The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
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>> IBRAHIM KANO JIBRIL: Good afternoon, your excellencies.
Good afternoon your excellencies. It is my great privilege to welcome you all to this workshop. Can you hear me? Good afternoon, your excellencies and distinguished ladies and gentlemen. All protocols observed. Can you hear? Check 1, 2, 1, 2. Can you hear me? Select channel two. Channel two. Thank you.
Good afternoon, your excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the protocol is being observed. The objective of the workshop is to tackle challenges imposed by technologies on governance.
As you are aware, the future of governance in Africa is ours to envision and change. Today, we're not just discussing the governance, we're shaping discussion for generations to come. Let's channel the energy as we work together to design a future that works for everyone. Among the outcomes, the establishment of the platform for networking, that will drive the initiative. We will also increase awareness of how emerging digital technologies. To kick off the workshop, we are privileged to have the esteemed panel and leaders who insights will shape today's discussion.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to invite ambassador Salah Siddig Haamad, who has experience in governance, who also, and has been at the forefront of promoting the governance across Africa. His leadership at the secretariat underscores his commitment to achieve sustainable governments and development. Ambassador Hammad is widely recognised for the strategic and advancing agenda.
Ambassador?
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: Thank you very much.
A very good afternoon to all of you. Allow me to stand on the existing protocols, since we are running out of time. We have an opening ceremony this afternoon before we kick off our session this afternoon. Seems like it is a short session of 20 minute. Hopefully, we'll be accomplishing our goal. The session is on the future of governance in Africa, exploring the nexus between government and technology, assessing the impact of advancement on governance and the future of governance in Africa. Welcome to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Welcome to the session by the African Peer Review Mechanism. The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Ethiopia and the permanent Representative to the African Union and your excellency. Do you have the floor? Please and thank you.
>> NASIR AMINU: APRN. It is a direct privilege and honour to welcome you to the important workshop. Defining the governance in the content of Africa. There's opposition to the good governance. It is extended to us.
Similarly, I wish to commend every leadership of the African Peer for the excellent work that you've been doing over the years. This is the testament of your hard work and commitment not only in Africa, but also supporting the innovative activities that are social for Africa's transformation and advancement for our sustainable development. The future of Ghana in Africa is the topic that is demanding the critical examination.
Taken in to account our diverse cultures, economies, and political landscapes, which calls for a collect collaborative effort for governance models that prioritise inclusivity and advancement towards addressing our economy and political and social challenges. I wish to highlight the recent milestones and the commitment to advancing the governance, Human Rights, and technology innovation across Africa. This is secure across the continent.
By aligning the national priorities with this continental vision, Nigeria forms the dedication to building robust, digital infrastructure founded on transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.
Additionally, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to inclusion on the right of Persons with Disabilities. This actually reflecting our cooperation of the transformative role, technology can play in ensuring the full participation of Persons with Disabilities and governance and certain development. Paving the way for a more digital future. This action resonates with the objective of the programme of the future of governance in the digital era. Which seeks to harmonise with the imperative of good governance and human security. Cybersecurity and data protection for trust and governance and inclusion remains central to the governance system.
As we embrace the initiatives, it is the commitment at political level. I, therefore, call on the establishment of the appointment wide data protection authority. This body would provide oversight and the data protection standards and ensure the use of technology across the continent. It would strengthen the rights of all Africans in the digital age.
Excellencies, let me conclude to collaborate with the partners to make the vision a reality. Let me ‑‑ it is imperative for the future for all Africans. I thank you for your attention.
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: Thank you for your remarks. We have between security and development. Seeing the advancement of technological processes within that nexus is quite important for the advancement of human, the promotion of human and people’s rights in Africa. That is, of course, all of the identification in 2063. Please channel two. Channel two. Madame? Channel two. That's all in the implementation for 2063 for an Africa that we deserve and want.
The next is a statement by the Honorable Bakhta. Do we have ‑‑ next we have the Republic of Syria. No? Is that right? I'm not sure if her excellency is in the room. Selma? She's not. She'll be coming later. Okay. Let me now call on Ms. Christina Duarte, the Undersecretary General and Special Advisor in Africa.
>> CHRISTINA DUARTE: Good afternoon. Can you hear me well? Greetings. Thank you for the invitation. Governance and technology. This is the subject of our conversation today. And when preparing myself for the conversation, I decided before jumping to a technology conversation, technological solutions, and even technological challenges to chair the digital divide, I do believe that this is the reason for the intervention. It will be designed to complement those that have been more focused on technology. It is just the two. We need to understand the phenomenon for more technical solutions.
