The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
***
>> CHENGATAI MASANGO: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We're about to start our session. If you could please take your seats. Please feel free to come ‑‑ I know it says reserved there, you can also sit there. It is really fine.
You can come, we're a little bit late.
I think we should start so that we don't bump into the opening session ‑‑ I mean ‑‑ as ‑‑ it has been a long five days!
I hope that it has been a fruitful five days for all of us. A lot of good discussion and a lot of good exchanges of ideas. This session is the taking stock session where we take stock of what's happened over the five days, you tell us what you think worked well, what didn't work so well, what you think we should improve, what you think we should definitely keep.
We will, of course, issue a call on our website and you will have until I think the end of January to also submit written inputs into that. We do value this session very much because this is what helps us get better. It helps us improve, helps us give you a platform that you can free exchange ideas and make the Internet a better, safer place and an Internet that we want.
We will be having two microphones once we get underway. If you would like to speak, when I say so, when I announce, can you just lineup behind one of these microphones because it is better since there is no numbering system if you press the microphones on your desk. We will just do it round robin style going from this mic to that mic and if there is anybody online we'll go there.
Please keep your interventions to maximum of 90 seconds. The shorter, the better, so that we get more people in. Please, we are interested in hearing your views, your impressions and any suggestions that we can do next year.
With that, let me start, I'll just introduce our panel here. This is the representatives of the groups that helped bring IGF 2022 here so that they're here to listen.
With that, let me first of all introduce Her Excellency, Huria Ali, from the Host Country. I don't know if you want to say a few words and then we can go? Just a few, say hello or just ‑‑
>> HURIA ALI: Thank you so much. I don't want to take your time.
I would like to say we are very excited and proud to have you all. I would like to thank all of you for your valuable inputs. I hope you had a very great day and time to explore Addis Ababa and Ethiopia, hopefully you'll be back again and again here in Ethiopia.
Thank you again so much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you, State Minister.
The next person I would like to introduce to my left, the Chair of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group, MAG, and they're mainly in charge of the program and schedule of the IGF, main themes, selecting the workshop and also the intersessional work.
>> PAUL MITCHELL: It is a pleasure to work with MAG and putting this program together.
I have to get my voice up.
I'm very interested in the feedback that you're all going to provide during this session.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you.
Then we will go to Mr. Jean‑Paul Adam, who will be representing the ECA and that is the venue that we are in, they are our gracious host as well.
>> JEAN-PAUL ADAM: Thank you very much.
We would just like to say that the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa has been very privileged and proud to work with the other convening partners, and in particular with our host, the Government of Ethiopia, to host this event.
In particular, to emphasize how the Internet and digital technologies associated with Internet are being used as a transformative tool for acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals. We look forward to further inputs and suggestions in this session this afternoon.
Thank you so much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Then last, but definitely not least, I'll give the floor to Vint Cerf, Chair of the IGF Leadership Panel that was just introduced in August. This is the first IGF and they'll be instrumental next year as well.
>> VINT CERF: Thank you.
So first of all, thank you very much for an opportunity to share a few reactions with you.
First of all, the leadership panel wants to learn more about the points that have been covered in the 300 plus meetings that have taken place over the last five days. The stocktaking session, it is the very begin, but we're eager to get the summaries from the various sessions to learn more about what's been discussed during the course of the week.
I want to acknowledge the dedication of the MAG Chair and the MAG stakeholders and the Secretariat. In addition to Minister Huria Ali and her team who have made this such a productive week for all of us. This is my first visit to Ethiopia and now I know why I have to come back. It has to be one of the friendliest places I have ever visited.
[Applause]
The leadership panel is looking forward to not only working on ideas that we hope will contribute to a safer, more secure Internet but we intend do so in as transparent a way as possible so you'll be able to track the work during the course of the next year or so. We're committed to that.
Now we want to hear more from you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Okay. So we'll now open the floor if you choose to lineup, if you have anything to say on the microphones.
Yes. We'll start from here and then go there and then we go to ‑‑ yes.
>> SALIEU MAMSARAY: Thank you. Hello. Thank you.
I would like to firstly within the few seconds I have got ask everyone to join me in thanking the Minister, she has lost her voice, her voice wasn't that much, but she was in every session and she's been here, we never had this before! Thank you very much!
[Applause]
A quick text, the IGF is supposed to be multistakeholder, but I learned a very good strong lesson this week, I have been organizing IGFs in my country and I was in a session where a lady who was physically impaired couldn't see made an emotional presentation. I felt guilty, we have never invited the disabled stakeholders when hosting an IGF, that's one thing I will take back.
Looking around here, I can't see that many disabled people here. So it is showing also that I'm not the only guilty person, we are all guilty. Let's bring onboard more disabled people.
Also it is multistakeholder, the GSMA, who are providing the majority of Internet access, should be here. Some of the messages we're sending across, they need to hear it. The policymaker, the governments, we need to have more Ministers in this, the media, where is CNN, where is the BCC, where are they? They're in Egypt, they should be here. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
Lastly, I made a plea at the start of the week and I want to end that, the Internet has provided more scope for peace globally and I have started the #nobel Peace Prize for Vint Cerf. Thank you very much.
>> VINT CERF: Thank you.
>> KATHERINE TOWNSEND: How can someone follow that?
I'm similarly losing my voice. Thank you for your patience on that.
Katherine Townsend.
I just want to commend the MAG, the organizers because I have found that this IGF, I have been to previous one, there were so many sessions here that were really about how does the Internet really affect people's lives. I credit that to the process, to the host, these have been very interesting and very substantive sessions. I would love to tell you more about all the great things that we discussed and learned, the data that we need to open, the transparency that we need, the accountability, but I need to share that in our sessions, there was the future on the female web, we had an attack, a Zoom bombing of our session. What happened, it was we had a targeted hate speech, we had pornographic videos, and we had a video of someone being murdered.
These weren't caught, so all of our speakers who were online, all our participants online witnessed this, many are still having a trauma experience as a result.
We know this happens, this happens a lot in public spaces, especially places where women's issues are discussed and it is very important to put these protections in place. This happened at the IGF last year. It happened at the regional IGF in Southeast Asia a few months ago.
So I would really request and implore that if we want to have a safer Internet and if we want IGF to be a space for people to feel free to gather, that we recognize that people are attacked, women issues are attacked so to put that protection in the first place.
The small recommendations are understand that this is ubiquitous, put it in early on, so not an afterthought.
Moderator, train them that this is going to happen, every one of our moderators had to protect ourselves, this is something that they didn't know they would be subject to.
We're trying to have hybrid spaces, we want virtual voices, we need the tech to work, day one. We need for it to be safe.
Just know that there are many gender justice individual rights organizations that are happy to work with you all, we have had a great reception from Mr. Masango that helped us out, I appreciate but it took time to find a receptive person from the UN to take it seriously. Thank you for that. We standby ready to support you in the future.
Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Yes, there was a truly regrettable incident and we're working hard. We will, of course, continue I hope to work together to stop this happening.
Let me just check ‑‑ okay.
Please.
>> JUTTA CROLL: A MAG member from Civil Society, also representing the Dynamic Coalition on Children's Rights in the Digital Environment.
My stocktaking starts 15 years ago at my first IGF when those advocating children for Internet users were barely heard. I have now experienced especially during this week that there was so much interest in children's rights and child protection on the Internet, especially from representatives from the African continent. I'm thankful for that.
Also that not only we as adults are representing children's interests but also that young people have taken part in these discussions, raising their choices and I hope that they'll continue also to do so in the Global Digital Compact.
Thank you so much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you.
>> NIA NANAN: Good afternoon. I am Nia Nanan. I'm representing the Caribbean Telecommunication Union, the CTU.
Firstly, the CTU would like to thank the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for their very kind, gracious hospitality over the past week as well as the congratulations to the UN IGF Secretariat on an impactful, successful 17th IGF.
The CTU is an intergovernmental multistakeholder organization representing interests in the Caribbean region. We would like to draw focus on our Caribbean IGF. Over the past 18 years the CTU has acted as a coordinating mechanism for the Caribbean IGF. Since the first Caribbean IGF in 2005, the CTU goals for Internet Governance in the region has been harmonizing regional policies, identifying issues of priorities specifically for the Caribbean region, promoting the development and use of the Internet in the region and building Caribbean capacity and Internet Governance.
We are very happy to say that under the umbrella of the Caribbean IGF, in collaboration with the DC SIDS, the first IGF there was held earlier this year. The main concerns are areas arising from the CIDS IGF were calls for increased meaningful connectivity within Small Island Developing States and the increased collaboration among SIDS to combat existing vulnerabilities exacerbated by the inherent nature of SIDS such as cybersecurity challenges, investment challenges and ICT development structures and the thrust for the recognition of the voices of SIDS and the inclusion of the SIDS agenda in foras such as these.
The CTU is committed to lending the 18 years of experience with the Caribbean IGF to further the Internet Governance agenda of SIDS as part of the international community we support an open, accessible, inclusive, resilient Internet that is aligned with the principles and objectives of the UN SDGs.
Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
I will now go online.
Chris, you have the floor.
Chris Odu.
Can you hear me? I was muted. Can you hear me now?
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: We can.
>> CHRIS ODU: Thank you very much.
I'm from Nigeria and I'm Muslim and I wanted to commend you for this excellent hosting of the IGF.
The sessions for me, there are similarities of what I could take out of the IGF and many digital skills, COVID‑19, it has shown the need for us to actually take digital skills literacy very, very serious.
I think where stakeholders have to start working ethically in these areas. It is good we're having this idea in Africa because I think Africa is still lagging behind when it comes to productivity and the activity report, it shows that there is still a very, very high rate of unconnected people in Africa. I think it is something that we should start working towards to improve on that number for the next IGF being in Japan.
This is a very, very important thing. It is important to have this in Africa. Thank you again very much. I really, really had a nice week with the IGF sessions.
Thank you once again.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Since we did skip online on the way, so I will just give the floor to the IGF Benin Hub.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Please just interrupt me. We do feel that the hubs are very important. It is where people who cannot come to the actual event physically, they can cocreate together in rooms ‑‑ congregate ‑‑ in rooms, University, other places and participate in the IGF remotely together. The IGF Secretariat does fund a few of them and we would like to fund more but, of course, it is dependent on the amount of donations that we have in the trust fund.
I'll give one last call to the IGF Benin Hub.
>> BENIN HUB: Masters of Program in Telecom Network Systems, I'm a member of an NGO.
I would like to thank on behalf of all participants from Benin and on my personal behalf all of the stakeholders of the IGF and the organizers of the global IGF for this opportunity for us to further discover and to deepen our knowledge on the various components of the functioning and management of the Internet.
For the first time for our hub, Benin, it was a very good experience although there are things to improve on. We hope in coming years ‑‑
>> (audio issue).
>> Cannot be heard by the interpreter. Speaker is inaudible.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Okay. Yes. There are definitely things to improve and we will get back to them, please.
>> RAJENDRA PRATAP GUPTA: Thank you. I am the Chair of the Dynamic Coalition, Internet and Jobs.
And firstly, for those that are first time, four years back, I was in the stocktaking, like this, I proposed and I think congrats to Mr. Chengetai Masango and the wonderful team for making it a people's organization. Today we have the Student Dynamic Coalitions and hats off to you for accepting to have sessions on Responsible Internet Usage, those who believe this is a ‑‑ this is truly global, but also a people organization, if the ideas are worth it, it will be a platform they'll give you.
I have two submissions here: We have been hosting wonderful, seamless sessions, however, if the links for the hybrid sessions can come in a day before, those who are joining us from different parts of the world, it could be controlled. We had 15 minutes before sending links.
The second one, once you have the high‑level panel, high‑level panels don't only mean CEOs of large cooperation but grassroots people that would make a difference to the high‑level panels that you host. You would hear the voice of the grassroots on the dais based on what they think. At the end of it, we have to make Internet for all.
Great hospitality from the Government of Ethiopia, you have set a tough benchmark for others to follow. Really appreciate.
A round of applause for the wonderful team at IGF.
Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
>> AYALEW SHEBESHI: Thank you for giving this opportunity to present my closing remark.
I am born here in Ethiopia and I came from Australia. Currently I'm working on the research how to move from physical currency to physical ‑‑ to digital currency and also digital banking in crypto currency. The 17th UN IGF closing remark on 2nd of December, 2022, UN ECA Addis Ababa, the Honorable Huria Ali, State Minister for Innovation and Technology of Ethiopia, good afternoon, everyone, ladies and gentlemen; the UN member country representatives, the Civil Society representatives, and corporate and private representatives.
I may be wrong, please give me your time, your heart, your mind for the next few minutes. On behalf of the following three organizations newly formed neo society network and it is ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I can only give you 30 seconds more.
>> AYALEW SHEBESHI: Okay. Okay. I'll be fast.
Ethiopian Digital Taskforce, the Ethiopian Testing Association, Global Africa Migrant Organization, and Ethiopian Connection with Australia and New Zealand.
As a coordinator of Civil Society, I believe that the UN IGF 2022 is a historical event of what's in Ethiopia because Ethiopia is facing for the last ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I'm so sorry.
>> AYALEW SHEBESHI: I will finish now ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I'm sorry.
>> AYALEW SHEBESHI: ‑‑ first, we need the United Nations international law for governing the Internet ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: What I can suggest. If you submit it in write, we will post it on the website as well.
>> AYALEW SHEBESHI: Just one more ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I'm so sorry ‑‑
>> AYALEW SHEBESHI: One point ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: No. No. Sorry. Sorry.
[Applause]
Now I have two opposing requests from the facilitators here. Can you speak slower for the interpreters to keep up with you and the interventions to be one minute? I'm just counting the number of the people on the line.
Please, Nigel.
>> NIGEL HICKSON: Thank you very much.
Nigel Hickson from the U.K. government. Thank you, Ethiopia, Madam Minister, thank you for your gracious hospitality.
[Applause]
I join with others in appreciating the warmth, the hospital, the genuine friendship of so many people we have met, whether it is in the hotels, whether it is in the restaurants, whether it is on the streets, it's been absolutely marvelous. I second what Vint Cerf said, we'll certainly come back again.
I would also like to shoutout to the many volunteers that we have had here. The volunteers have been fantastic!
[Applause]
This has been a wonderful IGF. It is so great to be back in Africa. I had the opportunity, the pleasure of going to Nairobi IGF, but being back in Africa where this all began in the Tunis agenda and the marvelous discussions we have had in Tunis. The discussions here have been wide ranging, I think they have been excellent. They have mixed the national and the European and the global issues. I have great optimism for the future.
Here is to the future of the IGF!
[Applause]
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much, Nigel.
Let's try online again. I don't know if the Benin Hub wants to try again. We'll give it a quick 6 count to see if they can try again.
If not, we'll go to Mokabberi.
Benin Hub first?
>> Can you hear me well?
>> MOKABBERI HUB: Thank you very much.
Hello, everyone. First of all, I should thank Host Country, UNDESA and IGF team for organizing this unique IGF in Ethiopia. I would like to ‑‑ my key takeaway in this IGF, it is that we should do more to reach a common vision, values, interests and common definition about what is good Internet at global level.
I would like to only name some of the key issues to ensure the future of Internet: One, unilateral measures in digital world that could be a great barrier to national development goal and constitute violation of Human Rights obligation.
Two, the nature of Internet and the civilian‑owned environment, with peaceful users.
Four, trust of the international framework on cross‑border dataflow while ensuring data sovereignty.
Five, streaming geopolitical neutrality of the global Internet.
Six, establishment of the buildable framework, rules, norms, accountable behavior of the global digital platform and service provider.
Seven, fair and international framework for Internet Governance based on real digital multilateralism.
Eight, internationalization of the public call, internationalization of the public core as a global public good.
Nine, elimination of all ‑‑ man fast takings of all digital colonialism in all layers of the digital environment.
10, UN Convention on cybersecurity.
I really hope that this wider issue for the future of Internet will reflect that in IGF output and Global Digital Compact.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you.
>> MOKABBERI HUB: Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Just a reminder, if you could just briefly introduce yourself, just say the name, the organization.
Please, we'll go to this line.
>> ABDUL GHARYOOR BAWARY: Hello, good afternoon. Thank you so much.
I'm from Afghanistan.
A country totally isolated from the world now, totally isolated.
I think I'm the only one person from Afghanistan right now if I'm not wrong.
[Applause]
Thank you.
It wouldn't have been possible without the support of the IGF Secretariat. I'm here just to thank the IGF leadership, all stakeholders involved organizing the IGF, the IGF Secretariat, especially Anya, Mr. Chengetai Masango, all other who is are involved there.
In my country, we don't have much embassies right now. Only a few with diplomatic relations, no Councilor session, no visas. Once I applied for a visa to Ethiopia and four hours later I received my vee have a. I would like to thank them. Thank you so much, Ethiopia.
Thank you to the people of Ethiopia. Thank you to the Government of Ethiopia. A special thanks to the Ministry of information technology, to their Ministry of Foreign Affairs for issuing the visa. When I heard about IGF 2022 to be held in Addis Ababa I never imagined that I'm going to make it here. Thank you very much, everyone.
Thank you.
