Rwanda to host world’s largest internet forum

Rwanda will host the 80th public meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) next month.

The Kigali Convention Centre will hold the first ICANN meeting in East Africa, organised in conjunction with Rwanda's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Innovation, from the 10th to the 13th.

ICANN feels this demonstrates its commitment to promoting global involvement and collaboration in internet governance.

The ICANN80 Policy Forum will bring together global stakeholders, including governments, companies, civil society, academia, and the technical community.

Participants will explore critical challenges affecting the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS). Prior to ICANN80, the High-Level Government Meeting (HLGM) is set on June 9.

The HLGM, chaired by Rwanda's Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, will underscore the essential role of governmental entities in developing ICANN policies and initiatives.

“The policy forum will lead efforts to maintain a secure, stable, and interoperable internet, and set the stage for future developments and emerging trends in global internet governance,” she stated.

ICANN's purpose is to promote a stable, secure, and unified global internet.

Sally Costerton, Interim President and CEO of ICANN, emphasised the importance of ICANN80 in promoting global digital inclusion and increasing cyber security measures.

“The HLGM will further emphasise the essential role of governments in our collaborative efforts to address challenges such as data privacy and DNS abuse,” Costerton added.