The Caribbean is set to welcome hundreds of regional and global digital stakeholders this year, as the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and the Government of Grenada partner to host two landmark internet governance events: the 22nd Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF) and the 5th Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum (CYIGF). Designed to align regional digital progress with global development goals, the dual forums will bring together cross-sector participants to chart a clear path forward for the Caribbean’s evolving digital ecosystem.
Both gatherings will operate on a hybrid model, removing barriers to participation by welcoming both in-person attendees in Grenada and remote delegates from across the world. Set around the central theme “Connectivity to Capability: Shaping a Resilient, Trusted, and Innovative Digital Caribbean”, the forums aim to move beyond basic infrastructure access to build the skills, frameworks, and collaboration needed for long-term digital success.
The CIGF, a pioneering regional initiative founded in 2005 through a joint effort between the CTU and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat, holds the distinction of being the longest-running continuous internet governance forum in the world. For more than 18 years, it has served as a unique open platform that rejects hierarchical structures, bringing together representatives from national governments, private sector tech firms, technical standards bodies, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and global intergovernmental bodies to align on the Caribbean’s top internet governance priorities. Over its history, the forum has driven tangible progress across the region: it facilitated the creation of the Caribbean Internet Governance Policy Framework, spurred the expansion of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) across Caribbean nations, built foundational local and regional capacity in digital governance, and elevated the Caribbean’s voice and influence in global internet policy discussions.
Centering youth leadership as a core priority for sustainable digital development, the 5th CYIGF will once again run in parallel with the main CIGF event. Unlike traditional policy gatherings that treat youth engagement as an afterthought, the CYIGF is designed entirely by Caribbean young people for their regional peers, creating space for the next generation to contribute tangible ideas to regional and global digital policy debates while building their own leadership and technical skills in internet governance. Launched as a virtual inaugural event in 2022, the forum has grown rapidly to become a flagship regional program coordinated by the Caribbean ICT Youth Network (CIYN), and earned formal recognition this year as a National and Regional Internet Governance Forum Initiative (NRI) under the umbrella of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum.
This year’s forums convene at a critical juncture for digital progress globally and regionally. As the international community completes the UN’s 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) and advances implementation of the landmark Global Digital Compact, Caribbean stakeholders have a rare coordinated opportunity to outline a unified regional vision for inclusive digital development that addresses the unique needs of small island developing states.
Discussions across both forums will cover a broad range of pressing priority issues tailored to the Caribbean context. These include strengthening regional cybersecurity resilience and closing gaps in cybersecurity maturity across member states; unlocking the economic and social opportunities of artificial intelligence while putting in place guardrails for responsible, inclusive AI governance; building digital ecosystems that are inclusive, trusted, and environmentally sustainable; updating the existing Caribbean Internet Governance Policy Framework to address risks and opportunities posed by newly emerging digital technologies; deepening regional collaboration to ensure global digital commitments translate into actionable, impactful change at the local and regional level; and expanding pathways for Caribbean youth to take active leadership roles in shaping the region’s digital future.
Beyond policy discussions, the core objectives of the 2024 forums include building sustained national and regional capacity in internet governance, fostering long-term cross-sector collaboration between governments, regulators, academic institutions, civil society, the technical community, private enterprises, and international partners, and building consensus around regional policy frameworks that will accelerate inclusive digital transformation across the Caribbean.
Registration for both in-person and virtual participation is currently open to all interested stakeholders. Up-to-date information on the program overview, full agenda, registration links, and additional logistical details are available and will be updated regularly on the official CTU website. The CTU has called on stakeholders from across the Caribbean and the global internet governance community to take part in the discussions, emphasizing that broad participation is critical to developing a digital vision that serves all Caribbean people.
More information on the CTU and its ongoing digital development initiatives across the region can be found on the organization’s official website at www.ctu.int.