Session
African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance
Hon. Neema Lugangira Chair - African Parliamentary Network On Internet Governance / Member of Parliament Tanzania Africa Group, Goverment Stakeholder Gabriel Karsan Coordinator - African Parliamentary Network On Internet Governance Africa Group, Civil Society Stakeholder Dr. Monojit Das Researcher - PHD Internet Governance Asia Group - Academia Stakeholder Hon. Susan Dossi Member of Parliament - Malawi Africa Group - Government Stakeholder
Hon. Deputy Minister Modestus Amutse Parliament of Namibia Africa Group, Government Stakeholder Hon. Sarah Ochieng Uganda National Parliament Africa Group, Government stakeholder Ernest Mafuta ITU Standards Expert Working Group Africa Group, Technical Stakeholder Hon. Catherine Mumma Senate of Kenya Africa Group, Government Stakeholder
Hon. Neema Lugangira
Dr. Monojit Das
Abedi Bushira
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions Our focus on better governance directly resonates with SDG 16. By engaging parliamentarians and policy experts, we aim to strengthen institutions and enhance transparency in digital legislation. Effective governance ensures equitable access to technology and protects citizens' rights. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Digital Africa requires robust infrastructure and innovative solutions. Our session delves into the intersection of code and constitution, which underpins digital services. By bridging legislative gaps, we contribute to building resilient and sustainable infrastructure. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities Inclusiveness lies at the heart of our session. We recognize the disparities in digital access across Africa. By involving parliamentarians from diverse backgrounds, we promote inclusive policies that empower marginalized communities. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals Our multistakeholder approach embodies SDG 17. Collaboration between parliamentarians, technologists, and civil society fosters collective action. Together, we can address challenges, share best practices, and drive positive change.
Roundtable
Our session will be an open dialogue, where African parliamentarians share their experiences, insights, and best practices. We encourage diverse narratives and equal participation from all attendees. Let’s collectively envision a digital Africa where code and constitution harmonize for the benefit of all.
The rapid evolution of technology has ushered in a new era of global connectivity. With over 5 billion people online, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has transformed societies, economies, and governance. In this digital landscape, the intersection of code and constitution plays a pivotal role in shaping inclusive policies. Our networking session aims to foster dialogue among African Parliamentarians, multistakeholder participants, and policy experts. Together, we'll explore the critical role of parliamentarians in developing a robust digital framework for Africa. Our focus will be on bridging the gap between legislative code and constitutional principles. Dissecting our theme under the context of the below 3 pillars : 1. Code as Legislation: Foundation of Digital Services: Code design is no longer confined to technical realms; it has become the bedrock of digital services. Legislation informed by code shapes how citizens interact with technology, data, and each other. Data-Driven Acts:Notable examples include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. We'll delve into how data-driven legislation impacts privacy, security, and innovation. 2. Collaboration and Multistakeholder Engagement: Parliamentarians' Role:Our session recognizes the agency of parliamentarians. They are not merely recipients of technology policies; they actively shape them. We'll discuss how collaboration across sectors can lead to effective digital legislation. Policy Makers and Technologists:By fostering collaboration between parliamentarians and policy experts, we can bridge the gap between legal frameworks and technological advancements. 3. Africa's Unique Challenges and Opportunities: Geopolitical Fabrication: Africa's diverse nations face unique challenges in shaping interconnectivity. We'll explore how geopolitical factors influence digital policies. Inclusive Policies: Africa's growth trajectory demands policies that empower all citizens. Our session will highlight successful approaches and identify gaps in digital legislation.
Our session shall involve an interactive slide deck to boost engagement on site and online, inclusive of summarized facts and figures, case study and an implemented knowledge gap test with online Q&A features, A present Jam board of linking online ideas and an open doc of compiling ideas as we network and share resources with Parliamentarians
Report
Introduction
As Africa continues to embrace digital transformation, the role of parliamentarians in shaping the digital landscape is more important than ever. The intersection of technology, code, and constitution is central to ensuring that digital policies are inclusive, secure, and aligned with constitutional principles. This report highlights the discussions and key takeaways from our networking session, where African parliamentarians, policy experts, and technologists came together to explore how code can inform legislation and the constitutional framework that governs Africa’s digital future.