My intervention will be three essential aspects. The first historical groups of Africa's governance challenge. It is for the Africans to understand. Secondly, the absence of the state at the end of the day is sort of governance. Insert breaking the trip, removing parts and making for conceptual. Going to the first and very quickly. Starting the roots of African governance challenge. So the governance challenge facing Africa today is deeply rooted in history. We cannot just erase that as a black chess board. It is not possible. Where the stretches and functions at the State is shaped to serve the interest. We should state nothing normal.
As the dependence, African nations and any states which was incompatible. Basically, we have the knowledge that the colonial state that we, right, and essentially have two primary functions. Enforcing the rule of law. Logical. Second resources extraction to serve as I said this extent.
This extracting and minimalist model of governance lets the mechanism in the specific imagine grows socially and local development. When African nations get the dependence, this is the capacity for the colonial sector that was fully inadequate for the development. It was a mismatch between the institutional capacity. So the early governance in the 60's and 70’s. We all know this is not a solution. Instead of addressing the stretcher and let's say weakness of the states, everybody knows that they blame more to perceived the overreach. This is the reason that Africans are too deep. The result was implemented. They move the state by reducing the public spending and the mental prizes and the markets over in the economist for income.
Basically, this approach as a solution to the efficiency. This is the African economy as everyone knows. This is the deeper providence and the service generates and state capacity and poverty increases. The crew of the state from the economic governance left markets regulated and economic actors and no capital. So African cities are set. Getting weaker and more fragmented and less able to deliver basically the development and responsibility.
Many African states today lack the capacity to manage their economy. They have their financial flows and deliver effectively. In essence, it has been sidelined in the forces for the institution. Over three decades of the weakened state has left the African Nations unable to – first, to control the economic incentives.
Basically, African governments, women are highly dependent actors significantly technical. African nations are able to manage the assets. The resource, infrastructure, financial and left Africa and nations enabled to deliver public let's say ‑‑ the absence of the state is in a certain way to perpetuate the cycle of dependence. And social disability. Locking Africa in a sort of governance strap. And unique to understand that.
We can design and we can conceptualise in a more efficient way the technological solution. There's a need today in the 21st century. The need to break the effects of looking at the policymaking. The first that we Africans need to understand is that the only way to deliver this is by delivering the systemic showdown. Short-term solutions are plenty and don't address challenge.
The second conceptual pillar is the sustainability development requires sustainable finance. It needs long‑term. Financing must go beyond short‑term to support the stretch of transformation. They must be the national. Financial seasons must be in line with the global market. They talk about sustainable financing. We reach a point that we owe African policymakers and African partners to prioritise the mobilization as a driver of financing for development, shifting the paradigm.
Of course, the circle essential pillar is if you require the standup development and the state of financing, it is clear that sustainable financing will request control over the economic and financial and control the economic and financial support to require. It should be the driver talking about workshop. There's stable finance. To deliver control of the economic and financial to deliver sustainable finance and to deliver sustainable development and to deliver the deliverables, the digital transformation anchors on the consistent investment in digital public infrastructure is not the policy option. But they need better in terms of rescue the future of governance in Africa and, of course, to design the technological solutions.
Let's say the inefficiency of today's African governance. I would like to start here. Back to you. Thank you very much for the opportunity.
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: Thank you very much. We really appreciate it. I hope you stay with us a bit longer.
Now, I have the honour to call on the Representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People Democratic Republic of Nigeria. This is the focal point to deliver the work. Thank you.
>> SPEAKER: Excellency and ambassador, secretariats, dear participants, ladies and gentlemen, best of all allow me to convey to you the best wishes of success of her Excellency for African Affairs in the Ministry of Affairs of Nigeria, Ms. Selma Mansouri. Her excellency, the state secretary, you have a busy schedule. She was not able to take part or to attend this important workshop on governance and technology organised by the IPRM. Allow me also to extend my gratitude and special thanks to the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the hospitality and all of the facilities they made available to us for the holding of this important workshop. My presence here today testifies and reflects my country, Nigeria.
Present of the forum of states and government of the APRM to continue its support to the APRM in the accomplishment of its mission in promoting with governance in Africa. The APRm service has self‑monitoring tool aimed at fostering political stability, sustainable development, and economic growth across the African continent.
