17th Internet Governance Forum takes place from 28 November to 2 December in Addis Ababa
Media Accreditation is open for the IGF
Against a backdrop of surging geopolitical tensions, Internet shutdowns and deepening mistrust, governments, businesses, civil society, the technical community and international organizations will meet at the annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) from 28 November to 2 December in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to determine concrete steps for achieving universal and meaningful Internet connectivity.
Safe and secure Internet is a fundamental human right and pivotal to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Open and secure Internet access can generate huge benefits in the health, economic and educational sectors. For example, in countries where there is low broadband connectivity, providing schools with access to the Internet can grow GDP by 20 per cent.
The IGF, convened annually by the UN Secretary-General, is a critical platform for enabling open and engaging discussions on Internet governance, including the Internet’s sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development. With many technological advances underway—artificial intelligence, biotechnology and neurotechnology—a new global digital compact as outlined in the United Nations’ Our Common Agenda is needed to build a concrete framework for an open, free and secure digital future.
The 17th IGF comes at a crucial time when approximately 2.9 billion people still remain unconnected, many of them living in least developed countries and rural communities. Women also lag behind men in terms of Internet access. Other than access to and affordability of devices, an open and free Internet has also allowed for its misuse through online misinformation and disinformation, cyberattacks and the endangerment of child online safety.
Hosted by the Government of Ethiopia and supported by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the Forum will be in a hybrid format.
Discussions will focus on five key areas: (1) connecting all people and safeguarding human rights; (2) avoiding Internet fragmentation; (3) governing data and protecting privacy; (4) enabling safety, security and accountability; and (5) addressing advanced digital technologies. In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, a Parliamentary Track and a Youth Global Summit, there will also be three High-level sessions:
- Universal, affordable and meaningful connectivity (28 November)
- Digital Rights (28 November)
- Digital Trust and Security (29 November)
Key links
Social Media
Please follow us on the Internet Governance Forum, using the hashtags, #IGF2022 and #ResilientInternet
On Facebook: Global Goals, UN DESA, IGF – Internet Governance Forum
On Twitter: @GlobalGoalsUN, @UNDESA, @intgovforum
Media contacts (interviews available upon request):
Sharon Birch, UN Department of Global Communications, birchs@un.org
Leah Kennedy, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, kennedy1@un.org
Ernest Cho Chi, UN Economic Commission for Africa, chi@un.org
