Session
Subtheme
The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance
1. Saba Tiku Beyene, Youth Coalition on Internet Governance (YCIG), Civil society, Africa 2. Abraham Fiifi Selby, The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG), Academia, Africa 3. Sorene Assefa, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Intergovernmental Organization, Africa 4. Godsway Kubi, Internet Society Online Safety Special Interest Group, Technical community, Africa
1. Saba Tiku Beyene, Youth Coalition on Internet Governance (YCIG), Civil society, Africa 2. Abraham Fiifi Selby, The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG), Academia, Africa 3. Sorene Assefa, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Intergovernmental Organization, Africa 4. Godsway Kubi, Internet Society Online Safety Special Interest Group, Technical community, Africa
Organization's Website
Speakers
1. Theorose Dzineku, DigiSpace Africa, Academia, WOEG
2. Kenley Sérgio Cossa, Higher Institute of Transport and Communications, Mozambique, Government, Africa
3. Razan Zakaria, The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG), Civil Society, Africa
4. Sorene Assefa Shifa, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Intergovernmental Organization, Africa
5. Issa Mahamat addia, The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG), Civil Society, Africa
Onsite Moderator
Abraham Fiifi Selby, The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG), Academia, Africa
Online Moderator
Saba Tiku Beyene, Youth Coalition on Internet Governance (YCIG), Civil society, Africa
Rapporteur
Godsway Kubi, Internet Society Online Safety Special Interest Group, Technical community, Africa
SDGs
4. Quality Education
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: The session aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals by emphasizing youth participation in digital governance, innovation, and global cooperation. By promoting digital literacy and capacity building, the session advances SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), equipping the next generation with skills for digital entrepreneurship and employment, particularly in the Global South. It also supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by fostering responsible digital innovation and advocating for inclusive, secure, and resilient digital ecosystems. In addressing SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), the session highlights barriers that prevent marginalized youth from participating in digital governance and policymaking. Additionally, it strengthens SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by advocating for transparent, accountable, and democratic governance structures that integrate youth perspectives. Finally, SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) is central, as the session promotes multistakeholder cooperation between all stakeholder groups and youth-led initiatives.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: The session aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals by emphasizing youth participation in digital governance, innovation, and global cooperation. By promoting digital literacy and capacity building, the session advances SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), equipping the next generation with skills for digital entrepreneurship and employment, particularly in the Global South. It also supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by fostering responsible digital innovation and advocating for inclusive, secure, and resilient digital ecosystems. In addressing SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), the session highlights barriers that prevent marginalized youth from participating in digital governance and policymaking. Additionally, it strengthens SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by advocating for transparent, accountable, and democratic governance structures that integrate youth perspectives. Finally, SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) is central, as the session promotes multistakeholder cooperation between all stakeholder groups and youth-led initiatives.
Format
Roundtable
Hybrid: Onsite and Online participation
Hybrid: Onsite and Online participation
Duration (minutes)
60
Description
This networking session, organized by The Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance (PAYAIG), is a space for meaningful dialogue on the evolving role of youth in Africa's digital governance. Too often, young voices are included in discussions as a symbolic gesture rather than as real decision-makers. This session seeks to change that narrative.
Bringing together PAYAIG ambassadors from 2023 to the present, we will reflect on key milestones and support its implementation—such as the Africa Global Digital Compact (GDC) process and the WSIS Africa Review held in Tanzania in 2024 and discuss how they have shaped youth participation in the process. In 2024, PAYAIG held a session on Global Digital Compact (GDC) African Youth Engagement and discussed how the draft addresses the unique needs and priorities of Africa, especially from the youth perspective. In this networking session, through firsthand experiences, we’ll examine the barriers young Africans face moving beyond tokenistic roles and highlight success stories where youth have taken the lead in shaping policy and governance structures.
This session is all about action. We’ll explore practical steps to empower the next generation of digital leaders, ensuring that African youth are not just participants in digital governance but key architects of its future.
The moderator will introduce subject matter experts and explain the discussion topic before engaging all discussants in the room and online in a roundtable conversation. The moderator will also closely follow the discussion in order to give floor to all the speakers and any participants willing to speak. The onsite and online attendees will have equal opportunity to speak up and ask their questions on the topic. The best way of facilitation is to organize it in turn, alternating onsite and online attendees. In this case everybody online and offline will have an equal chance to take a floor and be a full member of the session. This means that on every question of remark from the onsite audience will be the same from the online one. The networking session will also be using such tools as Mentimeter and Kahoot! to make participants engage more in the discussion. Moreover, both tools are great for hybrid audiences.
The moderator will introduce subject matter experts and explain the discussion topic before engaging all discussants in the room and online in a roundtable conversation. The moderator will also closely follow the discussion in order to give floor to all the speakers and any participants willing to speak. The onsite and online attendees will have equal opportunity to speak up and ask their questions on the topic. The best way of facilitation is to organize it in turn, alternating onsite and online attendees. In this case everybody online and offline will have an equal chance to take a floor and be a full member of the session. This means that on every question of remark from the onsite audience will be the same from the online one. The networking session will also be using such tools as Mentimeter and Kahoot! to make participants engage more in the discussion. Moreover, both tools are great for hybrid audiences.