Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Ethiopia 2022

The 2022 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be held online and in-person in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 28 November to 2 December. This year’s summit takes place in the shadow of a two-year internet blackout in Ethiopia’s Tigray region that Access Now and the global #KeepItOn coalition are campaigning to end.  

The communications shutdown has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis brought about by the civil war. In the wake of the recent truce agreement, lifting the blockade demands the urgent attention of all IGF organizers and participants, including representatives from the African Union.

Access Now is participating in IGF 2022 both in-person and online, as we work to amplify the voices of people whose lives and rights are directly impacted by the decisions taken at this and other international fora. We cannot have a truly resilient internet or shared, sustainable, common future if we systematically silence or ignore those most at risk of rights violations. Internet governance and corporate practices must be grounded in human rights principles and support the enjoyment of fundamental rights for all. These principles are all the more important during crises, whether in Ethiopia, Iran, Myanmar, Ukraine, or elsewhere.