| APrIGF 2024 Session Proposal Submission Form | |||||||||||||||
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| Part 1 - Lead Organizer | |||||||||||||||
| Contact Person | |||||||||||||||
| Mr. Omar Ansari | |||||||||||||||
| Organization / Affiliation (Please state "Individual" if appropriate) * | |||||||||||||||
| APNIC Foundation | |||||||||||||||
| Designation | |||||||||||||||
| Digital Leap South Asia Project Lead | |||||||||||||||
| Gender | |||||||||||||||
| Male | |||||||||||||||
| Economy of Residence | |||||||||||||||
| Australia | |||||||||||||||
| Primary Stakeholder Group | |||||||||||||||
| Technical Community | |||||||||||||||
| List Your Organizing Partners (if any) | |||||||||||||||
| Raj Singh, CEO, APNIC Foundation, raj.singh@apnic.net |
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| Part 2 - Session Proposal | |||||||||||||||
| Session Title | |||||||||||||||
| Digital Leap- Enhancing Connectivity in South Asia | |||||||||||||||
| Session Format | |||||||||||||||
| Panel Discussion (60 minutes) | |||||||||||||||
| Where do you plan to organize your session? | |||||||||||||||
| Onsite at the venue (with online moderator for questions and comments from remote participants) | |||||||||||||||
| Specific Issues for Discussion | |||||||||||||||
| South Asia is home to a staggering 57% of the world’s offline population, accounting for over 1.49 billion individuals, as reported by the ITU's 2022 World Telecom/ICT Indicators Database. In five South Asian economies—Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India—over 50% of the population remains offline. Bridging this digital gap is imperative not only for ensuring equitable access to information and opportunities, but also for fostering social inclusion and economic development. Specific Issues for Discussion: Organised by APNIC Foundation’s Digital Leap South Asia Project, the session will explore multifaceted challenges hindering Internet connectivity in South Asia and explore actionable strategies to address them. Key topics for discussion include: - Current State of Connectivity: Understanding existing Internet access disparities in South Asia, including limitations in infrastructure, gaps in digital literacy, and issues related to affordability. - Policy Frameworks and Regulatory Measures: Assessing the effectiveness of current policies in promoting connectivity and digital inclusion, and discussing the need for adaptive frameworks to foster innovation while safeguarding consumer rights and privacy. - Innovative Technologies: Highlighting technologies like fiber, wireless, satellite, and community networks, and discussing their potential to extend Internet access to underserved communities. - Partnerships for Accelerating Connectivity: Exploring the role of public-private partnerships and regional cooperation initiatives in accelerating connectivity efforts, and identifying opportunities for stakeholder engagement and resource mobilisation. - Role of Regional Internet Registry and Foundations: Introducing the contributions of organisations, such as RIRs, in capacity-building, policy reform, and infrastructure development in South Asia. |
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| Describe the Relevance of Your Session to APrIGF | |||||||||||||||
| The season is directly relevant to APrIGF theme of “Evolving Ecosystems, Enduring Principles: Shaping Responsible Internet Governance” and its thematic track of Resilience. South Asia, hosting the world’s largest offline population, faces significant challenges in Internet connectivity, hindering social inclusion and economic development. This session aims to address these challenges by discussing the current state of connectivity, digital infrastructure, policy and skills in the region. It seeks to identify actionable strategies, policy recommendations, and foster collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate connectivity efforts. Furthermore, the session will explore innovative technologies and successful initiatives from within the region and globally aiming to promote Internet access, digital inclusion and socio-economic development in South Asia. Through discussions on policy frameworks, regulatory measures, and partnerships, the session will contribute to shaping responsible Internet governance principles. Lastly, it will provide networking opportunities for stakeholders to forge partnerships, share resources, and collaborate on future initiatives, aligning with the overarching theme and expected outcomes of the APrIGF. |
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| Methodology / Agenda (Please add rows by clicking "+" on the right) | |||||||||||||||
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| Moderators & Speakers Info (Please complete where possible) | |||||||||||||||
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| Please explain the rationale for choosing each of the above contributors to the session. | |||||||||||||||
| The selection of contributors for this session was based on their expertise, experience, and relevance to the topic of enhancing connectivity in South Asia. Each contributor brings unique perspectives and insights that contribute to the richness and depth of the discussion. Moderator: Omar Ansari was chosen as the facilitator for this session due to his extensive experience in Internet governance, connectivity issues, and facilitating discussions on complex topics. He recently served as the head of Afghanistan’s telecom regulator and is leading the APNIC Foundation's Digital Leap South Asia Project. His background in business, policy, and regulatory equips him with the necessary skills to guide the conversation, ensure inclusivity, and facilitate meaningful dialogue among participants. Facilitator, Lima Madomi, worked with the IGF secretariat as a fellow, is a student of technology focusing on AI and brings years of experience in project and event management. Panel Speakers: 1. Raj Singh (Australia) brings a wealth of experience as a technology industry thought leader with extensive involvement in the Asia-Pacific region. His background in business management, strategy development, and leadership roles in different sectors provides a deep understanding of the region's complexities and challenges. His advocacy for an open, secure, and accessible internet aligns perfectly with the session's objectives. 2. Mohamed Shareef (Maldives) has expertise in policy frameworks, regulatory measures, and successful infrastructure initiatives related to internet connectivity in South Asia. Mohamed's role as Director of Government & Int. Relations at OXIQA and previous ministerial experience make him a valuable speaker for the session. 3. Amrita Choudhury’s (India) extensive experience in digital programs, community engagement, and advocacy for digital inclusion in South Asia aligns well with the session's objectives. As Director of CCAOI and holding various leadership positions in internet governance organizations, her expertise adds significant value to the discussion. 4. Mahesh Uppal (India) with his over 25 years of expertise in telecom and internet policy, regulation, and strategy made invaluable contributions to Internet development. His work in leveraging telecom for development and his contributions to establishing the telecom regulator of India (TRAI) make him a renowned figure in India's Internet sector. 5. Waqas Hassan (Pakistan) has a background of working with government and civil society. He is an Internet Governance expert and active in various international forums such as ITU, APT, GSMA, APrIGF, ICANN etc. Currently, he is responsible for international coordination, capacity building, partnerships and collaborative engagements at the telecom regulator. Each speaker brings a unique perspective and expertise to the session, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for enhancing connectivity. 6. Aimal Marjan (UK/Afghanistan) is former deputy minister IT of Afghanistan. He has over 20 years of experience coordinating globally-scaled projects and teams. Utilizes holistic analytics tools to assess client needs and develop customized support addressing current and preventive measures. Develops state-of-the-art ICT and Digital Infrastructure, Digital Public Services, and Information Systems, including drafting policies and procedures, regulatory compliance, and contract negotiation. |
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| Please declare if you have any potential conflict of interest with the Program Committee 2024. | |||||||||||||||
| No | |||||||||||||||
| Are you or other session contributors planning to apply for the APrIGF Fellowship Program 2024? | |||||||||||||||
| Yes | |||||||||||||||
| APrIGF offers live transcript in English for all sessions. Do you need any other translation support or any disability related requests for your session? APrIGF makes every effort to be a fully inclusive and accessible event, and will do the best to fulfill your needs. | |||||||||||||||
| Not sure yet | |||||||||||||||
| Brief Summary of Your Session | |||||||||||||||
| The session, titled "Digital Leap: Enhancing Connectivity in South Asia," was organized by APNIC Foundation with an aim to explore the multifaceted challenges affecting Internet connectivity in South Asia and identifying actionable strategies to address them. Looking at the ITU data, over half of the world’s population who remain offline are in South Asia, pointing to the importance of efforts in bridging the digital gap. The main policy questions raised by the session were: i. Why do most of the economies in South Asia have over 50% of their population offline, despite having direct access to submarine fiber? ii. What role can public-private partnerships and regional cooperation initiatives play to accelerate efforts to bridge the digital gap in the region? iii. How can digital development be linked with rural development to address challenges in rural connectivity and access and to maximize the impact of the development initiatives? The session brought together a diverse panel of experts to discuss and highlight the progress made and significant barriers that remain and new ways these challenges could be tackled. Key topics for discussion included current state of connectivity, policy frameworks and regulatory measures, innovative technologies, partnerships for accelerating connectivity, role of regional Internet registries and foundations. The panel speakers included: i. Raj Singh, CEO at APNIC Foundation ii. Mohamed Shareef (Maldives), Director of Government & Int. Relations at OXIQA iii. Amrita Choudhury’s (India); Director at Cyber Cafe Association Of India (CCAOI) iv. Mahesh Uppal (India) Director at ComFirst Pvt Limited v. Waqas Hassan (Pakistan) Regional Lead for Asia at Global Digital Inclusion Partnership vi. Aimal Marjan (Afghanistan), CEO at Baz Consulting and Digital Policy and Analysis Consultant (Fiji and The Solomons Islands), at ITU. The session was moderated by Omar Ansari, Digital Leap South Asia Project Lead at the APNIC Foundation and its online moderator was Lima Madomi, Researcher in Technologies and Securities for Smart Cities at the University of Geneva. |
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| Substantive Summary of the Key Issues Raised and the Discussion | |||||||||||||||
| ● Connectivity Challenges: To understand existing Internet access disparities in South Asia, the session began with a discussion on the ongoing challenges in the region's connectivity landscape. Panelists highlighted issues such as limited infrastructure, regulatory barriers, affordability of services and the digital divide between urban and rural areas. ● Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: The panel focused on assessing the effectiveness of current policies in promoting connectivity and digital inclusion and discussing the need for adaptive frameworks to foster innovation while safeguarding consumer rights and privacy. The discussion touched on the necessity for policy and regulatory reform to support better connectivity. Panelists stressed the need for governments to adopt more open and inclusive policies and to address the political and monetary agendas that often hinder progress. ● Innovative Technologies: This discussion aimed to highlight technologies and their potential to extend Internet access to underserved communities. The panel stressed the need to increase and enhance the use of submarine cables, satellite connectivity, and digital public infrastructure like fiber, wireless, satellite, and community networks. It also emphasized the importance of local technologies and the need for resilient infrastructure to cope with climate change. ● Partnerships for Meaningful Connectivity: This explored the role of public-private partnerships and regional cooperation initiatives in accelerating connectivity efforts and identifying opportunities for stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization. The panel discussed how connectivity should not only be about access but also about its transformative impact on individuals and communities. Issues such as affordability, digital literacy, and the alignment of connectivity efforts with broader development goals were highlighted. ● Regional Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing: This discussion focused on introducing the contributions of organizations, such as RIRs (Regional Internet Registries), in capacity-building, policy reform, and infrastructure development in South Asia. The panel emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and the sharing of best practices to overcome shared challenges and to leverage collective knowledge for enhancing connectivity. In addition, the panel explored issues related to resilience and climate change stressing the need for resilient and adaptive infrastructure solutions to prevent disruptions caused by environmental factors. The panel and participants shared insights related to Internet connectivity as a source of social inclusion and cohesion and the need for bridging the gender digital divide to pave the way for holistic socio-economic development. |
