Africa's Internet Stakeholding and Place in the Global Governance Forum

On June 20, 2012, the America’s Cable News Network (CNN) posted a piece titled: “It’s Europe and America’s Internet. Africans just live in it.”1 The story captures a prevalent view about Africa’s niche in the creation, innovation and adoption contexts of the Internet. It also raises questions about the ability of the continent to contribute significantly to global discussions when compared to Europe and especially North America, where the United States is not only the pioneer of the Internet but also a superintendent of the critical resources that sustain the system. Analysis of Africa’s interests suggests a less consequential but growing profile. Recommendations for progress were composed from the juxtaposition of the results of analysis with the insight of experts from focus group discussions. One striking recommendation counsels that focus should be on being equally well off as a stakeholder rather than on equalized participation in the global debates which the United Nations is trying to promote