>> MAHAMAT SILIM MOUTSAPA: Hello everyone. I'm with IGF Africa. First of all, I would like to thank the Government of Ethiopia for the good welcome and for the hospitality and really the population showed us that they're a welcoming people.
When we came here we feel like we're home and everybody is feeling like this is home.
The things I would like to address is as a young African, I'm always fighting to engage more African youth on IGF discussion. I'm recommending the multistakeholder, government and private sector and all sectors to support African youth initiatives. We would like to see more African youth participating in the coming IGF meetings.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Government of Ethiopia for the good food and for the good night they organized for us. Thank you very much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Now we're going to try to go online.
Carina Birarda.
>> CARINA BIRARDA: Hello. Can you hear me?
Perfect. Thank you.
Hello, everyone.
I am Carina from Argentina. It is a pleasure to be able to say words of gratitude.
There is pressure to participate in my first year as a MAG member. Thank you to BR, thank you to all IGF for your great work in the organizations, thank you to all who have participated. That's the basis of the multistakeholders.
After a week of session, we have a lot of work to do on a free, open, safe cybersecurity for all.
Thank you for the opportunity, Chengetai.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I think we have lost her.
The next one, please.
>> JOEL TALALGIE: Hello, everyone. How are you? I am a software developer and technology content creator based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I'm very proud that IGF Ethiopia 2022 is happening in Addis Ababa.
I'm quite concerned on some issues that were discussed in the AI sessions, in the previous session earlier in this room I think. However, AI has continued to advance at a rapid pace and its adoption by businesses have accelerated further after COVID‑19. I myself use it in my daily activities like script writer, artificial intelligence to voice over AI in different language which I couldn't have done my own self to generate a good amount of income which I would like my fellow youngsters to join in.
However, during the press conference in Brussels earlier this year, the European Commission said it was preparing a draft to regulate artificial intelligence that will help prevent misuse, but by governing body, it has itself quite the challenge. AI changed after the regulation, the AI, it has changed by that time.
A few weeks in regulation that's introduced may not go further enough. My concern is why regulation is important and urgent in the web ecosystem, in the Metaverse, that is not finished and not completed yet.
My concern, it is to regulate the Metaverse right from the beginning. It is not the technologies that is dangerous, but the fact that powerful corporation also be able to look at all aspects of our live, selling axe access to our daily experiences.
I know it sounds like today's social media web II but web III will be far as dangerous, and it is also good, but then again I know this sounds like today's social media but in the Metaverse, the institutions will be far more intimidated in them, in technology.
I would like to see IGF making moves on this as soon as possible for the next conference panel by making regulations as the Metaverse is being borne.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. Thank you.
>> JOEL TALALGIE: That's my concern. Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Another suggestion for thank you, keep them to four words or less and then we can get to everyone. Thank you very much.
The next session, it is the closing session, the Deputy Prime Minister is come, I will keep an eye on this end and if they tell us to stop, we'll stop.
I'll try to push my luck as much as possible.
Please, go.
>> TULIO ANDRADE: Thank you very much. I'm from Brazil. There are three messages that I saw echoing out of our IGF here in Addis. The first, it is the priority that we all have around leveraging the Internet towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
The second, it is the urgency around addressing digital and data divides.
The third, it is the absolute need for us to enhance international cooperation towards these two previous goals.
I would like to thank the Ethiopian presidency, because having the IGF here in Ethiopia has provided us a platform for the voices from the Global South to be amplified. I very much had hoped that the spirit of Addis, the spirit of Africa can guide our work not only intersessionaly but also with a view to Japan and beyond.
Thank you so much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
We'll still try the IGF Benin Hub. We'll give it a 6 count to see if they can get on. If not, I apologize for that, I would ask them to please send the intervention to us. We'll post it on the website.
Now I'll go to Abdeldjalil.
>> ABDELDJALIL BACHAR BONG:
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I would like to credit the MAG Chair for the 6 count idea, Paul Mitchell.
>> MUHAMED YASSIN: Thank you.
Good afternoon to everyone.
I'm coming from the University in France where I'm studying in global eBusiness. I would like to thank all on this.
I have three key messages I would like to convey.
One on digital inclusion of the multigeneralized. For this, I speak on ‑‑ to my country of origin, Sudan, where there is frequent slow down and shut down of the Internet and I implore the IGF Secretariat and the global community to establish as quick as possible an IGF in Sudan in order to be multistakeholders on that spectrum.
The second message, it is to the Ethiopian authorities, Her Excellency is here. I'm a defender of the defenders of Human Rights. When I see an abuse of Human Rights I cannot stay quiet in front of me a lady at the vent was asked to pay another visa, tourists visa and she has paid the visa twice. I request you to put dignity to that Ambassador, she went to enter, in panic when they asked her to wait and she couldn't wait. She waited for 8 hours. That's the second message.
The third message, to the Government of Japan, next year, when the Africans will be coming to the IGF, I request you to facilitate for them in order to afford because Japan is very expensive. This will be a request from now.
Thank you.
[Applause]
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
>> YUSUF ABDUL‑QADIR: Greetings. I'm from the United States.
I want to first thank the federal republic ‑‑ Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. I'm humbled as a child of Africa that was stolen from the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade and the motherland here in Ethiopia. I'm in awe and will return home spiritually renewed.
To get to the point of my intervention, Your Excellencies, from my part, I stand as a representative of my colleagues from Syracuse University, the Africa Open Data and Research Foundation presented the Internet backpack today. We believe fundamentally that the 2030 Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals, has an opportunity to be catapulted with our technology. We're tremendously excited for the promise of what it can mean for uniting all Africans around the world collectively for our collective aspirations for a united Africa.
We thank you for humbly inviting us here, for hosting us here, for providing us with hospitality, your grace, your dignity, your kindness, the beauty of the Ethiopian people and offering us your young people who have been inspiring to us!
[Applause]
We thank you, Your Excellency. With that, I yield the time.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Syracuse is a good school I have heard.
>> UMAR KHAN: Hello, everyone.
This is Umar from Pakistan. A digital Human Rights Activist.
There was a lot of things to learn here at the IGF, a lot of sessions were attended, but I have something, a suggestion to the IGF Secretariat that the country of having of the list with regards to the population, a country having 64% population of youth is not having a national IGF and having no Youth IGF.
This is so unfortunate, we don't have such IGF, therefore I will request that the IGF Secretariat to focus on this and this IGF to bring us the courage to go back home and establish at least the Youth IGF. I'm young, I want to establish a Youth IGF, and I would like to have that with the IGF Secretariat.
At the end, I would like to say something and this is just one minute, people say a lot of things about Africa, what is real women empowerment, this is what you see on the sage!
[Applause]
A woman IT Minister is holding and organizing this whole thing. Thank you to all of the volunteers, the youth, all, they are amazing. (Poor audio quality).
This is amazing. Africa is amazing! Youth of IGF is amazing! The food is good! The culture!
>> HURIA ALI: Thank you. Thank you very much.
[Applause]
>> See you in Japan! Yeah!
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
Online, we have Iwalaiye Ayomide Marvelous. Please.
Can you hear us? Excuse me if I'm pronouncing the name wrong. If not, we'll go to the next ‑‑
>> MATTHEW HARRISON‑HARVEY: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Matthew, I'm from Ethiopia. I just wanted to say what he just said! It was fantastic! A round of applause to the representative of Pakistan!
[Applause]
So we would like to congratulate the IGF, the organizer, the Government of Ethiopia, the Ministry of information and technology, all those who have been involved in this fantastic week.
I personally have been in Ethiopia for 18 months working on launching the second telecommunications operator in the country, which the Prime Minister recognized in his speech, in the Opening Ceremony.
A key message from the Prime Minister's speech was around the power of digital, power of the Internet to transform people's lives. The discussions, the debates, the learnings that this forum has had is going to help us all work together to achieve those goals, to enable more people in the world on this continent, in this country to use the Internet and digital services to help people's lives.
I would like to congratulate everyone for their debates and discussions. We're very much looking forward to taking those learnings, to work in partnership with the Government of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian communications authority of Addis to take those learnings through Ethiopia to achieve the country's Digital Transformation and inclusion objectives.
One of our shareholders is Simotoma from Japan, having worked with Simotoma, I know Japan will be a fantastic host for the next IGF and I congratulate them on that, as has been the Ethiopian government.
A round of applause to everyone. Thank you very much.
[Applause]
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
I will just ask my team to inform me when the Deputy Prime Minister has arrived so we can wrap up.
Thank you. Thank you.
>> TESFAYE MIWAL: Hello, everyone.
I'm from Ethiopia, Vice President for Federal Court and a spokesperson for Ethiopian federal quarters.