Session Overview
our was designed as an open dialogue, inviting African parliamentarians and multistakeholder participants to share experiences, insights, and best practices on shaping digital policies. With a focus on three core pillars—Code as Legislation, Collaboration and Multistakeholder Engagement, and Africa’s Unique Challenges and Opportunities—the session aimed to bridge the gap between technical developments and legislative frameworks. Our discussions were designed to empower parliamentarians as active participants in digital policy creation, emphasizing their critical role in balancing legal, technological, and societal concerns.
Key Pillars of Discussion
1. Code as Legislation: Foundation of Digital Services
Technology is no longer just a tool but the foundation of modern governance and societal operations. Code, which was once confined to the technical realm, now serves as the basis for how services are delivered and how citizens interact with digital platforms. The rapid evolution of technology has necessitated a closer alignment between the digital services enabled by code and the legislative frameworks that govern them.
A key focus was on data-driven acts like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is a landmark example of how legislation can directly influence the design of technological systems. The discussion centered on the importance of creating digital policies that govern data privacy, security, and innovation, while ensuring that they align with African constitutional principles of freedom, fairness, and access to information.
Parliamentarians were encouraged to take an active role in developing laws that ensure their nations’ digital services are built on secure, ethical, and inclusive frameworks that respect the rights of citizens. By being involved in shaping these laws, parliamentarians can ensure that the digital economy serves the public interest, empowering citizens and fostering innovation.
2. Collaboration and Multistakeholder Engagement: Parliamentarians’ Role
One of the central themes of the session was the agency of parliamentarians as active contributors to technology policy. Rather than being passive recipients of technology-driven policies, parliamentarians play an essential role in shaping those policies to reflect national values, the public interest, and constitutional principles.
The dialogue emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration between parliamentarians, policy experts, and technologists. By working together, these stakeholders can bridge the gap between legal frameworks and technological advancements, ensuring that emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, are regulated in ways that are both ethical and effective.
The session also underscored the need for parliamentarians to engage in multistakeholder dialogues that include input from civil society, private sector leaders, and technology developers. Such collaborations will foster innovation, ensuring that new technologies are used responsibly, and contribute to inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance.
3. Africa’s Unique Challenges and Opportunities
The session also focused on the unique challenges that African nations face in creating digital policies that reflect the continent’s diversity and socio-economic realities. Africa’s geopolitical fabric presents distinct challenges when it comes to interconnectivity and policy harmonization across borders. Disparities in technological infrastructure, legal systems, and governance models across African nations can complicate the creation of cohesive, continent-wide policies.
However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovative solutions. Africa’s young, tech-savvy population offers the potential to drive a digital revolution that can leapfrog traditional barriers. The session explored successful policy models and best practices, such as national digital ID systems and localized e-government platforms, that have worked in certain African countries and could be adapted or scaled across the continent.
Equally important is the need for inclusive policies that empower all citizens, particularly marginalized groups such as women, rural populations, and the elderly. By designing digital policies that foster inclusivity, African nations can accelerate their growth trajectory, ensuring that all citizens have the opportunity to benefit from the digital age.
Interactive and Collaborative Features
The session utilized an interactive slide deck and digital tools to enhance engagement both on-site and online. Attendees were encouraged to participate in the knowledge gap test, an online Q&A feature that allowed participants to share their insights and ask questions in real-time. Additionally, a Jamboard was used to gather ideas, insights, and proposals for the digital policy landscape, creating an open document for networking and idea-sharing. This collaborative approach helped participants exchange knowledge, identify gaps in current policies, and work together to envision a digital Africa where the principles of code and constitution harmonize.
Conclusion
The “Code and Constitution” session successfully brought together parliamentarians, policymakers, and technologists to explore the intersection of digital services, legislation, and constitutional governance. The discussions highlighted the importance of inclusive, data-driven policies and cross-sector collaboration in shaping Africa’s digital future. As the continent continues to navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is essential that parliamentarians take a leading role in ensuring that technology serves all citizens equitably, ethically, and securely.
Moving forward, this session has laid the groundwork for ongoing dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders, with the shared goal of developing digital policies that respect Africa’s diverse cultural, social, and economic realities while fostering innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth.