The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the internet by developing open standards and protocols that underpin global connectivity. However, African participation in IETF activities remains significantly low, as highlighted by the fact that as of August 2024, only 22 RFCs (Request for Comments) have authors from Africa, representing just 0.24% of all RFCs. This underrepresentation limits the continent's influence on key technical decisions that impact its digital future and weakens Africa’s role in shaping global internet standards.
This session aims to explore the barriers to African engagement in the IETF and propose strategies to increase participation. It will address the following key points: The role of the IETF in internet governance and its impact on Africa’s digital transformation. The importance of African representation in IETF working groups such as DNSOP, v6ops, and Green. The correlation between IETF meeting locations and regional contributions to RFCs. The absence of an IETF meeting in Africa and the potential benefits of hosting one on the continent. Strategies to increase African contributions to IETF standards, including awareness campaigns, capacity-building programs, and funding opportunities for participation.
The broader impact of African participation in IETF on Enhancing Digital Cooperation and Universal Access to Meaningful Connectivity. A stronger African presence in IETF deliberations will not only enable the continent to have a say in shaping protocols that directly affect its internet ecosystem but also reinforce regional digital sovereignty. Enhancing digital cooperation between Africa and global internet governance institutions such as IETF, ICANN, ISOC, and the ITU is crucial for sustainable digital development. Moreover, as Africa continues to develop its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and improve access, ensuring that the continent is actively involved in the technical standardization process will help build an inclusive, secure, and resilient internet ecosystem.
As an African policymaker and a recent participant in the IETF Policy Maker Programme, I had the opportunity to attend IETF 122 in Bangkok (March 2025). During the Open Mic session, I questioned the IETF leadership about the lack of meetings in Africa. This session will build on that discussion and seek to mobilize African internet governance stakeholders to advocate for increased African involvement in the IETF, ensuring that Africa plays an integral role in the future of the global internet.
Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/internet-engineering-task-force-ietf-meeting-africa-i-karim-hqdue/ DNSOP WG: https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/dnsop/about/ GREEN WG: https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/green/about/ V6OPS WG: https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/v6ops/about/ Stats on RFCs per continent: https://www.arkko.com/tools/rfcstats/d-contdistr.html