Today as we witness, we must come together to navigate the intersection between technology and governance. Africa's digital transformation, which presents both opportunities and challenges should be reassured among the top priorities of African agenda in 2063. As it connects all sectors, it will make it possible to achieve the objectives of the agenda in 2063. Where technology holds the potential for inclusive development, it also amplified the inequalities. It is our collective responsibility to bridge the digital divide and harness for the benefit of all, especially the marginalised communities.
Ladies and gentlemen and participaants, the African Union demonstrated leadership and commitment to Africa's digital future by adopting the African Digital Compact and the Continental, Artificial Intelligence Strategy in July of 2024. These are not just policies, but economic growth, social well‑being, and long‑term development across the continent. Debating the governance and technology for the African future is a great way to explore how the transformation can address the unique challenges and pave the way for progress towards the agenda 2063. This will help to leverage the technology for the advancement of our continent.
By fostering shared incentive among the policymakers, Civil Society, academia, and other stakeholders, we aim to mitigate opportunities and risk posed by innovation and in term with Africa's development skill. Together, we should develop the technology for inclusive and transparent use of emerging technologies. Let's work towards the establishing the rebirth of the digital system for enhancing and the regional corporation and actually writing progress towards our development goals. Together, we can shape the future where technology empowers us to build a more inclusive and sustainable Africa.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you and let's make today's workshop an opportunity for us to gather inside and share the best practices and identify technologies and to embark on the journey of collaboration now returning for innovation for the betterment of our country. Thank you for your time and attention.
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: It is a platform to share best practices and information on how to advance the technology in Africa. Not only technology, but governance as, of course, the ultimate goal through the advancement of technology. I'm not sure if His Excellency, the minister is with us. Can we check online to see if he's available now? His Excellency, the Minister of Public and Political affairs of Sierra Leone.
All right. The time has come for us, ladies and gentlemen, to listen to the opening remarks of her Excellency, Ambassador Marie Antoinette Rose Quatre. Have the floor please.
>> MARIE ANTIONETTE ROSE QUARTE: Excellencies and distinguished guest, it is the defining moment for the continent. A moment when wings of culture and innovation are sweeping across the continent, offering opportunities to imagine the governance and secure the future that's going to be accountable and prosperous.
Today, we stand at the intersection of technology as the choices that we echo across generations. Let me begin with a reflection. Governance at its core is about people and their hopes, their aspirations, and their dreams for a better tomorrow. Technology, meanwhile, is not just a tool. It is a breach that protects the dreams and illuminates truths.
As with our powerful tools, it can divide and exclude. But let's also be clear, technology is not cure all. Its power is only as good as the principles that divide the use. Without ethics, it can divide us. It can deepen inequality without accountability. It can undermine trust. That's why we have to ensure that Africa leads this digital era with integrity and purpose.
Our mission here today is: to ensure the technology serves as a force for unity and not division and stagnation. This workshop is not just another event. It is much more than governance or technology alone. It is about people. It is a call. A call for leaders, thinkers, and doers from across Africa to chart a course forward. One that ensures technology strengthens governance rather than undermines it and empowers the citizens rather than marginalising them. It is about the young entrepreneur in the legal solutions to connect. The student in Nairobi whose shameful transparency through digital activism, and the policy leaders across the member states working to build systems that reflect the aspirations of their people.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, over the coming hours, we'll explore the nexus which in governance and technology guided by critical questions. How can technology strengthen democratic processes across the continent? How do we confront cyber threats and misinformation that you all trust in governance and how do we ensure that Africa's digital transformation leaves no one behind, where rural or urban, young or old, rich or poor, men or women. It has long championed the principles of accountability, inclusivity, and innovation.
Through our eGovernance initiatives and in partnership with a United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, UN also, we are strengthening the eGovernance in Africa and transformative technologies as directed by the United Nations General Assembly.
Furthermore, our collaboration with the United Nations department and economy of social affairs has been instrumental with the member states. As we begin, I'll ask you to approach the discussions with the local mind and collaborative spirit. The future of governance will not be defined. It was shaped by all of us together. I'm confident that the room holds the visionaries who will shape it. Let us make this moment where bold ideas meet transformative action, where the vision for a digitally empowered Africa becomes a reality. It is my great privilege to open the workshop for the future of governance in Africa. Thank you.
I look forward to the extraordinary outcomes that we will achieve together. Thank you.
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: Your excellency, thank you for your remarks. In Africa, no one should be left behind. No women, no men, no children, no adults, no people in the urban or the rural areas of Africa. This brings us to the end of the opening ceremony.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, and now I would like to democratically hand over the microphone to Professor Desmond. The session, session number one. Thank you.
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Thank you very much, ambassador. Your excellencies and ladies and gentlemen, I'm playing the role of a foreigner. I will be introducing the next best and the person who will moderate the next session. She's none other than Susan Mwape. Who is the founder of Common Cause Zambia. I'll be coming after her.
>> SUSAN MWAPE: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you are able to hear me. Thank you very much. Thank you, Desmond for the introduction. I will, at this point, be inviting somebody who has already been introduced and we'll have just a brief fireside chat with Ambassador Salah.
The head of the African Governance.
Ambassador, you are very much welcome. Follow your work. You've been doing such great work at the secretariat. There's a great history.
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: Thank you very much. This is what we believe in Africa. Africa can be a naturally developed and built without the active participation of women. How digital transformation is reshaping governance in Africa?
I think before we think about the future, we make a make a difference to the past and to the present. Africa, as we know, has been going through a lot of challenges. Even before independence, slavery, colonialism, and now civil roles in many African counties that were tied in the southern African region. You name it. So many challenges. Therefore the advancement of good governance is one of the ultimate objectives that we need to reach before we proceed with the implementation of agenda 2063, the blueprint for Africa for building the Africa that and the Africa that we deserve. Where are we now from that objective? I would say it is a work in progress. We need to really do more.
Why? Because despite the fact that Africa has advanced a bit in the issues related to elections and in particular the developed processes, we see some setbacks in some of the African countries. It is not because the technology is not working. But because the other infrastructure is not available. The technology itself will not work to advance the governance. We need the people to know the rights and duties and to understand the political processes and the governance advancement is all about.
Without orientation, without really raising awareness, I think technology by itself will not really work. In some African countries also, we need to really face the reality that the infrastructure that we will base for the advancement of technology is also lagging. We need to look in to the infrastructure that is needed to make sure that the advancement of technology is helping.
Also to focus on the question, it is shaping governance and advancing election in Africa. I think we need to also look in to how many Africans do have access to Internet. How many Africans have access to the smartphone that could be used to the Internet? How many women versus men? How many young men and women versus old? All of the questions need to be addressed.
In addition to that, the issue of structure, including I would say the power in some African countries. All of this technology needs to be powered. Are we utilising the solar systems to empower our infrastructure, so we can have a valid infrastructure and platform for empowering and advantages technology. All of these questions need to be addressed. I think most of all again we need to really make sure that all Africans are quite informed and aware of this and their duties as rights as part of the advancement of good governance, rule of technology and ‑‑ rule of law based on technology in Africa. Thank you.
>> SUAN MWAPE: Thank you for that, ambassador. You raised a lot of issues.
When you talk about Africa, the digital divide is one of the biggest challenges. Issues of infrastructure. We are seeing a lot of rapid progress in terms of half kinds of development is happening across the continent based on international standards and best practice that is are recommended. I think one thing that would come to mind would be the DPI initiatives. And we are still trying to figure out how that will speak to our rural communities, for example. Those that are already in the divide.
But then maybe in your view, what would you say is the role of the different digital tools that we have in improving governance?
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: The different tools that we currently have? They do have impact on our processes and also on our efforts to promote good governance. And eGovernance in particular in Africa. But, of course, I think these also we need to speak about the need for political support. From our governance to allow this processes to exist.
Secondly, changes is always looked at as something by the distinguishing nature. They don't except changes easily. All of the technology infrastructure that we are talking about and mechanisms and tools are to some extent quite new. If not new. Therefore we need to also accompany the process with, I would say, a stronger orientation processes to make sure that these people, our African people, are looking into the positive side of implementation of all of these tools and processes that we have. I'm saying this because in many cases our during elections in some African countries, the initial response from government will be to block Internet.
Why? Because in their view, the Internet will be a tool for spreading fake news and bad news. How can we prevent all of this without blocking the Internet? How can we allow the African people to enjoy the Internet while voting? How can it be used to ease the access to information and also information that will allow them to vote in a way that will make them benefit from the process of African citizens?
Again political support is quite important. But also generally orientation is needed to allow the African citizens to know what is going on in that atmosphere.
>> SUSAN MWAPE: Okay. I will ask you my last question. That's all we have time for. We have initiatives, such as the African early warning system.
