Ghanaian to address Global Commission on Internet Governance in UK

Ghana’s Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Founder and Principal Consultant of cyber security firm, e-Crime Bureau Limited, will address the first meeting for 2015 of the Global Commission on Internet Governance scheduled for February 13 and 14 at Wilton Park, West Sussex in the United Kingdom at the invitation of Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Chaired by former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, the Global Commission on Internet Governance seeks to inform concrete policy recommendations for the future of Internet governance and is made of leading figures in Internet evolution including Ghana’s Internet pioneer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Information Technology Agency (Ghana), Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor.

Mr. Antwi-Boasiako is expected to speak on the evolution of cyber needs in West Africa in a session titled ‘Enabling Access’ to be chaired by Carl Bildt on February 14 as contained in the invitation letter signed by Dr Patricia Lewis, Research Director of the International Security Department at Chatham House.

The Commission, supported by Chatham House and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), has already met three times in Sweden, South Korea and Canada and is scheduled to meet three more times in 2015. The meetings provide a forum for the Commissioners to discuss specific, identified issues related to Internet governance which will inform and contribute to a final report that will be published by Carl Bildt at the beginning of 2016. The Commission is focused on finding ways to preserve the freedom and openness of the internet while at the same time ensuring that cyber security protections are in place.

Commenting on the invitation, Mr. Antwi Boasiako said “This gives a clear indication of Ghana’s direct involvement in global discussions on cyber governance and Internet security issues and the country’s keen interest in ensuring that emerging developments are addressed locally. Ghana has made some successes in these areas but we need to act more proactively in dealing with the risks.”