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(Formal Photo for Speakers of the Opening Session)β―
Description:
The publication of the EU AI Act 2 years ago, has accelerated governments around the world to respond with their own approaches to AI governance. The response illustrates the range of choices to be made, with many governmentsβ strategies acknowledging the complexity of regulating a fast-moving general-purpose technology in their approach. For example, the U.S, & the UK have opted for a vertically orientated approach, working across their regulatory agencies to shape their response based on the context of AIβs use, and adapt existing sectoral regulation where required. While China & Canada have chosen a horizontally oriented regulatory framework in the recently adopted Artificial Intelligence and Data Act.β― The International Treaty on Artificial Intelligence, which the Council of Europe recently announced would be open for signature (starting this September), by the member states of the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom, is legally binding and is considered a major step towards ensuring the preservation of human rights values and the rule of law. Ethics consideration is a key concern with the algorithmic models on which Artificial Intelligence is based. Advocates for human rights have been calling for concepts of βfairnessβ and βequalityβ to be observed.β― In addition, regulation should adhere to measures of necessity, proportionality & transparency. The Pact for the Future adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2024 included the adoption of the Global Digital Compact. The Pact introduced several recommendations related to Artificial intelligence, including the formation of an independent international scientific panel on AI and an intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on AI governance. In this panel, experts will debate the different aspects of the two critical pillars, namely AI regulations/legislation & ethics. Discussions will cover global considerations with focus on experiences, challenges, and opportunities in the Arab region.β―
Mr. Mohamed Farahat,
Lawyer/Legal Consultant, UN High level advisory body on AI, Egyptβ―β―
H.E. Mrs. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni,
Minister of Digital Transition & Administration Reform, Morocco (Remote)β―β―
Mr. Gustavo Fonseca-Ribeiro,
Digital Policies and Digital Transformation Section, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO, Paris, France (Remote)β―β―
Mr. Aly Fahmy, Dean,
College of Artificial Intelligence, Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, League of Arab States (LAS), Egyptβ―β―
Ms. Reema Diab,
CEO, Galaxy for Technology, Jordanβ―β―
Ms. Fatna El Farsi,
General Engineer, Ministry of digital transformation and administrative Reform, Kingdom of Moroccoβ―
Mr. Belal Khaled Al-Hafnawi,
Commissioner and Full-Time Board Member, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), Jordanβ―β―
Mr. Hosein Badran,
Principal Advisor, Badran Digital Consulting, Canada
Description:
The Global Digital Compact, adopted by the UN General Assembly as part of the Outcome of the Summit for the Future in September 2024, included important reference to critical issue of Countering Internet Fragmentation. In the Section of Internet Governance, Objective 3 includes βFoster an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rightsβ.β―
Subsection c) states: βPromote international cooperation among all stakeholders to prevent, identify and address risks of fragmentation of the internet in a timely manner.ββ―β―
This workshop will explore the topic through the lens of technology standards development at international bodies such as the ITU-T. It will examine how certain proposals for the evolution of the Internet could lead to its fragmentation, both technologically and in terms of governance.β―
β―Mr. Hosein Badran,
Principal Advisor, Badran Digital Consulting, Canada
Description:
The session aims to engage Arab parliamentarians in discussions on Internet governance and digital cooperation, emphasizing their legislative role in shaping policies on data governance, cybersecurity, misinformation, and AI. As part of the Arab IGF, this special session will introduce MPs to key global and regional frameworks, including the IGF, the Arab Digital Agenda, the Global Digital Compact, and WSIS+20. It will also present outcomes from the Riyadh IGF 2024 Parliamentary Track and prepare MPs for IGF 2025. By addressing pressing digital policy issues and fostering exchanges of best practices, the session seeks to enhance regional collaboration, legislative alignment, and policymaking efforts, particularly in AI governance, to advance an inclusive and effective digital governance framework for the Arab
Ms. Anja Gengo,
Internet Governance Forum Secretariat, Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)β―
Ms. Celine Bal,
Associate Programme Officer, Internet Governance Forum Secretariat, Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)β―β―
Ms. Christine Arida,
