Digital Policy Initiatives Calendar

28 Jun - Sep 2019

Multilateral Calendar

Access Partnership has extensive experience in helping clients navigate multilateral institutions to achieve their goals. Whether enabling innovative communications technologies or defending a globally interoperable Internet, our global network and experience gives us the skills, access, and connections to get results.

To get involved in the below initiatives, email [email protected] with the name of the initiative that you are interested in.

Initiative on Cross-Border Data Flows: G20 Osaka Summit 

28-29 June | Osaka, Japan

As part of the agenda of its G20 presidency, Japan is planning to push an initiative to drive harmonisation of regulatory practices for cross-border data flows across member states. Japan intends to use the summit as a launch pad for a broader discussion on data processing requirements to be held within the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Why it matters: According to early reports, Japan’s proposed framework would focus on protecting national security intelligence, intellectual property and other confidential data, while facilitating the free flow of useful information, including medical and industrial data.

Find out more.

ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-18): Bridging the Financial Inclusion gap

Ongoing Opportunity

Last autumn, PP-18 adopted Resolution WGPL/1 to study the use of information and communication technologies to bridge the financial inclusion gap.

Why it matters:

This is an opportunity for tech firms to engage in ITU-driven discussions where national telecom and financial regulators develop policy frameworks for digital for digital financial services based on international best practice. We are coordinating with the ITU about structuring the industry engagement around such initiative.

G7 International Panel on Artificial Intelligence: 2019 G7 France

24 – 26 August | Biarritz, France

Under the framework of the G7, France and Canada have initiated the process of creating an International Panel on Artificial Intelligence (IPAI), which will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform for international consensus-building on AI.

Why it matters: The panel will produce assessments and establish working groups to review, among other aspects, data collection and access, data control and privacy, trust in AI, acceptance and adoption of AI, future of work, governance, laws and justice, responsible AI and human rights. IPAI is modelled on the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which greatly contributed to the establishment of the current international policy framework for climate change. The proposed body will therefore have a similar long-term role in proposing guidelines for the development and deployment of AI.

Find out more.

SADC e-Commerce Initiatives

September 2019 | Tanzania

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is developing a series of initiatives to facilitate e-commerce growth in the region and spur harmonisation of member states’ regulatory frameworks. These include a multilateral action plan to enable deployment of e-commerce payment gateways, the establishment of a SADC e-commerce hub framework to facilitate coordination with private sector players, and a series of capacity building initiatives.

Why it matters: These activities will be discussed for approval and implementation at the SADC ICT Ministerial Meeting in September 2019 in Tanzania. We are coordinating with the SADC Secretariat about facilitating industry participation and input in the development of these initiatives.

Find out more.

World Bank Digital Development Partnership

Ongoing Opportunity

The World Bank launched a Digital Development Partnership (DDP) to implement recommendations from its 2016 World Development Report on Digital Dividends, a document which functions as the World Bank’s strategy for digital development. The DDP focuses on issue areas such as creating an enabling environment for digital economy, cybersecurity, Internet access for all, digital government, as well as mainstreaming digital services, solutions and platforms.

Why it matters: This initiative offers great opportunities to shape the World Bank’s approach on digital policy best practices.

Find out more.

To get involved, email [email protected] with the name of the initiative that you are interested in.

Find out more about our Multilateral practice here