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| Conclusions and Suggestions of Way Forward | |||||||||||||||
| ● Infrastructure Investment and Expansion: Continued investment in digital infrastructure is critical for bridging connectivity gaps and supporting economic growth. There is a need to prioritize investment in digital infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved areas. This could include expanding fiber optic networks, deploying wireless and satellite technologies, and developing community networks to ensure widespread access. There is also a need to link the rural development agenda to digital development. There is also a need to consider the effective management of universal service funds to accelerate connectivity and digital development in rural settings, and includes the need to open up access to these funds to a wider range of organizations. It was also noted that there is a need for resilience planning or prioritizing development of resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change. ● Policy and Regulatory Reform: Promoting adaptive policy frameworks that encourage innovation while ensuring affordability and consumer protection. Governments and regulators to be open, and focus on reducing regulatory barriers, encouraging infrastructure sharing, reforming universal access fund utilization, incentivizing private sector investment, and promoting fair competition in the telecom sector. Improving spectrum management, including considering whether maximizing proceeds from spectrum auctions is conducive to reducing cost of access as operators need to gain a return on their investment. Outdated licensing regimes and levies may create sectional interest and become a barrier to market competition thus need to be renewed and reformed. Accessibility should also be a policy priority, noting that some 15% of the population has some form of disability. ● Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential for scaling up connectivity solutions and ensuring their sustainability. Strengthen public-private partnerships to pool resources and expertise for large-scale connectivity projects. These partnerships can accelerate infrastructure development, particularly in areas where market forces alone may not be sufficient. Localized activities in public-private partnership are needed, as well as infrastructure sharing. Subsidies should be tailored towards rural connectivity and entrepreneurship in rural areas should be encouraged to help drive demand. ● Capacity Building: Efforts to enhance digital literacy and skills to ensure that connectivity translates into meaningful benefits for individuals and communities. Launch comprehensive digital skills and literacy projects and programs to empower Internet network engineers, professionals, as well as citizens with the skills needed to effectively operate, use and benefit from the Internet. This includes integrating digital education into school curriculums and providing technical, policy, regulatory and management training, and professional certifications for adults as appropriate, especially in marginalized and underrepresented communities and economies. ● Regional Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing: Foster regional cooperation among South Asian countries to share best practices, pool resources, and collaborate on cross-border connectivity initiatives. This could include joint infrastructure, data transit and other digital development projects and harmonization of regulatory standards and best practices. ● Supporting Innovative Technologies and Affordable Access Solutions: Encourage the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as 5G, satellite Internet, and low-cost community networks to bridge the connectivity gap. Governments and private sector stakeholders should work together to pilot and scale these technologies in various parts of the region. Implement pricing strategies and subsidies to make Internet access more affordable, particularly for low-income populations. ● Open and Inclusive Internet Governance: Promote inclusive Internet governance by involving diverse stakeholders in decision-making processes. This includes engaging the private sector, technical communities, civil society, governments, academia and research organizations, local communities, and underrepresented groups in discussions on digital policies and initiatives. The multistakeholder model remains the most practical and effective method for dialogue and debate about the Internet. |
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| Number of Attendees (Please fill in numbers) | |||||||||||||||
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| Gender Balance in Moderators/Speakers (Please fill in numbers) | |||||||||||||||
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| How were gender perspectives, equality, inclusion or empowerment discussed? Please provide details and context. | |||||||||||||||
| The session underscored the need for inclusive digital policies that address gender disparities and ensure equitable access to technology. The discussion revealed that while progress has been made, more targeted efforts are needed to ensure that women and marginalized groups benefit equally from digital advancements. Asia-Pacific Perspective: The session highlighted the unique challenges faced by South Asia in the context of the broader Asia-Pacific region. While technological advancements and regulatory frameworks vary widely across the region, the common themes of infrastructure development, policy reform, and resilience were relevant. The insights shared during the session contributed to a better understanding of how South Asia can align with regional and global initiatives to enhance connectivity. |
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| Consent | |||||||||||||||
 I agree that my data can be submitted to forms.for.asia and processed by APrIGF organizers for the program selection of APrIGF 2024. |
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