So we did a model that mimics the global model, and this is what the UN brought. We created the Arab IGF, created the model, built the partnership and championships, and we hosted six annual Arab Internet Governance Forums since then, and it’s a good chance to ask my colleague Rita to distribute some information about the Arab IGF7 that will take place in Amman in February 2025, which is like six, eight weeks from now. We would like that all of you here today in the session by Arab IGF in the Global IGF to do two things. First of all, to mark your calendar for the Arab IGF7 in Amman, in the region, and spend the week over there, not only for the Arab IGF, but for the Arab voices. which is the Arab Forum for the WSIS and 2030 Agenda. Furthermore, for the first conference on the Arab Digital Agenda that we with all member states have developed in the region, for the region, adopted by heads of states, which has 35 goals for digital development in the region until 2033. So we’ll have three different communities coming together in the same week. You will have the brochure now from Rita on the DCDF, and we’d like that you register. But what is the second thing we want from you? We want you to be here tomorrow by two rooms towards room workshop 11. But at 10.30, if I’m not mistaken, we will double check the date now. And tomorrow we’ll mention what Shafiq alluded to. We will make a consultation on the WSIS plus 20 review the next 10 months. We will also connect this to the internet governance process, as well as to the GDC Global Digital Compact process. It’s a round of consultation that we are doing tomorrow for 90 minutes. And your presence tomorrow is no less important than your presence today. So please be there. We will touch more, deep dive into the GDC, its relationship with Arab Digital Agenda, Arab IGF, IGF, and the Saudi IGF. And I’m proud that we have, as Shafiq mentioned, had the North African IGF, and we have here Charles also, he is a head of the MAG of the Arab IGF. And now we have a colleague partner from the Saudi IGF, and we have the Lebanese IGF. So tomorrow it will be very important that we come together to shape also our strengths and presence, not only for Amman IGF7, but hopefully we are going to do an announcement also related to the next edition of the Arab IGF, Arab IGF8, very soon, inshallah. Thank you so much.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you. Thank you, dear Ayman. I would like also to welcome our second online panelist, dear Zaina Abu Harbo from Ojero, Lebanon. And she is with us online.

Zeina Bouharb: Yes, good morning, everyone.

Qusai AlShatty: Good morning, Zaina. And I would like to direct you to the question, what policies and recommendations would you suggest in the Arab region to ensure a more robust and sustainable internet governance framework? I’ll pass the floor to you.

Zeina Bouharb: Thank you, Koussaie. First, let me thank also my, let me join my colleagues in thanking the government of Saudi Arabia for hosting this important event. And thank you and Shafiq for organizing this workshop. Well, if I want to answer your question about recommendation, you know, it’s to ensure a more robust and sustainable internet governance framework in the Arab region. The governments maybe should first address technical, regulatory and social challenges. And the picture differs from country to country, you know, because there is also this difference in technological advancement between the Arab countries. So first, I would say my recommendation would be to enhance connectivity and to invest in the development of reliable digital infrastructure because sustainable internet governance requires strong and accessible digital infrastructure before everything else to enable equitable participation. participation across the region. My second recommendation would be regarding cyber security and data protection. Also, a more secure and trusted internet is fundamental for internet governance. There is a need to develop comprehensive cyber security laws and data protection frameworks that are aligned with international best practices, while at the same time accounting for local needs and local contexts. And one very important recommendation would be to promote the multi-stakeholder government approach, where all the relevant stakeholders, governments, business, civil society, technical community and academia, they all can play an active role in policy making by establishing national frameworks for dialogue between stakeholders, such as the national IGF and the regional IGF, and also by encouraging participation in the global internet governance institutions like ICANN and the IGF. So, if you want, we can list a lot of recommendations, but you know, there is also a need for digital literacy programs within the Arab countries to integrate this literacy into educational curricula. And also, there is something very important, which is to foster the regional cooperation. I think Mr. Ayman already tackled this issue and he will go deeper into this topic. So this would be my recommendation. Thank you, Kosar.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you, Zainab, for your valuable input. I will shift the floor to my dear colleague, Charles. And actually, I will ask you a compounded question, because you represent a civil society organization, but your membership base is also private sector. So my question will be in that compounded form. When we see the internet governance landscape, civil society is the most stakeholder that participates. Private sector is from the least. So how, in that context, what role does the civil society play and the private sector would play in advancing internet governance in the Arab region? And how can this role be further enhanced?