At the same time, the continent has several other early warning mechanisms. How will you say technology can play a role in strengthening the mechanisms, such as the APRN that it is a tool that Africa is using and all of the other mechanisms?
>> SALAH SIDDIG HAMMAD: This is an excellent question. This is an opportune moment to congratulate APRN for a job well done.
Since its existence, it has been an excellent mechanism and spot of the African Union family to promote good governance. Think of one of the greatest tools that has been used in addition to the review and all of this, as a reviews and processes is the report. One of the African reports that speaks to the governance at national and governmental level. We have warning systems at the national level. They are quite active, in fact, in providing information to prevent conflicts from happening at national level.
Again, I'll take you to the first point that I have raised. Which is the infrastructure and the lack of power and infrastructure. In many cases, the grassroots levels that we're talking about, the early warning system doesn't exist. There's no infrastructure to allow it to exist. That's what we need to look in to. It is lacking the necessary to access the power. That way we'll make sure the information is shared and the information is timely utilised. Thank you very much.
>> SUSAN MWAPE: Thank you, ambassador. I will call Professor Desmond back to the floor. He will be moderating the next session. Since he's the messiah, we'll get up and hand the microphone over to him. Thank you.
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Thank you very much, Susan, for the timely introduction. I'll be standing on the protocol. I'll be standing on the protocol. Don't waste time and get straight into the business. The good thing about moderating the session that comes later is most of the ground work would have been done by speakers and, of course, in this case, the very fantastic speakers that came before me.
In this panel, we're going to dig deep into specifics. It is my pleasure to introduce the speakers today. Some of them are here. Some of them will be participating virtually.
All right. Sorry. It still appears that the panel that I'll be moderating still has to wait. We'll simply be having an expert insight. Yeah. An expert insight. It will be a presentation by Dr. Vasu Gounden on disputes. He will be speaking today advancing cyber diplomacy in Africa.
>> VASU GOUNDEN: Thank you very much, moderator. I hope you can hear me.
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Yes.
>> VASU GOUNDEN: Your Excellency, Ambassador Marie Antoinette. Let me say it is an honour to address you. I'm sorry I can't be in the beautiful Saudi Arabia. I'm sitting in with my Internet that is a little bit unstable. I may at some point have to switch off of the camera. I have a PowerPoint presentation. I think somebody is sharing.
Let me quickly go through the presentation in the interest of time, moderator. Let me switch off the camera. It is a very, very important topic for us today on the continent. Digital technologies must be one more tool for us to break the chains of colonialism and near colonialism and not allow us to be used.
In the interconnected world, African Nations must establish a unified approach to cyber diplomacy. One that balances, as you see there, the national interest with regional conspiracy. Let us examine the challenges.
If we can get to the next slide. How can African countries create a unified framework for cyber framework? It begins with organisation. Regional organisation, such as the African Union and its African Peer Review Mechanism are uniquely positioned to drive the process. The AU has cybersecurity and data protection. By adopting the agreements, African countries can harmonise the national cybersecurity policies and the collective framework. The regional cyber diplomacy council, supported by the AU. It is supported by the African Union to promote shared goals of security, development, governance, and digital inclusion.
What capacity building and initiatives are needed to announce African diplomacy? Cyber diplomacy requires a unique blend of negotiation, mediation, and technical expertise. Capacity‑building programmes should focus on training the states to build skills and global security measures.
If we can go to the next slide? Trust is the cornerstone. It is joined exercises and data sharing agreements. The establishment of the Regional Cyber Dispute Resolution Body can further provide mutual ground for resolving conflicts related sovereignty, data collection, and cybercrime. Adopting international norms like the experts and principles on responsible state behavior would reinforce Africa's commitment to the rule's based digital order.
How can cyber diplomacy promote peace building and prevent cyber conflict? Cyber incidents can escalate. Africa must productively use cyber diplomacy as a peace‑building tool. For example, early warning systems and cyber warning measures can prevent misunderstandings between nations. Africa can also learn from the experiences of regions like the European Union and Asia which will manage the disputes.
By sharing the best practices, we as African Nations can prevent cyber threats from becoming destabilizing forces. Fifthly, what role can public/private partnership and Civil Society play? The private technology and Civil Society are key stakeholders in the agenda. Public/private partnerships can drive innovation and announce infrastructure and provide expertise in addressing the complex cyber challenges. Private companies can also assist in developing the standards for cybersecurity and digital trust. Civil Society, meanwhile, brings inclusivity and accountability to cyber policymaking. By engaging the stakeholders, African nations can ensure that cyber diplomacy outcomes are credible, innovative, and resilient.