Board Member and Strategic Advisor to the Executive President, National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Egypt.β―
H.E. Mr. Abdelhak Brahimi,
Member of the Senate, The Council of the Nation, Algeriaβ―
H.E. Ms. Maha Abdel Nasser,
Member of Parliament, Egyptβ―
H.E. Mr. Tawfiq Krishan,
Chairman of Parliamentary Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Committee, Jordan
H.E. Mr. Elias Hankach,
Member of the Lebanese Parliament, Rapporteur of the Information Technology Committee, Lebanon
Ms. Christine Arida,
National Telecom Regulatory Authority, Egyptβ―
Ms. Mirna El Hajj Barbar,
Programme Management Officer, UN-ESCWAβ―
Ms. Rita Wehbe,
Economic Affairs Assistant, UN-ESCWAβ―
Mr. Ahmed Farag,
National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Egyptβ―
Description:
This workshop aims to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence development, ethical considerations, and legislative policies. As AI rapidly transforms sectors across the Arab world, ensuring responsible innovation is critical to maintaining societal values and fostering trust. This workshop will discuss best practices for creating ethical frameworks and legislative guidelines that promote AI adoption while safeguarding Security, Human Rights, Privacy, and Cultural Norms. The main question is how to effectively balance technological progress with ethical governance in AI.β―
Mr. Ayman Mokhtar Ghoneim,
Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab Federation for Digital Economyβ―(AFDE)
Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny,
Chief of ICT Policies, Digital Cooperation, and Digital Development, UN-ESCWA.
Description:
This workshop will deepen participants' understanding of the Internetβs technical foundations and the role of the technical community in its operations and development. It will explore the Internet as a network of 70,000+ independently managed networks, globally connected through common protocols. The session will highlight how organizations like RIPE NCC and ICANN collaborate to maintain the Internetβs functionality. By demystifying its technical aspects, the workshop emphasizes the critical role these systems play in enabling communication and innovation worldwide.β―
Mr. Chafic Chaya,
Regional Manager, Public Policy and Government Affairs Middle East Region, RIPE NCCβ―
Mr. Fahd Batayneh,
Stakeholder Engagement Director - Middle East, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
Description:
This panel will delve into the complexities and nuances of Internet governance and digital sovereignty in the Arab region.β―β―
The panel discussion aims to explore motives and practices for Internet governance and the risk Internet fragmentation poses to the one interconnected and interoperable Internet thatβs a vital source for the social and economic development of humankind. The discussion will cover recent geopolitical tensions as well as commercial, technical, and policy trends that may lead to Internet fragmentation. Additionally, the panel will explore different views and potential strategies to balance Internet resilience and digital sovereignty to maintain a robust, equitable, and secure online space.β―
The panel aims to bring a more holistic and inclusive debate to the table as well as providing a global and regional perspective from Global Digital Compact (GDC) to Arab Digital Agenda (ADA) on these issues and its implications for the Arab region and shed the light on the roles of the different stakeholders in this regard
Mr. Imad Kreidieh,
Chairman and Director General, Ogero, Lebanonβ―
Mr. Amr Aljowaily,
Assistant Foreign Ministerβ―for Multilateral Affairs and International Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Egyptβ―
Mr. Fahed Batayneh,
Stakeholder Engagement Director, Middle East, ICANNβ―
Ms. Hanane Boujemi,
Chief Technology Strategist, Moroccoβ―β―
Ms. Zeina Bou Harb,
Head of International Cooperation, Ogero, Lebanonβ―
Mr. Chafic Chaya,
Regional Manager for Public Policy and Government Affairs in the Middle East, RIPE NCC
Ms. Christine Arida,
Strategic Advisor to the Executive President and Board Member at the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), Egypt.β―
Mr. Chafic Chaya,
Regional Manager for Public Policy and Government Affairs in the Middle East, RIPE NCCβ―
Description:
The importance of data is on the rise, an organizationβs wealth and value is measured today by the data it collects and owns on its users, clients, and individuals. In fact, data today became an economy vertical by itself. This data is used for engagement, growth, and monetization purposes.
While it is acceptable for organizations to benefit from the data they collect on individuals, it is far more important to protect and preserve the individualβs rights regarding the data collected about him or her. This is crucial since the collected data is not only related to the individualβs bio data but goes beyond that to include habits, behavior, and demographics. This is done today by almost all organizations interacted through cyberspace and the internet.
