Session
Dynamic Coalition on Small Island Developing States in the Internet Economy
Round Table - U-shape - 90 Min
The IGF 2022 DC-SIDS will be a direct follow-up on the outputs and outcomes of the Inaugural SIDS-IGF that was held during the period 24-26 August 2022, colocated with the 2022 Caribbean IGF (see https://ctu.int/event/18th-caribbean-internet-governance-forum-and-yout… for details of the agenda and proceedings which will be published shortly). As such, the Session will focus on the actions identified in the SIDS-IGF, discuss and agree the next steps for the SIDS Digital Agenda and verify whether the stated objectives, as identified below were achieved, and if not, what can we do to ensure that they are achieved going forward: - Establish a platform and ongoing process where SIDS can become involved, can collaborate, cooperate, share experiences and have their voices heard re: issues arising from and impacts on their countries by IG, Internet Policy and the Digital Economy without necessarily having to "join" an entity (e.g. the DC-SIDS) - Create a globally visible, recognized and reputable platform for engagement, discussion, cooperation, and collaboration and consensus-building (and even possible decision making) for SIDS Internet Governance, Internet Policy and Digital Economy issues. - Highlight and seek solutions for the critical issues facing SIDS from the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean & South China Sea (AIMS), Caribbean, and Pacific in the Digital Economy - Consider and identify appropriate initial governance, procedural and operational mechanisms for effectively addressing and achieving the desired objectives - Ensure that AIMS SIDS and non-English-speaking SIDS are fully integrated into the DC-SIDS and SIDS-IGF processes
Using the pioneering DC-SIDS Roundtable format, lead discussants will introduce key points on the topic, and Roundtable participants will be invited to contribute by the Moderator. While this is being proposed as a hybrid session, online/remote Participation will be prioritized and encouraged through the posting of advance questions/topics and will be fully integrated into the Roundtable through full participation of the Remote/Online Moderator as a Discussant as well as the utilization of complementary tools such as WhatsApp/Signal/Slack and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.).
- Maureen Hilyard, Chair, ICANN At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), Civil Society, Asia Pacific-Cook Islands (Online Moderator) - Tracy Hackshaw, Chair, Trinidad & Tobago Multistakeholder Advisory Group, Technical Community, GRULAC-Trinidad and Tobago (Onsite Moderator) - Internet Society IGF 2022 Youth Ambassador (Rapporteur)
Kindly note that, as is usual with the Annual DC-SIDS IGF Meeting, our format is not one that uses a "talking heads" approach, rather it utilizes the pioneering "Roundtable" approach we introduced at IGF 2012 whereby the session is led by topic discussants, with full participation and engagement from all meeting participants throughout the meeting. In this regard, a list of "speakers", in the traditional sense, is not something that we propose utilizing. However, we are providing a list of proposed discussants, based on our 2022 SIDS IGF Team Leads. NOTE: This list may change closer to the IGF as clarity emerges who will likely onsite and who will be online: - Rodney Taylor, Secretary General, Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), Government-International Governmental Organzation (IGO), GRULAC-Barbados - Nigel Cassimire, Deputy Secretary General & Head of Regional Policy Development, CTU, Government-IGO, GRULAC-Trinidad and Tobago - Cherie Lagakali, GFCE Advisory Board member 2020/2022 and GFCE Pacific Liaison/PICISOC, Civil Society, Asia Pacific-Fiji - June Parris. Member, CIVICUS, Civil Society, GRULAC-Barbados - Dalsie Baniala - Advisor, Vanuatu Telecommunications Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR), Government, Asia Pacific-Vanuatu - Francola John, Stakeholder and Event Management Specialist, CTU, Government-IGO, GRULAC-Trinidad and Tobago - Georgina Naigulevu, Project Manager (Digital and Health Information), Tetra Tech, Private Sector, Asia Pacific-Fiji - TR Mori, Founder & CEO, iSolutions Micronesia, Private Sector, Asia Pacific-Federated States of Micronesia
Tracy Hackshaw
Maureen Hilyard
Saba Tiku Beyene & Ochieng A. Ogango, Internet Society IGF 2022 Youth Ambassadors
