Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Mauritius Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2023, organised by the Halley Movement Coalition and the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), was launched, on Saturday 19 August 2023, at the Caudan Arts Centre, in Port Louis.
Under the theme “Data Governance in Mauritius”, this year’s forum was dedicated to exploring the dynamic intersections of technology, policy and society.
The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr Mahen Kumar Seeruttun; the Founder and Secretary-General of Halley Movement Coalition, Deputy Presiding Officer (East Africa) of the African Union ECOSOCC, and Director of the Mauritius Internet Governance Forum and Indian Ocean Internet Governance Forum, Mr Mahendranath Busgopaul; and other eminent personalities were present at the launching.
In his address, Minister Seeruttun highlighted that this event encourages policy dialogue between State, Non-State actors and stakeholders on Internet Governance.
“Through this forum, participants will be equipped with the skills and mindset needed to lead effectively in dynamic and diverse environments while promoting a culture of collaboration and mutual support,” he pointed out.
Speaking of the Mauritius IGF, the Minister underlined that it provides an exclusive platform for people to interact and develop solutions concerning Internet problems and is essential to ensure that all stakeholders are treated equally when engaging in dialogue.
“The Mauritius IGF is providing the right forum at the national and regional levels that engage industry, government, academicians, educational institutions, media, and civil society on debates about Internet Governance issues and is directed towards stakeholders’ empowerment, of all disciplines, gender and ages,” he remarked.
Furthermore, Mr Seeruttun indicated that the Mauritius IGF is recognised by the United Nations Secretariat for the Internet Governance Forum as a national IGF that adheres to the core IGF principles and procedures, as outlined in the National and Regional IGF Initiatives Toolkit.
On this note, he dwelt on the journey of the Mauritius IGF since 2017 through annual conferences touching upon interesting thematics ranging from, namely: Enhancing Digital Trust to Encompass Online Safety; Child Protection and Internet Governance and Youth Engagement and the Future of Internet in Mauritius; Impact of Internet on Online Child Sexual Exploitation of Children (OCSE); Citizens Dialogue on connecting the digital dots in Africa; Eliminating Barriers in Internet Governance Process and; Trustworthy Internet for Children in the Digital World.
Moreover, Minister Seeruttun shared that the objectives of the Mauritius IGF 2023 are on point as there is indeed a need to advance IGF issues in Sub-Saharan Africa comprising the Indian Ocean Islands through a multi-stakeholder framework as well as facilitating partnerships and coalitions that deliver coordinated domestic responses, initiatives, and synergies.
He emphasised that it is also important to increase awareness and build capacity on Internet Governance issues in the island states of the Indian Ocean region so as to ensure informed dialogue on policy and related matters between all stakeholders.
“There is the need to establish a coordinated and coherent framework for dealing with Internet Governance issues in Africa and, educating citizens of Mauritius and Indian Ocean Islands is a must to achieve this,” Mr Seeruttun pointed out.
On this score, the Financial Services Minister stressed that the Mauritius IGF is indeed providing the right forum to take stock of the huge opportunity for us to transform our businesses, our society, and our planet.
“Businesses will not only overcome challenges but emerge stronger, more agile, and be ready to seize opportunities in the future and will guide us towards a better Mauritius,” he said.
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