#LeaveNoOneOffline was the trending hashtag that set Twitter and Facebook alight during the Lusaka Internet Forum. Some participants wondered why it was necessary for everyone to be online while others questioned the possibility of even having everyone online. Then again, participants were reminded that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development could only be realised by having everyone online. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises that, “the spread of information and communication technology and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress, to bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies”.
In a move set to ensure that no one is left offline, the Zambian Governance Foundation and the Swedish Embassy in Zambia successfully hosted the first ever Lusaka Internet Forum (LIF) on the 10th and 11th of May 2017. The event brought together 150 participants representing government, the private sector, academia, technical experts, and the civil society to discuss issues related to Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and development. LIF was held as a pre-event of the Stockholm Internet Forum (SIF), an international forum for in depth dialogue and discussions on how a free, open and secure internet promotes human rights and development worldwide.
Leave no one offline
During the Forum, participants had opportunity to get into different groups which focused on ICTS in relation to gender, sustainable agriculture and freedom of expression. These interactive thematic work groups discussed challenges in addressing security, privacy and the ethical dimension of ICTs in today’s world. They also discussed possible opportunities of creating more positive outcomes in the future while remaining cognisant of the Sustainable Development Goals and the potential impact that internet governance, security, privacy and the ethical dimension of ICTs will have on achieving these goals.
The work lab on agriculture said the role of ICTs in enhancing progress towards sustainable livelihoods within the agriculture sector could not be overlooked. Participants said the agriculture sector which is a major source of livelihood for the majority of the rural mass,
Media personality Patience Chisanga was the master of ceremonies at the event, while Bongo Hive, Asikana Network, the Swedish Programme for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER) and the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) facilitated different work labs. The panelists, moderators and inspirational speakers made the event diverse and enriching. Officially opening the event, the Swedish Embassy in Zambia Charge d’Affaires, David Wiking said, “The Internet is where the battle for democracy is being fought. Internet use is a measure of freedom”.
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By Tarisai Jangara