Targets: The United Nations General Assembly has clearly identified and reiterated, on multiple occasions, that the work and efforts of, and challenges faced by SIDS cut across the majority of the SDGs. This can be seen seen at https://sdgs.un.org/topics/small-island-developing-states where the following referenced statement is instructive: "The Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) adopted in 1994, further complemented by The Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI) of 2005 and MSI+5 Outcome document, recognized that although they are afflicted by economic difficulties and confronted by development imperatives similar to those of developing countries generally, small island developing States (SIDS) have their own peculiar vulnerabilities and characteristics. SIDS’ unique and particular vulnerabilities are highlighted in “The Future We Want”, adopted at The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as Rio+20) that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012 - their small size, remoteness, narrow resource and export base, and exposure to global environmental challenges and external economic shocks, including to a large range of impacts from climate change and potentially more frequent and intense natural disasters (para 178). SIDS continue to address those structural and external challenges to achieve their sustainable development. The Third International Conference on SIDS was held in Apia, Samoa, in September 2014, with the overarching theme of “The sustainable development of small island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships”. Nearly 300 partnerships were announced at the conference and monitored through the Partnership Platform. The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway (Samoa Pathway) adopted at the Conference addresses priority areas for SIDS and calls for urgent actions and support for SIDS’ efforts to achieve their sustainable development." The SIDS-IGF and 2022 DC-SIDS proposal is fully aligned with this statement.
Report
For Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to flourish in the internet economy, there is a need to invest in resilient infrastructure that is resilient to disaster and adverse climate changes in the SIDS regions.
Sustainable funding is required to achieve resilient internet infrastructure as well as digital technology and e-commerce which have immense potential to support the participation of SIDS in international and regional internet markets/economies.
Collaboration among all SIDS is critical to share best practices and develop solutions to challenges faced. The SIDS IGF process and associated tools and platforms are absolutely necessary ingredients to ensure this happens.
The DC-SIDS calls upon the United Nations system, regional developmental agencies and all stakeholders interested in and concerned about the sustainability and survival of SIDS in the global digital economy to engage with us so that we can develop a framework for sustainable funding and problem solving.
After welcoming all participants to the DC-SIDS IGF 2022 Round Table, the onsite moderator (Tracy Hackshaw) invited introductory messages from participants from the CTU, Fiji and Mauritius.
Remote moderator, Maureen Milyard was then invited to lead the next phase of the Roundtable by welcoming everyone, introducing herself and thanking the CTU (Caribbean Telecommunications Union), and the Pacific-based participants for their involvement, their leadership and commitment to the DC-SIDS.
Maureen introduced a couple of key takeaways from the Inaugural SIDS IGF held from August 25-26, 2022. Firstly, the development of a framework and protocols to research SIDS IG issues that could be used to inform presentations at DC-SIDS such as these at the global IGF and this event would ensure that all regions get an opportunity to be involved in the discussions. Second, was from the presentation given by the Honourable Simon Cossey, the Minister of Justice Communications and Foreign Affairs from the island of Tuvalu in the Pacific. Simon spoke of how the pandemic had pushed Tuvalu's government towards prioritising and driving internet connectivity so that they could maintain connection with their isolated outer Island communities through virtual meetings during the lockdowns. He applauded the SIDS idea not only for bringing Island communities together to share the initiatives, the challenges and achievements but also for fruitful and constructive dialogue which is one of the main goals. He also explained his country's future project which is aimed at securing the future of their country against the violent impacts of climate change that they're already starting to experience. They're currently pursuing initiatives that involve creating a digital Nation by preserving its government infrastructure, geography, people and culture they believe is important to do in the event that their land is eventually lost due to climate change and sea level rise at the same time as they're going through this transformational phase. He also stressed that in order to maintain the Integrity of what they aim to achieve takes a values-based approach by fusing the positive commonalities that arise out of ICT development with a unique cultural values of their community-based society so the ICT strengthens rather than undermines their values and can contribute to climate resilient development and Innovation adoption to combat climate change impacts.
Leticia Messiah, from the Solomon Islands, the current Board Chair of the Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society (PICISOC) shared some of her takeaways from the SIDS IGF. Internet connectivity is crucial for economic development, excess of information opportunities and service delivery. There is an opportunity of ongoing digital transformation and digital readiness happening in the small island developing states. It was also highlighted that there is ongoing work on e-health and digital and health information roadmap. It has been seen that the development of cyber security and online child protection policies coming into place accessibility of services online and inclusive access to devices and ongoing online safety, digital literacy and awareness are being conducted by various ICT societies. There is a need to increase skill sets, create workforce space in the Pacific for digital health, the need for cyber security building and voices to be heard in the space since there is no representative of a seat in the IGF Leadership Panel. Lastly, Universal and meaningful connectivity is defined as the possibility for everyone to enjoy a safe, satisfying and reaching productive and affordable online experience. There are some activities that took place in this year, one of them is the Pacific Hackathon that aims to find an ict-based solution to a problem state. The event connects young Innovative Technologies in the Pacific. There is also a “Girls in ICT” event that aims to create an environment that empowers and encourages girls and women to pursue careers in STEM fields enabling both health and technology companies to realise the benefits of greater female participation in the ICT sector and other STEM sectors through collaboration and partnership. It is also aimed to build this network and increase female participation in developing ICT-based Solutions in the region as well as have more female participation in future hackathon events. Lastly, She highlighted that civil societies are the voices in the local communities to those looking to invest in National or Regional activities projects in seats and asked full Partnerships to collaborate, cooperate and work together in a multi-stakeholder approach to advanced IG in the globe, the SID’S and especially in the Pacific Island countries.
Selu Kauvaka, board member for PICISOC and currently the president of Tonga women ICT presented what currently they are doing in Tonga. She discussed about Tonga challenges, way forward and mainly their vision which is to allow women and girls to enter the industry without fear of discrimination and also giving them the opportunity to the industry transformation. One of the main roles they do is reaching out to Grass level, getting them to understand more of how the internet works, how to be safe online and be updated with technology.
Dalsie Green Baniala presented a project approach to connect the most remote areas that is overseen by the government of Vanuatu and implemented by the ITU which is based in South Maliko, Central Islands of Vanuatu.
Rodney Taylor, Secretary General, Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) discussed that they held in partnership with the Pacific Islands and other stakeholders the first Small Island Developing States Internet Governance Forum. The discussions were quite engaging and the entire IGF was a three-in-one type of event so it included the 18th Caribbean IGF because the CIGF has been running for 18 years. An Internet Governance policy framework that guides the regional governments on internet issues in about four core areas including infrastructure, security, exchange points were developed. The Youth IGF was held for the first time that was planned by the young people for the young people in the region. It’s important to collaborate, consult and discuss the issues with global digital compounds, internet and the environment, the issues around the energy consumption of these large data centres and cloud services and things like cryptocurrencies and Mining of Bitcoin. There is a need to look for sustainable sources of energy, renewable sources of energy, how to deal with E-Waste and so on in a sustainable way and this is all part of the climate change discussion. The voices need to be amplified within International ICT policy development processes such as the ITU and SID’S IGF gives that opportunity by strengthening the numbers and raising the voices within these organisations.
What can we do next and how can we collaborate? Build a disaster mitigation preparedness response and recovery and look at some strategies on how to make the infrastructures much more resilient most of the time especially as we talk about Internet Governance. Submit proposals so as to become active and have the voice out there so as to discuss the Caribbean talk about the Pacific by submitting these proposals for next year. Be more visible and include youth and bring more people to the IGF. Language is also often a barrier across the regions. Looking at common languages other than English is also important.