WINDHOEK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Namibia is expected to become the latest African nation to join the global debate on internet governance when it hosts its inaugural internet governance forum on Sept. 27 and 28, in the capital Windhoek.
The Namibia Internet Governance Forum (NamIGF), is a multi-stakeholder platform consisting of government, development organizations, the private sector and media organizations, which aims to stimulate and enhance discussion around public policy related to the internet.
Namibia's Minister of Information, Tjekero Tweya will deliver the keynote address on the first day and the Media Ombudsman, John Walters will have his keynote address on the second day.
NamIGF Working Group Member, Natasha Tibinyane, on Monday in a statement said that despite Namibia having joined the world-wide web decades ago, the country has been absent from the global discourse on internet governance.
"Hence the Information Ministry, initiated the NamIGF Working Group with the mandate to organize and host the country's first national forum this year," she added.
According to Tibinyane, this will subsequently result in the establishment of a Namibian National and Regional Initiative and if successful, the NamIGF will officially be recognized within the United Nations IGF structure.
Meanwhile, she said that the launch of the NamIGF will also coincide with the 2017 commemoration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information which will take place on Sept. 28, hence the occasion will be used to highlight the important relationship between the right to to universal access to information and access to the internet.
