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Internet Governance Reform: Pitting African Internet Communities Against National Governments?Submitted by Editor on 21 October, 2005 - 06:50.
[Sixth of eight commentaries in a sub-series on ICANN and Internet governance] Developing nations tend to see Internet governance as a function of national government, and many proposals for reform are calling for greater involvement of national authorities in ICANN (and any new bodies that may be created). However, some commentators point out the risk that this would erect national boundaries on the global network, highlighting the problems that could entail. Many fear that a greater government role will not only bring Big Brother-like control, but also hinder the development of the Internet which up to now has been largely driven by the private sector. The experience of African countries with monopoly fixed-line telecom operators may be instructive: they typically have far fewer fixed lines than mobile phones or Internet users. The allocation of IP addresses is an example where more government control could prove to be limiting to African Internet communities. The current system allows ISPs in all countries to get whatever IP addresses they need, independent of national boundaries. The International Telecommunications Union has proposed a new method for IP address allocation that would involve national authorities and spread block IPv6 allocations across nations. This is relevant to Africa, where nations that are not ready to use the allocations now could nonetheless hold them for later use. However, putting address allocations into the hands of national governments would give them the power to unfairly allocate addresses only to an incumbent telecommunications provider and squeeze out competition (as South Korea has done). Government control over IPv6 allocation ultimately means government control over who can get access to the Internet, and would strengthen governments’ abilities to engage in censorship and surveillance. Beyond the narrow world of ICANN, it seems clear that African Internet communities have something unique and powerful to contribute to the global debates on the broader components of Internet governance. Africans continue to be saddled with the world’s worst communications infrastructure, thanks to a long legacy of mismanagement. African Internet users have insights into the relative pros and cons of centralized governmental control versus decentralized authority, and into the imbalances that exist in the flows of money that pay for the network. A few African governments -- such as Uganda -- have privatized their telecommunications industry and opened up markets. Yet overall African governments have historically not been the most reliable advocates for their Internet communities; rather, many have a long record of protecting the rights and prerogatives of government officials and telecom monopolies. At the same time, the African Internet community (including the pioneering ISPs, wireless companies, websites, e-commerce businesses, bloggers, and so on) contains some of the most energetic, skilful, and entrepreneurial contributors in the world. More than anyone else in the world, African Internet communities have discovered ways to use the inherent decentralized power of the Internet to free themselves from the high prices, bad service, and mismanagement of their telecom monopolies -– learning important practical lessons about how Internet management problems should be addressed and solved. The interests of Africa’s Internet pioneers and users, which should be central to these broader global debates about the future the Internet, are at risk of invisibility, lost in the shadows of their governments. What Do You Think?
Please share your views with us via email or post them in the "comments" box under this commentary. (Email responses will be posted to the website too.) Want to know more about ICANN and Africa?See the CIPESA public briefing on ICANN, Internet governance and Africa, 7 October. Acronyms Used Here
Well, african governments are not effective (global poverty, poor medicine and high unemployment at least, constant wars). What will they do with the internet? -----------------------------------My small project: whats my ip address The simply way they can conduct as a hindrance is by overregulation or regulating in such a way as to prevent Internet development. Make Money Online
Internet Governance Reform!!!!!!!!!!!
THis is great information regarding the internet govenance reform. The countries which are developing tend to see Internet governance as a function of national government, and many proposals for reform are calling for greater involvement of national authorities in ICANN .Thanks for sharing this information..
Internet Cowgirl
A few African governments -- such as Uganda -- have privatized their telecommunications industry and opened up markets. Yet overall African governments have historically not been the most reliable advocates for their Internet communities; rather, many have a long record of protecting the rights and prerogatives of government officials and telecom monopolies. honorary degrees | affordable degrees | degrees | life experience bachelor degree | Corllins University
Internet Governance Reform!!
The countries which are developing tend to see Internet governance as a function of national government, and many proposals for reform are calling for greater involvement of national authorities in ICANN. African governments -- such as Uganda -- have privatized their telecommunications industry and opened up markets.THanks for such great post..
Patenter
Africa's Internet pioneers (by and large) participate in the current IG mechanisms, and some of them are involved in the WSIS process. They also have to be involved in large scale infrastructure projects like the EASSy and national fiber networks. The only way they can act as a hindrance is by overregulation or regulating in such a way as to discourage Internet development. THanks for such wonderful post..
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The assertion gives further credence to what some analysts have for long asked: What really does the World Bank stand for? In the early 1990s, the Washington-based financial institution pushed for the liberalisation and privatisation of the telecom sub-sector in almost all African countries - with resounding success. By so doing, the World Bank wanted governments to get out of utility services such as telecommunications so that the profit-driven and often more efficient private sector takes centre stage. Countries like Uganda, that implemented the structural adjustment policies are now role models of accepting the closed access model of telecom growth and are reaping big dividends.Diamond rings online | Pink Hair
The countries which are developing tend to see Internet governance as a function of national government...
rocky boots
Let me stop at your question "Is government involvement in Internet governance likely to be a help or hindrance to Internet development in Africa?"
I do think that Governments have to be involved in creating an enabling environment for Internet related businesses. They also have to be involved in large scale infrastructure projects like the EASSy and national fiber networks.
The individuals can do nothing if the government didn't help, this is the key to develop in these countries & to make them connected to the world.
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Informative Post. Thanks.
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The countries which are developing tend to see Internet governance as a function of national government... rocky boots
Let me stop at your question "Is government involvement in Internet governance likely to be a help or hindrance to Internet development in Africa?" I do think that Governments have to be involved in creating an enabling environment for Internet related businesses. They also have to be involved in large scale infrastructure projects like the EASSy and national fiber networks. The individuals can do nothing if the government didn't help, this is the key to develop in these countries & to make them connected to the world. Coach Bags
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A few corrections on your commentary before I answer the questions you pose:
It's not just ISPs who get address allocations and assignments, businesses, universities and government agencies all can and do get IP address allocation and End User assignments.
The International Telecommunications Union did propose a new method for IP address allocation but that was a trial balloon that gained no traction in the WSIS process and is all but dead at the moment. The possibilities for censorship and surveillance of this proposal are not really the reasons this is a bad idea. This is a bad idea primarily because it breaks the aggregation model currently in use in Internet routing.
In some ways, yes. If the Accra Commitments and the Dakar Declaration were written by the African Internet Community, they would be much more realistic documents.
Governments have to be involved in creating an enabling environment for Internet related businesses. They also have to be involved in large scale infrastructure projects like the EASSy and national fiber networks. The only way they can act as a hindrance is by overregulation or regulating in such a way as to discourage Internet development.
I think the question is asked the wrong way around, it should be "Are African governments ready and willing to participate in the current African Internet Governance mechanisms?"
- Has the story of Africa's Internet pioneers been lost in the debate on Internet governance?
Africa's Internet pioneers (by and large) participate in the current IG mechanisms, and some of them are involved in the WSIS process. Their expertise has been underutilized by governments in forming the African intergovernmental WSIS platforms.