If governments valued and used the internet in the services they offer, they would focus on building an enabling and competitive environment for the digital market and respect digital rights and online rights. Speaking at the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), the organisations executive director, Dr Wairagala Wakabi, said that African leaders should consider the impact and opportunities presented by the internet.

These include but not limited to, new employment and business opportunities, an inclusive, competitive and strong digital economy which can compete with international markets, public digital services and free citizens who can freely use the internet to exercise their rights such as freedom of expression. Wakabi further said that just about 20% of the African population uses the internet and this is an increase in both usage and access.

Cipesa recently hosted its annual Forum on Internet Freedom Africa (#FIFAfrica) in Ethiopia where some key issues on internet freedom and digital rights were raised. Wakabi was speaking on a panel about the importance of accepting that internet penetration and access is increasing across the continent and governments must expand and take advantage of this phenomenon. The panel also included Dr Getahun Mekuria, Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Anriette Esterhusyen from the Association of Progressive Communications (APC), and Prof Peter Fussey from the University of Essex.

If African governments relied on the internet for government services such as government websites, the economy, government services and more they would understand the value and importance of the internet in today’s society, perhaps then we would have less than 22 internet shutdowns in a year. This was a suggestion brought up during this panel discussion.

CIPESA’s latest State of internet freedom in Africa report states that the period between 2016–2019 was the “golden era” of internet shutdowns. During this period, nearly half of the countries in Africa (at least 22 of them, including the host country, Ethiopia) experienced a government-ordered network disruption, with popular social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter being the main target. Some countries also ordered blockages of SMS, or of the entire internet. In Uganda’s case, mobile money services. Within the first three weeks of 2019, network disruptions had been registered in five countries (Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

The conference showed testament that as internet penetration rises in Africa, stakeholders, policymakers, internet advocates and civil society organisations continue to fight for better internet governance and for the protection of online human rights and online. The conference covered digital rights, digital security, policy matters, access, affordability, free expression and non-discrimination, and the free flow of digital information on the continent.

Key takeaways from the discussion:

Governments should investing and grow the digital market

Esterhusyen suggested that an enabling and competitive digital environment would ensure a substantial digital economy, including cross-border services, digital trade. “The internet can contribute to democratic and economic development by expanding digital market access for local businesses, promoting inclusive trade, creating new jobs and new careers, and expanding governments to provide essential services,” she explained.

Dr Wakabi added that innovation can only thrive when there is access to the internet, freedom of expression and proper use of the internet. “Make it easier for citizens to afford these technologies and the internet without fear and that is how innovation is going to be possible in this part of the world. Because innovation can only thrive when citizens have unhindered access to the internet and government respect internet and digital rights.

Laws regulating the internet

Panelists agreed and echoed the importance of laws, policies and regulations which protect human rights, internet freedom and digital rights because although African countries can go digital, the internet can also be abused by governments, citizens and other actors. It is worth noting that Ethiopia has made strides in regard to the laws and policies on internet freedom because digital transformation presents an opportunity for Ethiopia to participate with other countries, explained Mekuria.

Some of the strides towards better laws and regulations made by Ethiopia include measures to liberalise and other sectors; dropping of charges against many opposition leaders, bloggers, and activists; reconnecting mobile and broadband internet services that were cut off since 2016; and unblocking 246 websites, blogs, and news sites that have been inaccessible for over a decade. These new regulations and changes made it a monumental occasion to have a conference on internet freedom in Ethiopia.

Affordability

Other key points raised by the panel included working towards making the internet more accessible and affordable for the everyday African citizen. As it stands now many cannot afford to access the internet due to expensive data costs. Esterhusyen said that African governments should empower civil society organisations in their fight for digital rights and internet freedom.

People working in the internet freedom and digital rights space should educate governments, policymakers and ministers to understand the power of the digital space and how it can transform countries in many ways. However, that means governments should start to invest in connectivity, liberalisation, content creation and promotion of digital rights across Africa as a means to good governance and transparency.

The writers trip to attend the Forum on Internet Freedom Africa was sponsored by Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa.