Press Releases
Expanding Internet Access:
Global Internet Policy Initiative Highlighted
at Internet Governance Forum
(November 2, 2006) In presentations and workshops at the Internet Governance
Forum this week, the Global Internet
Policy Initiative (GIPI),
a joint project of Internews Network and the Center
for Democracy and Technology,
was highlighted as a proven model for working locally to reform
national laws and policies in order to foster expanded Internet
access in developing countries. The inaugural IGF, which drew
to a close today in Athens, Greece, attracted over 1,000 government
officials, business representatives, and non-governmental organizations
from around the world.
During his presentation on strategies for network deployment, GIPI
executive director George Sadowsky stressed that many of the barriers that
limit Internet development are national in level, such as restrictive telecommunications
markets, burdensome licensing requirements, and limits on use of wireless
technology. As a special advisor to the Chair of the IGF, Sadowsky had
a major role in planning the Forum.
GIPI has worked with Internet advocates in over twenty developing
and transitional countries to promote legal and regulatory reforms that
will support growth of an open, widely-available and affordable Internet.
GIPI policy director Jim Dempsey, who also serves as policy director
of CDT, participated in two workshops and one plenary session, all on the
question of legal frameworks at the national and international level to
expand access. In comments at the closing plenary, he urged each country
present to convene at the national level an ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogue
to identify specific barriers and specific solutions that can be implemented
through national strategies.
Commenting on the value of the Forum as a whole, Demspey said, "The Forum
effectively combined plenary sessions, which examined the themes of security,
access, diversity and openness in broad terms, with lots of different perspective,
while the workshops allowed in-depth, concrete exploration of issues and,
most importantly, solutions."
IGF Website
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
George Sadowsky, GIPI Executive Director
Jim Dempsey, GIPI Policy Director
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