Cook Islands participates in Asia Pacific Regional IGF 2016

The Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) is one of the key regional initiatives on Internet governance. By adopting the multi-stakeholder approach as its core principle, APrIGF serves as a platform for discussion, exchange and collaboration at a regional level in order to advance Internet Governance development in the Asia Pacific region.

The 2016 APrIGF was held at the NTUH International Convention Center in Taipei, Taiwan from July 27 to 29, 2016. The overarching theme of the conference was: A New Internet Era — Merging Physical Space with Cyberspace. The subthemes on which many of the sessions were coordinated included: The impact of the IANA Transition, Cybersecurity, Human Righs, Universality and Cyber Connectivity.

One of the objectives of the event was to aggregate regional IGF discussions into a synthesis document in which conference participants could contribute to a high level document which could be introduced at the global level about regional concerns. The daily synthesis document sessions were co-chaired by Maureen Hilyard of the Cook Islands, and Chat Garcia-Ramilo of the Philippines. Both are members of the APrIGF Drafting Committee of the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Group (MSG) which will prepare the document for final publication.

APrIGF 2017 will be held in Melbourne, Australia, and will be hosted by AUDA (.au Domain Administration). The date is still to be confirmed.

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Synthesis Document Session, APrIGF 2016[/caption]

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Gunela Astbrink (AUDA) and Ellen Strickland (InternetNZ) participating in the discussions about regional IGF issues.[/caption]

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Maureen Hilyard conducting the Synthesis Document session.[/caption]