Charles: Thank you very much, my dear Kosar. And thank you for the invite. Thanks for the Saudi government for having this wonderful event here. In fact, as you mentioned, good to mention that, because now I represent the International Trademark Association, which is officially a nonprofit organization. But more than 95% of our members are private sector. So this is my history with the Arab IGF. I was in the private sector before even joining INTA. So to answer your question, Kosar, I think the best way, the role, I don’t think I will talk a lot about it, because everybody knows the important role of the multi-stakeholders and what you, Anshan, specifically was talking about all the time. So we need the opinion and the views of these two important sectors in everything we do here, of course, and in the Arab IGF and the local IGFs. But maybe how to enhance it better, I can maybe think about it. I think we need more sustainability. financially, especially for the civil society to be able to continue participation. I know that many organizations usually don’t have the budgets to attend such forums and participate actively. Even with the online now, it’s easier, but still, you know, sometimes the in-person presence helps a lot in this. Going to the private sector, I think we need to show them more the importance of being part of the policy making, let’s say, because I know this is mainly a non-binding forum. At the same time, it’s important not to wait to see what the others want. We need to know the private sector, which is mainly the runners of the big economy around the world. We heard in the morning, Minister Sowaha excellently put it in a wonderful presentation that we are talking about 20.6 trillion. I mean, so we know that the drivers are mainly the private sector. We need them from the beginning to know exactly what they expect from the Internet, how to be part of it as we talked. So I think this, especially in our region, needs to be clearer for the private sector, because this is exactly what we face at the Arab IJF. We always had a lack of private sector. So this is exactly what we need to tell them, not only to concentrate on your work. You need to work, of course, but at the same time, be part of this, because this will affect your work in the future. So how to pass this, I’m not sure. So my recommendation would be awareness, I think, more of the importance of this for all the stakeholders, especially the private sector. Thank you. And if you allow me, Qusai, you know I have a conflicting meeting. Thank you. If you allow me to leave slightly so I don’t disturb anyone. I’ll see you tomorrow in the other workshop if I need to. one looking forward. Thank you Charles for being with us. Thank you

Qusai AlShatty: I will pass the floor to my dear colleague Ahmed from the NTIA Egypt and I will ask him a question. What are, in your view, the top priorities for the Arab region and internet governance and how can government align these priorities with the global internet governance agenda?

Ahmed N. Tantawy: Thank you Saeed, thank you Sharif for organising this workshop and thank you for the KSA for hosting the Global Ajaif and give us the opportunity to be here this year. In my view about the priorities in our region, I think there is a common need in our region called engagements. I think we should support the multi-stakeholder engagement in all our process in the Arab region. Actually at the past years we have many initiatives actually as you mentioned in the presentation. We have now national IJFs, we have regional IJFs and we have youth IJFs by the way in Lithuania. I think creating kind of a networking between all these initiatives in our region is something will help us to focus on our challenges in the region. I got this idea actually after our webinar organised one week ago and it was co-hosting between the Arab IJF, North African IJF and Lebanese IJF. Actually it was a remarkable webinar, gave me this idea about the network who manage, who compile the initiative in our region, okay, and through this networking we can share our thoughts. If you are talking about how to effectively enforce our voices in the global tracks, okay, I think this might be helping our priorities. Referring to the priorities, okay, I think how to make youth engagements and capacity buildings, this is one of my priorities, okay. I see a lot of youth, they have the knowledge, they have the capability, okay, and I think sense a capacity building for them to be engaged and to be leaderships in the future. This is one of my priorities, I think, and of course the digital divide between inside the same countries, between men and women, all this comes as a priority in our region. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Qusai AlShatty: If I would like to ask a question.

Nana Wachuku: Thank you very much. My name is Nana Wachuku, advisory board member for Digital Democracy Initiative. It’s a program that focuses on supporting initiatives that help provide digital access, particularly in the global south. My question, there’s a lot of conversation around multi-stakeholder engagement. and there’s also the conversation about funding for civil society in participating in these multi-stakeholder platforms. But I’m also curious because there’s also the part about the government not being a very active participant in these multi-stakeholder engagement platforms. And I was wondering, beyond funding, are there other reasons that prevent civil society organizations from participating? And for the government, how democratized are these engagements? Is there also a reason that keeps the government away from engaging actively with the different stakeholders in these platforms? That’s one. My second question is, what are the top two priorities for civil society in this region? Specifically civil society, what are the top two priorities for civil society in this region? Sorry, I just want to get the questions out. And then the last one is, considering we’ve had conversations around private sector, how involved or how open is the policy making process enough to invite private sector for them to understand that we can be willing participants in the process? How involved are they in some of these policies that are made in the region? Thank you.

AUDIENCE: Let me start from your last question, because this is what the third question is. So we’ll start from the third question. I recall it correctly. So, I correct me if I’m wrong, please. 1st of all, what does it take to engage more social society here in Saudi? I think more awareness. Will bring more focus to the Internet community as a whole. Especially educating the society about Internet ecosystem as a whole. And the end user benefit out of engaging with us. So, we will engage their voice, take their voice all the way to the decision makers. And this is where we act as a society internally. To shape up the Internet ecosystem as a whole. So, they will be part of developing the whole ecosystem. So, I think education is a focal point where we need. And we are doing it already. So, we are doing a lot of workshops, seminars, online and face-to-face workshops in Saudis. And we are getting momentum every month. We are seeing growth, we are seeing reactions. We launched several initiatives where we educate the end user about what we could do to them. Especially hearing their needs, requirements, stuff like that. This is in one front. I think the second question was about… Involvement in policy making, how to ensure that others can be involved in the development of policy making. Absolutely. And this is one of the major things that we are doing right now. As part of the education, we are telling end user in order to be… part of the effective development of internet ecosystem, you have to be part of us. We have to hear your voice, you have to engage with us in seminar, workshop, discussion groups, stuff like that. And this is where we take their opinion very actively and passing their needs to the decision maker from policy, in the policy making or in the regulator side. And this is on internet, on cybersecurity, on other domains, not only internet usage.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Waleed. For Christine with us online, kindly if you can reply to the first question, which what stops the civil society other than funding from participating, if you see another reason other than the issue of funding. So, dear Christine with us and can reply to this.

Christine Arida: Thank you, Kosai. Can you hear me now?Yes. Okay. So, I think for civil society, likewise for all the other stakeholders, participating in a venue and engaging is all related to how much is at stake and how influential they can be to shaping the discussion, to participating, to really achieving something from that participation. So, of course, funding is a very important topic for civil society. But also, if I talk about the region, and I think this would apply to private sector and to civil society in the region, there’s a lot related to the maturity of how they can be influential in policy making or in policy shaping in the region. And if I take an example from the private sector, if you look at the global north, you would always find in private sector companies, a public policy division. Whereas if you come to our region, this is sometimes the least of their worries, and it’s only starting and picking up. Similarly with civil society from the region. So bottom line, it is related to how much they can influence what is happening and how can they shape policies around what is at stake for them. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatty: Let me pass the floor also to our colleague Ayman. The second question is how to integrate all stakeholders in the policy development process. How do you think that engagement can take place?

Ayman El-Sherbiny: So this is a very important point. I think the two worlds of intergovernmentalism and multi-stakeholderism, they can live together very smoothly. They are two sides of a coin. No side can work without the other. So what is the complementarity here? The complementarity is the dialogue in the multi-stakeholder arenas and gatherings such as forums or conferences and so on, which shape the ideas, which shape the positions, messages that should be taken further to the policy making. So it is policy support or policy shaping. Policy making naturally happens in the government circles in most of the issues, not all of the issues. So here comes the role of governments and the way we put them together, multi-stakeholders with equal footing and everything, is in the forums. While we go to the League of Arab States or UN closed meetings, General Assembly, or whatever, we get all these messages and we take the decisions and resolutions and go further to adopt what is in the interest of the global public. It’s a global public good in the globe or in the region. It is a public good. So it’s a public policymaking that has inputs from the citizens, civil society, business, and so on. The weakness here in the region is mainly in the civil society, as Christine said, alignment with what is happening, and also business sector. They see that most of the decisions pertaining to a global good is made elsewhere outside of the region. But the reality is through this regional forum, we contribute to the global public policymaking. And the global public policymaking will also impact the governmental bodies in the region. So it’s a continued loop. The last thing which I want to bring to this very important question is a forum with dialogue only without connecting tentacles or without the tangent points, contact points, with the decision making will not also help. As I said, there are two sides of the coin. So what is needed here also is an agenda for the region that everyone agrees to. So there are objectives, a compass for everyone to try to achieve certain targets. And this is in Europe. This is now in the global thing, in the global digital compact, in Europe, European digital agenda. So we have an Arab digital agenda with the same characteristics. And this has goals, targets, agreed upon by everyone. Multi-stakeholder engagement in the Arab digital agenda is a must, as well as in this kind of dialogue forums. So this complementarity between having a goal or a compass, having two places for policy shaping and policymaking, three of them work together very smoothly. And this is what we have in the region. And we guarantee the commitment of heads of member states into what the citizen and the youth aspires to. The last message I will say more about tomorrow in the discussion of global digital compact. In the summit of the future, we have five different facets. Some of them are related to political dimensions global level of the General Assembly, even. Some related to the finance, some related to the digital and the youth. So we are at the center of the summit of the future. This digital platform is really the place where we not only shaping the digital future, but the real future of the planet, the policy, the political paradigm, and the next generation.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you. Thank you. I will pass the floor to the lady in the back, please. You can present and then turn it.

Maisa Amer: Thank you all very much for the interesting discussion. I would like to ask, first, I’m Maisa Amer, PhD researcher at Leipzig Berlin, Germany. I would like to ask all the panelists, how do you see the regulatory framework to tackle disinformation in the Arab world? For example, if there’s disinformation and misinformation disseminating on the digital platform, what’s the primary approach the states take in this point? Do you communicate with the platform directly to, I don’t know, negotiate or something to see how to look forward, how to tackle this phenomenon, or do you intervene directly? So I just curious to know what is the regulatory framework to tackle disinformation and misinformation. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatty: I would let Ahmed first, maybe, to address the…

Ahmed N. Tantawy: Thank you so much. I think all Arab regions have a legal framework. We hear you, we hear you. Okay. We have frameworks. I think all regulatory authorities are working on developing this framework every three, four years, following up. any updates, as you mentioned, about the misinformation and disinformation. I think also there is communicating channels between the governments and the platforms and the private sectors within the region or within the country. However, many of the platforms are outside the country. Maybe the framework or the legal framework will not be applying on these platforms. However, the channels are still running and communicated all over and updated.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you. Any further elaboration from the panelists?

AUDIENCE: Thank you very much for the question. It’s really very important. And if I may add, it’s getting more complicated if you add AI as well. So the misinformation in AI is going to be massive. And I would urge you to read about the global initiative, about how AI initiative has been framed to make sure that this kind of misinformation is tackled. The framework talks about what should the action look like. And it is evolving. And everybody would like to make sure internet is a safer place, a trusted place. And without a global cooperation, I don’t think we’ll reach it to that point. So thank you very much. I think it’s a global phenomenon and it’s been tackled, I hope, very efficiently. Thank you so much. Adding to your intervention, the AI is going to create a lot of not only of misinformation is disinformation, but it will propagate the disguise of the truth in general. So that is a really very complicated issue. The session, the plenary session before us here discussed the ideas related to the truthfulness and ethical matters, and also the explainability, as well as the discoverability of algorithms and this kind of things. What we are doing in the international organizations region, we have developed a strategy for AI in the region, a vision for it, and we connected this to the Arab Digital Agenda. And we are currently putting metrics for measurement, the baseline now of readiness, of maturity, of adoption of AI. And we’re trying to put targets for the regions to combat this phenomena in collaboration with pertinent UN bodies, which is UNESCO. So we are working on that. It’s like an uphill battle. It’s like the virus and antivirus. The more you create antiviruses, the more there are people who are trying to disguise. So with AI, it’s difficult. But when the AI is under the jurisdiction of the humans, it’s still manageable. So the governance is by humans, of the AI, and we will not really be afraid to combat this kind of threats. And we think that it will continue like that. There is an upper hand for the human intelligence that will control such kind of malicious behaviors. Thank you. I’ll pass the floor to dear Nermine Saadani from ISOC.

Nermine Saadani: Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for giving me the chance to contribute to this valuable discussion. My name is Nermine Saadani. I’m the regional vice president at the International Society of the Arab Region. I have actually two points. One question for the distinguished panelists, and as well an intervention to feedback. our colleague here from Berlin, on her question on the regulatory framework and to complement what the distinguished panelists said. So first, my question to the panelists, and this is, I think, an opportunity. Can we start with the intervention so we can remember the question better? So on the intervention and your question about the regulatory framework that could be there to prevent the communities and the societies from the fraud information that could be present on the platform, the intervention is a very, very useful research this year, and we’ll complete this research in the coming year, inshallah, on intermediary liability. And this is a legal framework that many of the developed regions and the countries has been working on. And I think it will be very, very useful for our region as well as Arabs to look at intermediary liability from that perspective on how to strike the balance between protecting the platforms and as well protect the people and the users of the internet from any fraud or any misinformation that could be prevailing on those platforms. Striking a balance is something that is very useful in general, and this framework from a legal perspective is very useful. The document and the research will be announced on our platform, inshallah, in the second quarter of 2025. And we have conducted the research on six countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman, and Bahrain. So that would be very useful, and I think it will give a context of whatever they have been mentioning and your concern or your question. So I would refer this to you, and maybe it will be announced on our website shortly, inshallah. On my question, and this is a huge opportunity because all the pioneers from the Arab region who has been building the internet governance in our region are here. So I would like to pose a question very direct about the future of the internet governance forum itself, coming up very soon, the review on the WSIS plus 20. I would like to see or to understand. How do you see this process, and how can we encourage the Arab governments to get engaged more and more in the Internet Governance Forum? We still see lack of governments present, and definitely not all the stakeholder groups are there. So how do you see this, and how do you look at the review process for that forum? Thank you so much.

Qusai AlShatty: I’ll pass the floor to the panelists.

AUDIENCE: Thank you so much for the panelists who gave me the first intervention. But of course, it is not the only intervention. But I know the question of Nermin, and tomorrow we’ll give more details. But now, in general, I see the future, and this is not political talking. I see the future of the Arab IJF bright. I see it revived. I see it strengthened. It’s another wave. Remember the IJF-9? One or two years afterwards, 2009, IJF-4 in 2009, we strengthened our presence through this Arab IJF. With this booster in the IJF-19 in 2014, we have agreements already and discussions with the Saudi government, and we have discussed with the Emirati government, we have discussed with people in the NDRA. We want to strengthen and create the Arab IJF-2.0. Much more stronger, much more vital with goals and targets like the evolution we saw in the global IJF. The IJF lived a very long period, bottom-up only, until at a certain point in time, they created the so-called leadership panel, for example. Now, they connected more with the CSTD, connected more with the General Assembly. So, connecting more with intergovernmentalism. Now, we are already connected, so we don’t have a problem. But, as I said, we have weakness in the business sector. They don’t see a benefit. We have weakness in the civil society, too. They are not enough aligned. So, together, we are reviving a new wave, inshallah. The last eight, 10 months are vital. What you asked about the WSIS plus 20, and let me really give a word of command to Nermeen herself. She was working in when she was in her previous work in the IGF and WSIS plus 10 process. She knows how important it is. At that time, the global IGF plus 10 in 2015 led to connection between IGF and 2030 agenda. In general assembly 70 over 125 resolution, there was such a connected with the WSIS and the 2030 agenda never has it been before. So I see that after 10 months from today, there is going to be a strong connection between the IGF process, the WSIS process, and they will prevail hopefully for another 10 years or more. And maybe the least would be until 2030, but I see it at least 10 to 15 years. And while so doing, they have a GDC. They have never had a global digital compact before. So there’ll be strengthened. We have an Arab digital agenda. So I see the future is really bright in the region globally and at the national level too. We started by Arab IGF and then Tunisian IGF, then Lebanese IGF. And now we see the Saudi, we see the North African. So things are maturing and inshallah, the citizens themselves will play a bigger role and the next generation together with ISOC and with other member countries.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you.