I think everyone is happy to be here in Ethiopian which is the land of origin, science says that the human being was created, born here in Africa in Ethiopia and I think you came again to Ethiopia.
[Applause]
This event, an international event, it has been carried out I think efficiently by the Ethiopian government and the Ministry of innovation, technology. I think we need to give them a hand, a clap, for their success.
[Applause]
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
>> ISSAKHA DOUD BANE KHOUZEIFI: As a person who came from the judiciary, I have learned a lot from different sessions, especially cyber justice, the use of technology in order to realize access to justice, this is a good one, and hopefully the next event will also include cyber justice, law enforcement and how we tackle cybercrimes. I think at the global level, the cybercrime Convention, it is maybe going to be adopted by the United Nations and I think this event is historic event.
I'm happy to be part of this. Thank you very much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much.
So for next year, we'll double the time for this event instead of one hour, it will be two hours. Unfortunately, I have to say that you are the last speaker and then we'll just get quick remarks across and then we will be having an open call. Please submit your input and we'll post it on the IGF website and also act as an input in the open consultations and MAG meeting in preparation for next year.
Please, sir.
>> My name is Jose, I coordinate the Chad IGF. Before to start, I would like to tell you that if I am with these clothe, my African rural communities, they told me they want to connect Internet. If you are here for such a reason, just give applause a minute of.
I will say my comments in Arabic to make sure that this is promoted in the IGF ecosystem.
We ask IGF to send the official invitations to governments in order to make sure all applications are effective and they could inform, organize the IGF in order to allow the connectivity of all countries to the Internet.
Thank you for hosting this.
Her Excellency, we have been challenged, saying that Africa would not be able to organize such a successful IGF. Let me tell you, because of your leadership we have done it! Thank you so much.
[Applause]
>> May I have one women speaking at the mic? Thank you.
[Applause]
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Yes.
>> I'll try to be quick and follow the time.
My intervention, it is on behalf of the Brazilian coalition. We would like to take the opportunity to speak now and to be here to the Secretariat, to also the Host Country.
And the Ethiopian government as well.
Speaking from the Global South perspective, we find it super important that after so many years in Europe we finally came back to Africa. We finally came back to the Global South which is the majority of the world and where most of us attend these meetings sometimes.
It is important because we bring the international community to pay attention to the problems and issues that affect our areas. We're very glad about that.
Thanks also to the Ethiopian people for the warm, receptiveness, apart from being an example of resistance, your country history is very inspiring and each and every single one of us here should be aware of that and learn more about Ethiopians and your fight for freedom.
On the same happy note, we would like to mention as well that the recent changes in the Brazil January scenario make us extremely happy. We are happy to say that the leadership changes will allow Brazil to reoccupy this place of leadership in the international community and in the international Internet Governance community both in multilateral and multistakeholder places.
Last but not least, we would also like to ask everyone to send good energies and vibes to a member of our community, an activist, professional in data protection, digital rights, in his fight for life. If you could have just a round of applause, he really needs these energies.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I will just take one more. I don't see any frantic hands from my side. Please.
>> Thank you very much, I'll keep it very brief. I'm Mark, an Internet Governance consultant and part of the Council and strictly this is my personal opinion, I would like to comment on the technical issues of the IGF.
When I say this, I'm not talking about the local staff or the government, I'm mentioning specifically the IGF as an institution and organization.
We have been having continuous problems with the organization ‑‑
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Sorry. He's here.
Sir, please submit and then we'll ‑‑ so sorry. I was trying to squeeze you in. I can't.
>> Thank you, Chengetai Masango. Small problems! Still, let's go!
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you. Sorry.
Respecting time, if you have any comments.
>> VINT CERF: I have just one closing remark.
Roll up your sleeve, get to work!
[Applause]
>> PAUL MITCHELL: What he said.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Any last comments?
>> HURIA ALI: Okay. Thank you so much.
That's the only thing I can say. We really appreciate your comments, they're very valuable, there is nothing that makes us happy, how you feel, how you have made us feel, though we're really excited as Ethiopians and very happy and we'll take all of the valuable inputs and it will be important for the continent.
Thank you.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: And I'll give the last word to our host, just to say if you have any last words?
>> JEAN-PAUL ADAM: We're very tight on time.
The main thing would be to say, bravo Ethiopia and bravo to the participants of IGF.
We look forward to seeing everyone in African IGF ahead of also going to Japan.
Thank you very much.
>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much, all of you. Thank you.