Therefore, individuals should be equipped with digital competencies and awareness and should have an equal right to know what data is collected about them, how it is used, manipulated, and analyzed. They have the right to view it, review it, dispute it, and provide their consent to it. To address this challenge, data privacy and data governance became the focal areas to ensure fair use and the balance between the rights of organizations and the rights of individuals on how their data is used.
In this regard, this session is dedicated to addressing and assessing the current situation and issues related to data privacy and governance. It will also shed the light on the Arab countries landscape related to data privacy and governance.
Mr. Charbel Chbeir,
Lawyer, President of the ISOC Lebanon chapter, Lebanon
Mr. Mohamed Jemni,
Director of ICT, Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO)
Ms. Suzanne El Akabaoui,
Advisor to the ICT Minister for Data Governance, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), Egypt
Mr. Markus Kummer,
Senior advisor to the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP), and DiploFoundation
Ms. Lori Schulman,
Senior Director for Internet Policy, International Trademark Association (INTA), USA
Ms. Nele Leosk,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador at Large for Digital Affairs, Department of Digital and Cyber Diplomacy Estonia (Remote)
Mr. Hafedh Yahmadi,
International ICT Expert, Tunisia
Mr. Qusai Al Shatti,
Internet Governance Expert, Chairman of Automated Systems Company (ASC), Kuwait
Description:
This workshop will provide comprehensive guidelines on how Lebanon successfully created its national IGF initiative following IGF principles for initiating NRIs and share knowledge and best practices on engaging Multi stakeholders and overcoming challenges to shape the Digital future.
Ms. Anja Gengo,
programme management officer and focal point for the national, regional and youth Internet Governance Forum (IGF) initiatives, United Nations Secretariat for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Geneva
Mr. Chafic Chaya,
Regional Manager, Public Policy and Government Affairs Middle East Region, RIPE NCC
Mr. Charbel Chbeir,
Lawyer, President of the ISOC Lebanon chapter, Lebanon y
Ms. Zeina Bou Harb,
Head of International Cooperation, Ogero, Lebanon
Description:
The workshop explores the challenges and opportunities facing the Arab world in the digital age. The workshop will discuss the ethics and legislation related to artificial intelligence, the importance of data protection and management, and how regional cooperation can enhance Arab digital sovereignty in an interconnected world.
Mr. Belal Khaled Al-Hafnawi,
Commissioner and Full-Time Board Member, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), Jordan
Description:
The New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round is an ICANN initiative to enable the expansion of the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS) through the introduction of new top-level domains. This workshop will present this expansion and how to benefit from it.
Mr. Fahd Batayneh,
Stakeholder Engagement Director - Middle East, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)β―
Description:
This workshop will focus on analyzing global trends in artificial intelligence and exploring how the Arab region can leverage these advancements amidst evolving global dynamics. It will highlight emerging opportunities in key sectors such as education, health, energy, and transportation, while addressing the challenges hindering AI adoption, including gaps in technical infrastructure and workforce readiness. Strengthening Arab cooperation through strategic partnerships, knowledge exchange, and joint policy development will be emphasized to accelerate regional AI progress. Additionally, the workshop will focus towards formulating a forward-looking vision for AI in the Arab world, proposing practical solutions to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities. Encouraging innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting the growth of AI-driven start-ups and technology incubators will also be key priorities. To ensure long-term progress, sustainable strategies for AI infrastructure development and investment in scientific research will be outlined, reinforcing the regionβs global competitiveness. Finally, recommendations will be provided to policymakers on establishing regulatory frameworks that facilitate the safe, effective, and sustainable integration of AI across various sectors.
Mr. Aly Fahmy,
Dean, College of Artificial Intelligence, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)
Mr. Mohamed Ben Omar,
Director General of the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization (AICTO)
Mr. Khaled Wali,
Director of the Department of Communications and Information Technology Development, League of Arab States (LAS)
Mr. Firas Bakour,
Chairman of the Arab Internet and Communications Union
Mr. Mostafa Rashid,
Assistant to President, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)
Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny,
Chief of ICT Policies and Digital Cooperation and Digital Development, UN-ESCWA
Description: