The Event at a Glance “It is important that all stakeholders contribute towards the shaping of ICT policies that reflect the aspirations and interests of the people of Zimbabwe… In our contemporary societies, governance is no longer molded in hierarchical control by the state and its agencies, but a more cooperative mode where both state and non-state actors participate and engage in all platforms.” Nhlanhla Ngwenya, MISA- Zimbabwe MISA Zimbabwe National Director, Nhlanhla Ngwenya’s welcome and introductory remarks were centered on the need for an open and inclusive approach to the drawing up of legislation and policy governing Zimbabwe’s cyberspace’. He noted that ‘multi-stakeholderism’ was key to internet governance, and that the Internet is a product of and is governed from efforts and contributions from multiple players. Reference was made to the historical launch of the multi-stakeholder approach at the international governance forum launched at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis in 2005. to achieve national development, and economic growth. He noted that investment by government and private investments in ICT resources and facilities in the country, translated into a significant growth in mobile and internet penetration levels. The Ministry’s speech noted that the Zimbabwean government’s economic blue print, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET), identifies ICTs and its infrastructure as a key result area for the ICT sector. The government was also keen on ensuring that all citizens are connected and have access to the internet. Ngwenya said it is, therefore, impossible for Zimbabwe or any other country to try and govern the Internet without the participation of multiple stakeholders. Deliberations throughout the conference noted the concerns by participants of the likelihood of some stakeholders to domineering, excluding and crowding out others in the process. Participants called for respect, fairness and equal treatment of all stakeholders in coming up with a policy around the use of the internet to allow space for the voices of diverse stakeholders for the common good. Chigwamba also noted government was engaging stakeholders in the sector to participate in the formulation of an infrastructure-sharing policy in order to harmonise and diversify service provision countrywide. Also of significance, as relates to multi-stakeholderism, was the government’s launch of the Zimbabwe Internet Governance Forum (ZIGF) in June 2015. The process was expected to facilitate an inclusive public policy dialogue on issues of internet governance. In the keynote address, Principal Director in the Ministry Information Communication Technologies, Postal and Courier Services, Simon Cosmos Chigwamba, outlined the Zimbabwean government’s efforts and commitments towards the provision of ICT access infrastructure and e-learning capacities to the whole nation in order Further to the Ministry’s presentation, participants noted the need for clarity, equity and resolve on matters relating to infrastructure sharing. Participants also raised concern on the current application of the legal framework that infringes on civil liberties noting that the Interception of Communications Act (2007) INTERNET GOVERNANCE MULTISTAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE REPORT 2015 005 needed to be reviewed accordingly. Another key concern was the lack of publicity around the impending cyber crimes bill, which will regulate e-banking and commerce, cyber security and data protection. Chigwamba also emphasised that the Interception of Communications Act, which is administered under the Office of the President is a national security measure, and is consistent with practices by governments the world over. Consensus was built around the need for peace and security with participants calling for balance and clarity between national security/espionage issues and privacy of civilian communication to ensure protection of civil liberties and avoid wanton application of anti-terrorism laws. Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) head of ICT, Tichafa Mujuru, outlined the current structure and mandate of the Zimbabwe Internet Governance Forum (ZIGF). He illustrated how the ZIGF will feed into the regional, continental and global fora as guided by the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Tunis Agenda. The conference was informed that the ZIGF is coordinated by a Multi-stakeholder Coordinating Team (MCT) that comprises key stakeholders drawn from all sectors in Zimbabwe. Discussions on this topic raised concerns on the perceived monopolisation of the ZIGF by POTRAZ. Some participants felt they had been excluded from the launch of the Forum due to the attendant low publicity. www.misazim.com @misazimbabwe MISA Zimbabwe