Shafiq: Please. If I may add as well, thank you very much, Ayman. The good thing about IGF itself, it is a platform for discussion, to be honest. And people come here with open-minded, a kind of open topics. And the more we have this kind of a platform to discuss the idea, especially at this stage where a lot of factors in a place. We are talking about ICANN and the initiative of new GTLDs. and talks about it, things about what we discuss on AI and how it’s impacted global usage of the internet. And there are a lot of topics that it is really emerging. So this kind of a platform, I think the more we have, like IGF, where we discuss ideas, we meet with experts, decision makers. I think our thoughts will bring it together more and more. And everybody who worked a long time in internet, we understand that it is a multi-stakeholder approach. Internet without having a collaboration and connectivity everywhere, it is not internet, per se. So thank you very much for raising this question. Any other question from Ahmed?

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you, thank you, Dr. Amin.

Ahmed N. Tantawy: I’m not gonna add anything new, but maybe I will summarize with two words. Trust between stakeholders is a mandatory, okay? And to avoid avoiding, avoid avoiding being here, avoid avoiding participation, avoid avoiding engagement. Let’s talk, we are different stakeholders. We have different mindsets. We have different perspective. We have different priorities. It’s normal to be not on the same line, but let’s keep dialogue, let’s keep being here, engagement and discussing and showing our perspectives. Thank you.

Shafiq: Shafiq. Thank you, thank you, Ahmed. Just, I will reflect on Nermin’s question. It’s a very critical question. And I cannot agree more with all my colleagues and friends, but I will take this opportunity for a call, for a call to the Arab community, for a call for the all Arab stakeholders to commit and to go and fill. and all the open consultations that make the Arab IGF sustainable for the next five, 10, 15 years. As Dr. Waleed said, it’s the only venue for inclusivity, for bottom-up, for the multi-stakeholder to voice their concerns. So during all these open consultations, as technical community, as RIPE NCC, we recognized and we committed to a multi-stakeholder environment that the IGF is fostering. And this is why my call is for all the Arab stakeholders to go online, fill the open consultations, and make your voice heard that the IGF should be sustainable, should be there to discuss all the concerns and all the challenges that every one of us is facing. Thank you, Qusai.

Qusai AlShatty: Then let me take the privilege as a moderator to give the floor to our dear colleague, Tijani bin Jum’ah, who witnessed the WSIS process and internet governance since the start. And he was a member of the Civil Society Bureau at the WSIS time. And now we have the privilege that he’s with us and looking at the evolution of the WSIS and the continuation of the IGF. So I will take this privilege to give you the floor yourself.

AUDIENCE: Thank you very much, Qusai, and thank you all for having me. I think that we are witnessing an evolution of the IGF. Since Tunis Agenda, IGF was created there and we had IGF plus 10 where we had the possibility to have the output because at the beginning, there was no output. It was not permitted to have output. Now we have output, but it is not binding to anyone. it is only if you want to look as someone said last time. So this is an evolution but we need evolution, we need to have these recommendations out of the IGF be considered by the decision making people, by people who are deciding on behalf of us. So the multi-stakeholder model is the only model that can give me the possibility to express my opinion since I am civil society so I don’t have any decision making rights. So the multi-stakeholder model I can speak, I can give my opinion and this multi-stakeholder model should be considered, it should be improved in my point of view, it should be improved so that it will be a real multi-stakeholder model because the stakeholders are not equal, we need multi-equal stakeholders. Civil society people don’t have the possibility to go to the meetings because they are not funded to go there but fortunately there are some sources of funding, it is not enough in my point of view. So they cannot express their opinion as well as the governments who are paid for it as well as the private sector who have an interest, a financial interest so they are paid to go there and to express their point of view. This model should be improved in my point of view and we have to fight for it. There is no other model of governance that can give all people the right to express themselves. Now about the evolution, as you know GDC was plus 20 etc. The problem is that there is a lack of participation from our region. Unfortunately, I think that it is too short, 10 months is too short to have the opinion, the consensus opinion of the region about the evolution of WSIS, WSIS plus 20. We didn’t have, Nermeen is right, she is right because we don’t have something already prepared and we should have prepared it much before this time, but no problem if you want, we can work on it, we can do that, but we need the engagement of everyone, real engagement. It is not about bring this kind of people or this kind, we have to have the opinion of all people and in my point of view, we have to have the opinion of all the national and sub-regional IGFs in our region and also for the Arab IGF. We have to have also the opinion of all the ISOC chapters in our region. This will help to shape, if you want, the opinion, the consensus opinion about this evolution. We don’t have to be absent in this occasion. Thank you, Kossai.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you, thank you. I think Christine, our panelist, she has a comment and a question.

Christine Arida: Thank you, Kossai. So, I really thank Nermeen for putting forward that very important question and I would like to recall here a discussion that happened yesterday in the NRI coordination session where, if I recall right, Bertrand de La Chapelle has put forward the proposal that all NRIs across the globe in their sessions between here and between Riyadh and Norway, IJF, that they initiate a discussion about how they would like to see the mandate of the IJF renewed and produce actual paragraph or text about the IJF. And I think that’s a very innovative idea, though it’s basic, it is very innovative, because if we can harness the power of grassroots in terms of looking at the future of IJF, I think there is real impact that can be done in terms of the multilateral process that will look into the WSIS plus 20 review and the mandate of the IJF renewal. And in that respect, I think we can lead by example within the Arab region. I think what we need to see is a very thorough discussion about the renewal of the mandate of the IJF that should happen in the upcoming Arab IJF. And we should see that feeding into the ministerial sessions, whether within ESCWA, within League of Arab States, others to actually shape the intergovernmental process in that area. And to add one more final comment to that, the IJF has done a lot of dialogue, a lot of discussion, even outcomes. We have policy outcomes, policy recommendations. I think what we should be focusing on at this stage is defining the difference between digital governance and internet governance. because this is one point that needs to be tackled. The other thing that we need to look at is linkages. How can the outcomes that come out of the IGF actually feed into actual decision making elsewhere? And we’ve been saying that, but we haven’t been doing it so good. I think those two points are very important for the IGF, in addition to a solid proposal about how to empower the IGF in terms of funding and resources. Thank you very much.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you, Christine. Any questions from the audience? Let me just make a comment. I had the privilege to attend the GDC Action Day. During the preparation session there, the Arab world was represented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. They presented what they are doing in terms of digital cooperation and regarding the issues related to the digital compact. Yet, they represented the view from our part of the world that preserves the interests of the key players here in front of the global players. The global players are not necessarily the government counterparts, but also the global players like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, and so on, and other regional groups. It was substantial in reflecting our point of views and having some text in these documents that represents our interests and our priorities. So, leading this back, the next 10 months, I agree it is short, but It’s important to, with governments being our umbrella and representing our legitimate interest as all the stakeholders, and they are the people who will be on the table protecting our interests and the priorities. We need to pass the view of what we want from, let’s say beyond, which is plus 20, and what we want from the IDF as an evolution, beyond 25 years, and how we want this to be set up in the Arab world after the evolution that we see on the landscape regarding internet governance, not necessarily a specific platform, but national, regional, and our attack to the, our interaction with the global forum. So in that sense, really, we need to follow the timeline from here till July, which is the high-level event that we’ll take in Geneva. I think the host will be the International Telecommunication Union, and up to the General Assembly, the session that will be the last decision to say to go or not, and that will take, and so far, it is December 25. But this is all to be confirmed. Any final comment from the audience? Well, Desiree, do you have an intervention? Yes, please.

Desire Evans: Thank you, Desiree Evans. With the technical community and RIPE region, I really admire the Arab region in terms of how much effort has been made to include everyone and have a lot of, especially for the youth, internet governance forums that are taking place in different region. So I just wish that this enthusiasm continues past this WSIS Plus 20 review with the revived ILO. IGF, and not just 10-15 years. I think some people are calling for the unlimited life of this useful platform. But one important point, in addition to Shafiq was saying, please fill in the open consultation forum on the ITU’s website by 14th of March, saying how useful this platform has been. I think we also have an opportunity in June in Norway for the next IGF to get together and think about this proposal that Christine has mentioned, how NRIs could have more connections with other UN agencies. And I think speakers on the panel, Ayman, have said to have more of this bottom-up inclusion. So if we have a new leadership panel, for example, maybe they should come from NRIs, you know, for people who have been involved in the process. So let’s not miss that opportunity. Thank you.

Qusai AlShatty: Thank you. I’ll give the last word to my dear colleague Shafiq to wrap up the workshop. Thank you.

Shafiq: Thank you, Qusai. I just took some notes as final remarks, and I hope that I didn’t miss

Qusai AlShatty: any point. But please feel free to contact me or Qusai in order to add any other key message from this session. So first of all, thank you very much, dear panelists, dear audience. It really was very interesting, very interactive, and it’s an opportunity. And this is the advantage of the IGF, getting all of us in the same room, tackling challenges that are coming for us. So thank you once again. The key messages that I note, first, congratulations for Saudi for hosting this, and congratulations for Dr. Ibrahim, Dr. Waleed, for initiating the the Saudi IGF, and we hope that we will have a lot of meetings to coordinate among the NRIs, Lebanon IGF, Saudi IGF, Arab IGF, North Africa IGF. Thank you. Second, there is the message for strengthening collaboration among NRIs, I said it now. Capacity building and inclusivity, yeah, there is a demand for more capacity building, especially for the underrepresented communities that Dr. Waleed mentioned, civil society, that our dear guest here mentioned. Yes, we need capacity building and fellowship and funds to give them the tools to attend these meetings. The fourth point about the sustainable and evolving IGF that our colleague Nermeen mentioned a very interesting question. Yes, we need to have a new commitment, we need to renew our commitments for a sustainable IGF that includes all the voices. And the last point I noted here is the absence of Arab voices at the global level, at the global scene. So please, once again, Desiree, Nermeen, Christine, myself, please go ahead, fill the open consultations and make your voice heard. So these are the five points that I think Qusay will be the takeaway from this workshop, and hopefully that these discussions will continue. Thank you once again, and I wish you a great day and great IGF. Ayman, you have the last words.

Ayman El-Sherbiny: I would like to thank you, we all thank you and Qusay for this very important session. And add one more message, the road to Amman, Arab IGF 7, is going to take place from 23 to 27 of February. So on our way to Norway, we will pass by Amman. So remember, Amman, then Geneva for the CSTD, then for Norway, and then all the way till the General Assembly, Amman, third week or fourth week of February. And before that, tomorrow here 11.30 in room 10 for the consultation, one step on the road for the West Plus 20, 10 months are still valuable. So tomorrow, 11.30 in room 10, inshallah. Shukr.

Qusai AlShatty: Let me take this opportunity to let me first give a warm applause to our distinguished panelists. And I would like to thank our wonderful audience who remained with us all through the workshop and I would like to thank you for your interactivity and listening to us. So thank you all and see you around, hopefully. Thank you. Bye.

Agreement Points

Importance of multi-stakeholder engagement

Christine Arida

Zeina Bouharb

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Charles Shabani

Ahmed N. Tantawy

Need for multi-stakeholder engagement and dialogue

Promoting regional cooperation and initiatives like Arab IGF

Strengthening civil society and private sector participation

Focusing on youth engagement and capacity building

Speakers agreed on the critical importance of involving all stakeholders in internet governance discussions and decision-making processes.

Enhancing digital infrastructure and connectivity

Zeina Bouharb

Ahmed N. Tantawy

Importance of enhancing connectivity and digital infrastructure

Bridging the digital divide within countries

Speakers emphasized the need to invest in digital infrastructure and address the digital divide to ensure equitable access and participation in the digital economy.

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers highlighted the important role of governments and intergovernmental organizations in shaping internet governance policies while also emphasizing the need for multi-stakeholder engagement.

Christine Arida

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Governments as key players in policy-making

Intergovernmental organizations facilitating cooperation

Both speakers emphasized the importance of empowering underrepresented groups (civil society and youth) to participate effectively in internet governance processes.

Charles Shabani

Ahmed N. Tantawy

Ensuring sustainable funding for civil society participation

Focusing on youth engagement and capacity building

Unexpected Consensus

Revitalizing regional Internet Governance Forums

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Desire Evans

Revitalizing the Arab IGF and creating “Arab IGF 2.0”

Linking national, regional, and global IGF initiatives

Despite representing different stakeholder groups, both speakers agreed on the need to strengthen and revitalize regional IGFs, suggesting a shared recognition of the importance of these forums in shaping internet governance.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement included the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement, the need to enhance digital infrastructure, the role of governments and intergovernmental organizations in facilitating cooperation, and the importance of empowering underrepresented groups in internet governance processes.

Consensus level

There was a moderate to high level of consensus among the speakers on key issues. This consensus suggests a shared understanding of the challenges and priorities for internet governance in the Arab region, which could facilitate more coordinated efforts to address these issues. However, the diversity of perspectives also highlights the complexity of internet governance and the need for continued dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders.

Different Viewpoints

Role of governments in internet governance

Christine Arida

Zeina Bouharb

Governments as key players in policy-making

Importance of enhancing connectivity and digital infrastructure

Christine Arida emphasizes the crucial role of governments in shaping and implementing policies, while Zeina Bouharb focuses more on the need for infrastructure development, implying a less central role for governments.

Unexpected Differences

Approach to addressing disinformation

Maisa Amer

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Tackling disinformation and misinformation

Promoting regional cooperation and initiatives like Arab IGF

While Maisa Amer raises concerns about disinformation and seeks information on regulatory frameworks, Ayman El-Sherbiny’s focus on regional cooperation does not directly address this issue, highlighting an unexpected gap in addressing a critical challenge.

Overall Assessment

summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around the role of different stakeholders in internet governance, approaches to capacity building, and priorities in addressing regional challenges.

difference_level

The level of disagreement among speakers is moderate. While there are differing emphases on various aspects of internet governance, there is a general consensus on the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement and regional cooperation. These differences in perspective could lead to varied approaches in implementing internet governance policies in the Arab region, potentially affecting the balance between government-led initiatives and grassroots participation.

Partial Agreements

Both speakers agree on the importance of multi-stakeholder participation in internet governance, but Ayman El-Sherbiny emphasizes regional cooperation through initiatives like Arab IGF, while Charles focuses more on strengthening civil society and private sector involvement.

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Charles Shabani

Promoting regional cooperation and initiatives like Arab IGF

Strengthening civil society and private sector participation

Both speakers agree on the need for broader participation in internet governance, but Ahmed N. Tantawy emphasizes youth engagement and capacity building, while Charles focuses on sustainable funding for civil society participation.

Ahmed N. Tantawy

Charles Shabani

Focusing on youth engagement and capacity building

Ensuring sustainable funding for civil society participation

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers highlighted the important role of governments and intergovernmental organizations in shaping internet governance policies while also emphasizing the need for multi-stakeholder engagement.

Christine Arida

Ayman El-Sherbiny

Governments as key players in policy-making

Intergovernmental organizations facilitating cooperation

Both speakers emphasized the importance of empowering underrepresented groups (civil society and youth) to participate effectively in internet governance processes.

