ICANN80 and High-Level Government Meeting to Convene in Kigali, Rwanda

ICANN Benin Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Chad Comoros Cote d'Ivoire Djibouti Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Equatorial Guinea Kenya Liberia Madagascar Mali Namibia Niger Nigeria Central African Republic Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Republic of the Senegal Sierra Leone South Africa Sudan Tanzania Tonga Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Algeria Angola Botswana Cape Verde Egypt Eritrea Guinea-Bissau Lesotho Libya Malawi Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Rwanda Sao Tome and Principe Seychelles South Sudan Swaziland Togo Tunisia Turkey

(HLGM) is scheduled for 9 June 2024. Chaired by the Hon. Paula Ingabire, Rwanda's Minister of ICT and Innovation, the HLGM will highlight the critical role of governmental bodies in shaping ICANN policies and initiatives. This meeting, led by ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee, will focus on promoting governmental engagement and fostering effective collaboration, to align and enhance global Internet governance efforts.

"We are excited to host the international community in Kigali for the ICANN80 Policy Forum and High-Level Government Meeting," said Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT & Innovation. "The Policy Forum will lead efforts to maintain a secure, stable, and interoperable internet, and set the stage for future developments and emerging trends in global internet governance. Our contributions as the local host for ICANN80 give us an opportunity to demonstrate our critical contributions towards global internet governance and the advancement of meaningful internet connectivity for all."

ICANN Interim President and CEO Sally Costerton commented on the significance of the meeting: "ICANN80 is a vital platform for advancing global digital inclusivity and strengthening cybersecurity measures. It will facilitate robust multistakeholder engagement and discussions on critical initiatives like the New Generic Top-Level Domain Program, particularly focusing on Internationalized Domain Names and the Applicant Support Program. The HLGM will further emphasize the essential role of governments in our collaborative efforts to address challenges such as data privacy and DNS abuse."

ICANN invites all interested parties to register for ICANN80. Both in-person and virtual participation are available to ensure accessibility for a global audience. Early registration is encouraged.

About ICANN

ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

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