And in conclusion, moderator, let me say that the path towards a unified framework for African cyber diplomacy is challenging and achievable. Through regional cooperation under the leadership of the African Union, strategic, capacity-building initiatives, robust transparency mechanisms, and active stakeholder engagements. The APRN can shape the cybersecurity agenda that promotes security, peace, governance, and development.
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Thank you very much. We go straight to the next panel. It will be a panel discussion. I will introduce the panelist and then we get on to the discussion without wasting time. The first on my list will be you allow the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency of Nigeria, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi. We also have the name of the panel.
(Audio is cutting in and out)
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Is he here? Okay. When he comes back. We also have Ms. Jimena Sofia Viveros Alvarez. I hope I got the name correctly. She's the managing director of Equilibrium AI. I also understand she's a lawyer in New Mexico. We have a senior lecturer from the university joining us. Also we have from Malawi, the general. Is she going to participate eventually? You have the chain analysis. It is up. Okay. She changes us.
With that without wasting time, we'll go straight to the question. It is my pleasure to call on the first question will be actually for Nigeria. For some of us who observed the elections from afar, especially social media, the engagement was charged. A lot of fake names. Again a misuse. We have a lot of informed discussion by Nigeria. They are interested. They were going to leave that. Joining from that experience and from that outcome of the election, and what you are doing in Nigeria, you need to put in place to promote informed and ethical engagement of Nigerian citizens in the democratic process in the future elections.
>> NASIR AMINU: Okay. Thank you.
If you look at the social media. She's starting in early 2000. Without thinking of putting that around it. Like we had the John Pallo declare saying that Internet is ungoverned space. We have the big techs at the time saying that. Internet and social media is a free spirit. Nobody can govern it. But from 2016, plans started changing. After the Cambridge analytical issues, whereby the big text started calling for regulation. But the challenge is we don't know how to regulate Internet or social media. Because there's no legal books or history books that we can read to understand how to regulate these spaces. Because the generation. Counties today are grappling on the spaces. We are looking at it from different perspectives. Then in Nigeria, we had instant in 2021.
When Twitter was banned, because of these kind of challenges, people are looking at the platform. At that time, they moved in to fill the gap. We did that by creating the practice. Because social media is not something or technology that you can just say you regulated this or because it always changes.
Also, one thing with the techy guys. They always try to look at how to trace the law or to have the law to bypass it. So the best thing to do was to say that. That is illegal offline and online. How can we move our law from the physical wall to the virtual wall that we have created. We have the platform for the social media context and so on, so they can apply in the platform in Nigeria. Most of the developing countries, we don't have data sovereignty. We don't have oppression sovereignty. Because the big techs will decide how to incorporate their platform without consulting us. We don't have digital sovereignty. They don't listen to us in most cases. COP brought them to the table to navigate the challenges. We came up with the COP.
The practice to respect all Nigeria laws and they need to register. They need to understand the content that is harmful in Nigeria. We need to agree on takedown. We categorize contents into two. There are legal and legal, lawful, and unlawful content. Lawful content should be allowed on the platform. While unlawful, they should take it down immediately. But there are content that are lawful and harmful. Which need to be reviewed to understand the content before you take them down. So that COP also provided a platform for us to engage when there are issues that we escalate, we look together and review them. We also get them to engage fact checkers in Nigeria.
At the time we had the Twitter issue, there wasn't any satisfied fact checker in Nigeria. Mostly they use fact checkers from the western countries to look at the content in Nigeria. They don't even understand. Because there are local friends that you cannot understand if you are not in Nigeria. Even English was. They speak in Nigerian. You cannot understand if you are not in Nigeria. We need fact checkers that understand the local context and also that can be able to translate things before the tech decision.
So, that really helped us to moderate that space. This year they filed a report. Because of the COP, they need to be filing annual report to look at the number of content they take down, the number of content the putback after taking them. Sometimes there's also cyber bullying. If someone doesn't like your content, people can gang around to flag your content and the platform will take it down. You can finish it for the process to put it back.
Based on the report last year, they removed more than 60 million contents in Nigeria. Harmful content. Also they reinstated many figures. We published the report just a few weeks ago. It is available online. Also that gets them to start filing taxes in Nigeria. Because in the half year this year in between January to June, they paid more than 2.5 trillion in Nigeria. They don't used to pay most of that.
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Thank you very much.
As she was speaking, one important point that I got from you is: the fact that the lack of moderation of the engagement on the social media cannot play the authority. With the emergence of the AI technology, that can actually and that situation can be exacerbated. You know, it can pose retirees to national security and peace. It is amongst the business.
That leads me to my sort of question. I want to like you to address. I want to know what's the framework that you think that countries, especially in the global south and particularly Africa to adopt to address the risk that AI was to peace and security.
>> NOMALANGA MASHININI: First of all, thank you for having me here. Your excellencies and distinguished panelist. I'm Normalanga. I live in Zimbabwe. That was my link to the conference. I'm a member of the high advisory board. We have been looking at a whole different set of solutions and recommendations for AI governance at the global level.
Our conclusion was although obviously there's a need for regional context specific approach, there cannot be a real governance if we don't talk about global governance. Because the technology is completely transboundary and regional. We are witnessing the patch work and all of the things that are not in a coherent manner. That's what we are aiming for.
What struck us the most was so we did a survey. Out of all of the 193 countries of the United Nations, 118 are not a part of any of the international governance initiatives worldwide. We need more facility and more access to the conversation and more engagement as well. If we don't do so, there's going to be the widening of the digital gap and more inequalities and a bunch of problems that come with the exclusion and especially with the marginalised communities. The lack of data and et cetera. The way that we need to achieve this is by creating synergies, strategic synergies and strategic partnerships.
We discovered that the global south to global south kind of cooperation is more efficient and more welcome than global south. I mean global north to global south. Because simply within the global south, we understand the problematics. We understand each other. What we want to avoid is the techno has been addressed. The new techno colour. Whether it is for resources or the primary. The bridges are further where we need to be.
In terms of trying to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, even beyond, we need to have the strategic vision that goes further. It is ahead thinking. Where does this place in terms of governance? We need governance that's resilient. That is technoneutral, in order for it to be adaptive to the evolution of the technology itself. Which is extremely past faced. It needs to be generalistic. We cannot separate its dual use by nature. We cannot separate the domains. I call it the peace and security domain on purpose. There are implications that are, you know, intersecting both domains.
For example, border controls are sufficient by nature. We have actors that are relevant to the region which say the global north for the organised crime and mercenaries and so on. The dire reality is that in our regions, this type of groups might have even more capable. The government itself. The government themselves don't have the capacity of responding to the attacks by the groups with or without the technology. Exacerbated by their access to the technology. But it is by the cultivation of it. We don't have a governance regime. So this is critical to address.
What is the landscape in regards to the governance of specifically, say, all of the ‑‑ what regards to the military domain? So in the H lab, so the high‑level advisory report, there was even a discussion whether to include it or not. Fortunately, it did. Because of the reasons. It is too well used by nature. We cannot exclude it. We did have a lot of conversations into peace and security domains.
For those that haven't read the final report, it was submitted in represent. Right before the summit of the future.
Then it was a recommendations that were adopted into the global digital compact and compact for the future. That's a starting point. We have the future. We also have the group on laws on governmental experts that are within the UN's convention for conventional weapons which I think is ironic. Say weapons are the least of the conventional weapons. Anyway. The discussions have been deadlocked over the past ten years. We need to reimagine. The traditional methods are no longer working. The conversations and the discussions are deadlocked when you know, one of the P5 states decided it is done. The security council and even the structure of the GG has not proven to be successful. There's security that raised.
The greatest achievement so far is moving the conversation away from the GG on laws to the UN General Assembly. Because then we have witnessed very important resolutions which include explicitly the call for AI regulation in the military domain. The dire consequences that we've seen in Gaza and also in Ukraine, it is just an excellent of how it is proportionately affecting the global south. The technology and the weapons are not going to be deployed in the global north. We're going to be the recipients. We are the recipients. They are being field tested. There's no point. It comes back to the point of the missing data. For example, the models that are, you know, the weapons that are targeting civilians are working on the data that's been trained on.
And, for example, it just on who has been training the models and which data they have been trained on. Obviously, these are global north enterprises that are training this models and creating them and then being deployed into the field. Obviously, there are racial and gender and all types of biases that are imprinted. That's how they are targeting and attacking civilians.
>> DESMOND ORIAKHOGBA: Thank you. Very much. We have a lot to say. We'll come back to share some thoughts.
As you were speaking, I heard you talk about multistakeholder approach. That takes me back to, you know, the presentation where he talked about the role that Facebook played. Of course, all of these are enhanced by the AI destructive technology. I would now want to call on the Director of the Public Policy for Africa and Meta or Facebook. I want to tell us how Meta has the platform to support the democratic engagement, sorry, in Africa. It is during the elections and periods of political transition.
>> MERCY NDEGWA: Thank you so much. I hope you can hear me okay. Thank you for the having me session. I apologise I'm not able to join you in person in Riyadh. I'm glad that we have this tech‑enabled session where we can still participate even though we are not there in person. Please bear with me in case of any challenges with regards to the connection.
Draw us back to the context that's helpful for preparing for the session. That was basically looking at what is technology and digital governance pretty much. One thing that was alluded to strongly, even in the keynotes, that were presented before my notes here right now. It is the fact that technology has been a very huge enabler. It empowers the community and brings a lot of benefits onboard.
Even as I was thinking about this, I think in the earlier remarks that have been presented here, there's a lot of focus at say, on social media specifically within the digital governance space. I would love to draw attention to the broader ‑‑ let me say ‑‑ environment that is a digital space. Because we're talking about social media being one. We definitely are players in the space. There's e‑commerce. There's e-governance. And the e-governance services. There's payments themselves. All of which are a few of the areas that are in the ecosystem within which we're speaking about digital governance.
So again, to the points that were raised before, the question is not so much what a single player or players in the specific area could do. More so how can we all be involved in ensuring that digital governance is upheld and they need to improve on how we promote this. When we think about the governance of Meta, we are thinking primarily about three or four areas.
One, and this is to answer your question. Whether it be in our engagements around the elections or it be around mitigation of any integrity risks as we call them. Around privacy and security and around misinformation and disinformation and any cybersecurity that may emerge with the use of our platform. We have heard them in earlier session and even this mentioned will be the keynotes issued around the algorithm bias. There's understanding around that. There's the question of exclusion of people in the digital space. Still elements of digital divide being a key part of the digital governance areas that continue to undermine piece and could be areas of improve for all of us to work on to see how we can promote better digital governance and security across.
For us at Meta, like I was saying earlier, we think about this primarily three to four areas. One is: how can we ensure there's self‑monitoring by all of those who are coming on to the platforms. Today our platforms are supported by over 3.3 billion users who come on to the platforms actively every month across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp messenger. All of the users are interacting for different reasons. Some are coming to connect with one another. They are removed from each other. Others are connecting because they have similar hopes or interests. Others are coming to connect, because they want to promote either the business or let me say digital economy‑related workstreams. You are looking at creating the ecosystem and others like that. All of this is really fundamental in ensuring to advance the social impact and development and growth.
For us when we think about the self‑realisation, we want to ensure the users as they come on to the platforms are very clear about what rules we have with regards to how they conduct themselves on the platforms. We have very elaborate what we call committee standards or guidelines across the platforms that inform our different users with regards to what we allow and not allow on the platforms. That being the most effective way to start with. We recognise a lot of people may not necessarily look in to this committee guidelines and rules as would like. Even though we take a lot of effort and time in making sure that policies are regularly reviewed and updated, and that we get into a lot of consultation with experts, bodies, governments, associations, Civil Society Organising and others to draft them.
We then have to think about how can we as a responsible organisation then insure that we can use other limited strategies within our control to support and uphold the integrity and governance across our platforms. So this is where our second intervention comes in. We think about how can we do this, for example, using machine learning tools or artificial intelligence to be able to address some of the interpretive risk at scale. We have found this has been extremely effective.
When we think about being able to bring down fake accounts or accounts that are created by folks. We have activity online and we find a lot of content that could have been problematic and is addressed and brought down before that content is published to be seen by users. There are more sophisticated acts and actors that come with intentions. I think some of the challenges are part of what they are discussing here. The question at hand you've mentioned is part of the problem. And we are constantly then making sure that the third intervention is we are working in partnership with others who are in the area. We are a technology company. We have a lot of expertise in house. We want to ensure that we're working in tandem with others and in the different areas of articles to get support in making sure that we have the right oversight about how we create our policies and how we develop our products and how then we execute the programmes on the ground.
It brings me to the last part. The programmes themselves. Once we have identified, we have our policies in place. We have developed machine learning and AI tools that help us to address some of the skills.