Workshop on Legal and policy frameworks for the Information Society in West Africa -11 to 13 March 2009 - Saly - Senegal

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First day

• The key content of the ECOWAS harmonized Telecoms legal framework, Prof Abdoulaye Sakho, UCAD, Senegal
• The key content of the WAEMU/ECOWAS harmonized ICT legal framework Prof Abdoullah Cisse, , CUR Bambey, Senegal, Longer version of document
• ECOWAS strategy and perspectives: Koffi Raphaël

Transposition of ECOWAS and WAEMU Telcoms/ICT legal frameworks:

• Benin experiences : Nicolas Thon, ICT Ministry, Benin
• Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie, National Telecommunications Commission, Sierra Leone, Prospects in Sierra Leone

• Ngom Nbissane, Université Gaston Berger, Senegal, Citizen communication in the Senegalese laws on the information society

Second day

Intellectual Property Rights in the information society : key norms and issues,

• Eddan Katz, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
• Roughiatou THIAM, Researcher, Senegal

• Alex Corenthin, UCAD, Models of NIC management in West Africa
• Brian Longwe, Vice-Chair KENIC and Chairperson Kictanet, Kenya, Kenya Case study

How to best strengthen harmonization of regional ICT/Telecoms legal frameworks? What can be the key recommendations for stakeholders?

• Regulation of Convergence – a missing link? Gaston Zongo, Consultant, Régulation de la Convergence : Une urgence - (sent to participants)

Third day

• Towards an assessment of the IGF in West Africa: The international process, Vladimir Radunovic, Diplo Foundation
• Ken Lohento, PIWA: African participation in the IGF
• Better Understanding Internet Governance Forum themes, Vladimir Radunovic, Diplo Foundation
• Brian Longwe, Vice-Chair KENIC and Chairperson Kictanet, Kenya, About the Kenya and East Africa IGFs

(Version française attachée en annexe)

During the regional meeting organized by the Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA), on “Legal and policy frameworks for the information society in West Africa”, in Saly, Senegal, with the support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), a one day consultative forum was held to discuss West African participation in the Internet governance Forum (IGF).

The aim was to inform stakeholders on the IGF processes, its implementation, and the current on-going review; and to further discuss its interests and impacts for West Africa on the road to the fourth annual meeting of the Forum in Egypt.

West Africa and the Internet Governance Forum

13 March, 2009

Within the framework of the workshop ''Legal and policy frameworks for the information society in West Africa: issues and stakeholders’ role 11 to 13 March 2009'' - Saly (Senegal), Hôtel Teranga et villas

13 March 2009: West Africa and the Internet Governance Forum

Internet governance has become a major question in international policy-making in the ICT sector. Africa has participated since 2006 in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and many activities have been organized nationally, regionally and internationally, by the private sector, civil society, governments and international institutions. While different regions in the Nord or in Asia but also in Africa are organizing to participate in this process (East Africa held in October 2008 a meeting on this subject matter), West African countries are hardly mobilized to examine these issues. Sessions on this topic at the workshop will help to stimulate regional thinking on this issue. In addition, many African actors remain skeptical about the interest and impact of the international Internet Governance Forum process in Africa. While the fourth annual meeting of the Forum is being prepared in Africa in 2009, and the review of the international process has been launched by the United Nations, it is important that West Africa also launch its assessment and devise strategies that can help the region maximize interests from it

The day will be devoted to discussions on this issue (recall of the objectives, implementation process and stage, IGF themes, review of the impact and the involvement of West Africa, on the road to Egypt)

About 45 people from about 15 countries (mainly West African), representing, governments, CS, private sector and regional institutions (ECOWAS) are attending the meeting.

Agenda of the day on the IGF and West Africa (see attachment)

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See recommendations adopted//// Voir les recommandations adoptées

Saly (Senegal), Teranga Hotel et Villas, 11 – 13 March 2009. Awareness-raising and dialogue workshop to raise awareness and promote multi-stakeholder discussion on key issues of the information society legal framework in West Africa, in order to contribute to the strengthening of national and regional processes in this area. One day devoted to West Africa and IGF.