Charles Shabani

Ahmed N. Tantawy

Ensuring sustainable funding for civil society participation

Focusing on youth engagement and capacity building

Key Takeaways

There is a need for greater multi-stakeholder engagement and dialogue in internet governance in the Arab region

Enhancing connectivity and digital infrastructure is crucial for sustainable internet governance

Regional cooperation and initiatives like the Arab IGF play an important role in shaping internet governance

Youth engagement and capacity building should be prioritized

Civil society and private sector participation needs to be strengthened in the region

Addressing cybersecurity, data protection, and misinformation are key priorities

The Arab IGF needs to be revitalized and evolved to be more effective

Resolutions and Action Items

Participants encouraged to fill out open consultations on the ITU website by March 14th regarding the usefulness of the IGF platform

Arab IGF 7 to be held in Amman from February 23-27, 2025

Consultation meeting on WSIS+20 to be held tomorrow at 11:30 in room 10

Unresolved Issues

How to effectively increase government participation in multi-stakeholder internet governance processes

Specific mechanisms to link IGF outcomes to actual decision-making processes

How to ensure equal participation of all stakeholders, especially civil society

Concrete steps to address the digital divide within Arab countries

Suggested Compromises

Balancing intergovernmental processes with multi-stakeholder engagement in internet governance

Finding ways to make IGF outcomes more impactful without making them binding

Striking a balance between protecting platforms and users in addressing misinformation

The two worlds of intergovernmentalism and multi-stakeholderism, they can live together very smoothly. They are two sides of a coin. No side can work without the other.

speaker

Ayman El-Sherbiny

reason

This comment provides a nuanced perspective on the relationship between governmental and multi-stakeholder approaches to internet governance, challenging the notion that they are incompatible.

impact

It shifted the discussion towards considering how these two approaches can complement each other rather than viewing them as opposing forces. This led to further exploration of how to integrate multiple stakeholders in policy development processes.

We need to show them more the importance of being part of the policy making, let’s say, because I know this is mainly a non-binding forum. At the same time, it’s important not to wait to see what the others want.

speaker

Charles Shabani

reason

This comment highlights the challenge of engaging the private sector in internet governance forums and proposes a proactive approach.

impact

It sparked discussion on how to make internet governance forums more relevant and impactful for all stakeholders, particularly the private sector. This led to considerations of how to demonstrate the value of participation in these forums.

I think creating kind of a networking between all these initiatives in our region is something will help us to focus on our challenges in the region.

speaker

Ahmed N. Tantawy

reason

This comment introduces the idea of creating a network of regional internet governance initiatives, which could enhance collaboration and focus on regional challenges.

impact

It shifted the conversation towards discussing concrete ways to improve coordination and collaboration among various internet governance initiatives in the Arab region.

We need to have a new commitment, we need to renew our commitments for a sustainable IGF that includes all the voices.

speaker

Shafiq

reason

This comment emphasizes the need for renewed commitment to inclusive and sustainable internet governance forums.

impact

It served as a call to action, encouraging participants to actively engage in shaping the future of internet governance forums. This led to discussions about concrete steps to ensure sustainability and inclusivity in these forums.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by highlighting the need for greater collaboration between different stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and the private sector. They emphasized the importance of creating more inclusive and sustainable internet governance forums, particularly in the Arab region. The discussion evolved from identifying challenges to proposing concrete solutions, such as networking regional initiatives and renewing commitments to multi-stakeholder engagement. Overall, the comments pushed the conversation towards a more action-oriented and forward-looking approach to internet governance in the region.

How can we encourage Arab governments to get more engaged in the Internet Governance Forum?

speaker

Nermine Saadani

explanation

There is a lack of government presence at IGF events, which limits the forum’s effectiveness and representation.

How can we strengthen the Arab IGF and create an ‘Arab IGF 2.0’?

speaker

Ayman El-Sherbiny

explanation

There is a need to revitalize and strengthen the Arab IGF to make it more effective and relevant in the region.

How can we better connect IGF outcomes to actual decision-making processes?

speaker

Christine Arida

explanation

There is a need to improve the impact of IGF discussions by ensuring they feed into concrete policy decisions.

How can we define the difference between digital governance and internet governance?

speaker

Christine Arida

explanation

Clarifying these concepts is important for focusing future IGF discussions and policy work.

How can we improve the multi-stakeholder model to ensure more equal participation, especially for civil society?

speaker

Tijani bin Jum’ah

explanation

There is a need to address the imbalance in resources and representation among different stakeholder groups in internet governance discussions.

How can we develop a consensus opinion from the Arab region on the evolution of WSIS and WSIS+20?

speaker

Tijani bin Jum’ah

explanation

There is a need for more coordinated input from the Arab region into global internet governance processes.

How can we better integrate AI considerations into internet governance frameworks?

speaker

Audience member (unspecified)

explanation

The impact of AI on misinformation and other internet issues is becoming increasingly important and complex.

How can we improve digital literacy programs within Arab countries?

speaker

Zeina Bouharb

explanation

Enhancing digital literacy is crucial for effective internet governance and participation in the digital economy.

How can we foster more regional cooperation on internet governance issues in the Arab world?

speaker

Zeina Bouharb

explanation

Increased regional cooperation could strengthen the Arab voice in global internet governance discussions.