There have been several significant internet governance developments in recent months. auDA is pleased to have been involved in key forums and discussions, advocating for the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance, both regionally and internationally.
Shaping internet governance in the Asia Pacific
auDA was proud to host two Pacific-focused forums in Wellington in September to strengthen multi-stakeholder relationships and support capacity building. The first forum was an opportunity to engage with Pacific colleagues in the country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) community to initiate a shared forum for ongoing discussion, tackling common challenges and contributing to regional and global internet governance processes.
The second forum provided an opportunity for Pacific colleagues to build connections with the government donor and intergovernmental investor community. The forum explored development projects and opportunities to uplift internet connectivity and capability in the Pacific. auDA is a strong supporter of the Pacific region’s ambitions and is working to be a practical, pragmatic and reliable partner in the region.
The forums were held alongside the APNIC58 Conference, hosted by InternetNZ, and the 2024 Pacific IGF (PacIGF), hosted by the Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society, in partnership with other stakeholders. auDA was pleased to attend both events and support the PacIGF through fellowships that assisted Pacific participants to travel to Wellington for the event. The theme of the PacIGF was “Strengthening Digital Governance and Resilience in the Pacific Islands”, and topics included infrastructure, cyber security, data protection, disaster management, capacity building, AI and digital transformation. Samoa was announced as the location for the 2025 PacIGF planned for July.
We were also pleased to sponsor and participate in the 2024 Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF). Hosted by Taiwan Network Information Centre (TWNIC), this year’s theme was “Evolving Ecosystems, Enduring Principles: Shaping Responsible Internet Governance”. More than 1000 participants (online and in person) joined nearly 60 sessions covering topics such as internet governance, AI, cyber security and human rights in the digital age. auDA contributed to a number of sessions focussed on internet governance issues including the Global Digital Compact (GDC) (more on this below) and the World Summit of the Information Society 20-year anniversary review (WSIS+20) processes.
Session recordings are available on the 2024 APrIGF website. A Synthesis Document recording participants’ views on the issues discussed during the APrIGF is available to read and is still under development.
We also attended the 86th Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD) meeting gathered in Vietnam. The auDA team spoke at sessions about internet fragmentation, the Global Digital Compact and a project auDA is working on with the .pg ccTLD manager at the PNG University of Technology to support .pg’s modernisation.
Most recently, auDA was a proud supporter of the 2024 Australian Internet Governance Forum. Held in Melbourne, the two-day event at the end of October drew an actively engaged crowd. You can find out more about the event on the auIGF website, including transcript and session videos and in our recent blog post.
TCCM and the future of internet governance: auDA’s continued commitment
Beyond the bounds of the Asia Pacific region, the long awaited Global Digital Compact was finalised at the United Nations Summit of the Future on 22 September 2024. The final Compact recognises the importance of the Internet Governance Forum as the key multi-stakeholder body for collaboration on internet governance matters.
auDA welcomes the GDC’s recognition of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). This outcome is one we advocated for throughout the GDC development process along with other stakeholders, including members of the Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism (TCCM). auDA has published several blogs highlighting this advocacy work (available at the end of this article).
The TCCM, co-founded by auDA, CIRA, InternetNZ and Nominet, has also published a statement on the GDC adoption, which you can read on the newly launched TCCM website. This dedicated web presence has information about the TCCM’s purpose, membership and its collaborative work since it was established earlier in 2024. The Coalition will be meeting alongside the upcoming ICANN meeting to develop its strategy for the WSIS+20 review happening in 2025.
Looking ahead
In the global environment, with the GDC now agreed, auDA’s focus turns to WSIS+20, a review of the outcomes and progress to date of the World Summit on the Information Society. The review will mark a moment of potential change in the internet governance system and provide an opportunity to update internet and technology governance for the 2030s and beyond. Learn more about WSIS+20 and why it matters in our blog. auDA will work alongside others, including in the TCCM, to sustain and improve the global internet governance system through this, in line with the direction we set out in our Internet Governance Roadmap.
A number of significant events are being held in the last quarter of 2024, which auDA will be participating in or monitoring closely, including:
- ICANN’s 81st public meeting in Istanbul 9-14 November.
- The United Nations Internet Governance Forum will be in Riyadh 15-19 December 2024.
You can read more about auDA’s internet governance and public policy work on the auDA website.
auDA Global Digital Compact blogs
