CyFy AFRICA

The Conference on

Technology, Innovation & Society

#CyFyAfrica

07 June-09 June, 2019

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CyFy 2019, Africa

As Africa dives headfirst into the digital race, it is crucial to account for the continent’s voices in the global discourse. What will a truly vibrant and inclusive Industry 4.0 ecosystem look like? The inaugural CyFy Africa conference, held in 2018 in Tangiers, Morocco hosted over 100 speakers and hundreds of attendees from 40 countries, a majority of whom were from developing nations in Africa and Asia. Alongside the economic opportunity of cyberspace and critical issues of privacy and inclusive access, we discussed how Asia and Africa will rely on artificial intelligence and robotics to reshape their societies and resolve a range of apprehensions around gender, race, ethnicity and equity.

2018 was a nadir in terms of trust both in technologies and institutions that manage them. Societies world over are reimagining the social contract that binds states, citizens and businesses. Resolving these debates requires a recalibration of existing norms, business practices and regulatory frameworks — an exercise where the voice of the emerging world is critical.

CyFy Africa 2019 will bring together ministers, journalists, ethicists, civil society, as well as technology leaders and entrepreneurs to curate Africa-centred conversations around data, innovation, gender, norms and new media. CyFy will be informed by African experiences and contexts — capturing the continent’s success with emerging technologies and charting a course for the region’s digital future.

Cyfy Africa Booklet

CyFy pillars

  • Cradling Innovation: Local Ideas, Global Solutions

    21st century Africa is home to a burgeoning class of entrepreneurs and innovators that are rewriting the continent’s trajectory through technology. From IoT enabled agriculture to 3D printing healthcare products, young African are building affordable and scalable solutions for the world. This pillar showcases home-grown innovations and identifies new financial pipelines to bolster their growth. It examines regulatory approaches that makes this possible and pathways to enable international collaboration. Synthesising developments in the field of economics, emerging technologies and development studies, it will help cross-pollinate development solutions between communities from emerging economies and those in the developed world.

  • A Continental Consensus on Cyber Norms

    It is clear that peace and prosperity of in the digital century will require new ethics, norms and principles to govern behaviour in cyberspace. Home to over a billion citizens and consumers, Africa’s voice in scripting these norms will be critical to the collective success of these governing principles. In this endeavour, contributing to initiatives like the UN Secretary General’s high level panel on digital cooperation will be critical in bringing African concerns to the forefront. This pillar will explore points of convergence between African nations on key questions like privacy, AI and ethics, protection of civilian infrastructure and the rules of digital trade.

  • The Rights Continent

    The world is struggling to balance the commercial opportunities of big data and the human rights and security of individuals in cyberspace. This pillar will explore emerging models of data governance from around the world. The pillar will also take stock of efforts from both the private and the public domain — like the Digital Peace campaign and the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace — and what they mean for the emerging world. It will curate perspectives from African nations around individual privacy, freedom of expression and regulation of social media. It will also ask how these conversations can be made inclusive – to accommodate new voices, actors and concerns.

  • Afrofuturism: A World in Technicolour

    Information communication technologies have allowed local cultures to go global. Africa is a rich repository of histories, languages, stories and cultures. This pillar will ask how Africa’s artists, musicians and entertainers can leverage technologies to reinvent dissemination pathways and reimagine the future of art and culture. It will ask who the key local and global partners are that can help carry these narratives out of Africa.

  • Tech and I: Toward a Digital Society

    Emerging technologies will reshape societies in multifaceted ways. From genetically engineered humans to AI driven criminal justice systems, human societies will have to grapple with fundamental changes in the way we live, work and organise. In the midst of these changes, Africa must deliver pay checks, protection and purpose to over 1.2 billion individuals in an era of technological disruption. This pillar will explore the potential for emerging technologies to create new pathways for economic growth and social mobility. Discussions will centre on how individuals and communities must respond to and manage the pervasive influence of digital technologies.

Chair's message, CyFy Africa 2019

Speakers 2019

  • Aseem Jakhar

    Aseem Jakhar

    Director R&D
    Payatu Software Labs

  • Amandeep Gill

    Amandeep Gill

    Executive Director & Co-Lead
    United Nations, High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation

  • Jennifer McArdle

    Jennifer McArdle

    Assistant Professor of Cyber Defense
    Salve Regina University

  • Sanjay Anandaram

    Sanjay Anandaram

    Global Ambassador
    iSpirt

  • Nicolo Antonio Andreula

    Nicolo Antonio Andreula

    Visiting Professor
    Chinese University of Hong Kong

  • John Kolo Alhassan

    John Kolo Alhassan

    Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science
    Federal University of Technology

  • Andre-Michel Banyamka Essoungou

    Andre-Michel Banyamka Essoungou

    Political Adviser
    United Nations, New York

  • Soline Kauffmann-Tourkestansky

    Soline Kauffmann-Tourkestansky

    Director of Partnerships & Engagement
    blisce

  • Ephraim Percy Kenyanito

    Ephraim Percy Kenyanito

    Manager, Technology Policy and Human Rights
    ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa

  • Prerna Mukharya

    Prerna Mukharya

    Founder
    Outline India

  • Oluwafemi Osho

    Oluwafemi Osho

    Faculty Member
    Department of Cyber Security Science,
    Federal University of Technology

  • Polina Aronson

    Polina Aronson

    Debate Editor
    open Democracy Russia

  • Shinjini Kundu

    Shinjini Kundu

    Debate Editor
    open Democracy Russia

  • Lydia Kostopoulos

    Lydia Kostopoulos

    Senior Researcher
    Digital Society Institute, Berlin

  • Martha Omoekpen Alade

    Martha Omoekpen Alade

    Founder
    Women in Technology in Nigeria(WITIN)

  • John Miller

    John Miller

    Founder
    africanDRONE

  • Yenatfanta Shifferaw Bayleyegn

    Yenatfanta Shifferaw Bayleyegn

    Researcher, Artificial Intelligence
    Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute

  • Wendy Leigh Cukier

    Wendy Leigh Cukier

    Professor, Entrepreneurship and Strategy
    The Ted Rogers School of Management

  • Mallory Knodel

    Mallory Knodel

    Head of Digital
    ARTICLE 19

  • Karen Hao

    Karen Hao

    AI Reporter
    MIT Technology Review

  • Lucy Corkin

    Lucy Corkin

    Business Strategist
    Rand Merchant Bank

  • Jonathan Stever

    Jonathan Stever

    Co-Founder and Managing Director
    Impact Hub Kigali

  • Abhinandan Sekhri

    Abhinandan Sekhri

    Co-Founder and CEO
    Newslaundry

  • Sameer Suryakant Patil

    Sameer Suryakant Patil

    Fellow
    Gateway House

  • houda chakiri

    Houda Chakiri

    CEO and founder
    Enhanced Technologies

  • John Hering

    John Hering

    Cybersecurity Strategist
    Microsoft Corporation

  • Donara Barojan

    Donara Barojan

    Information Warfare Expert

  • Ingrid Brudvig

    Ingrid Brudvig

    Gender Policy Manager
    World Wide Web Foundation

  • Sandro Gaycken

    Sandro Gaycken

    Gender Policy Manager
    World Wide Web Foundation

  • Vani Tikoo

    Vani Tikoo

    CBFC, Board Member
    Ministry of Information & Broadcasting,
    Govt of India

  • Maggie Sprenger

    Maggie Sprenger

    Managing Partner
    Green Cow Venture Capital

  • Urvashi Aneja

    Urvashi Aneja

    Co-Founder and Director
    Tandem Research

  • Rema Rajeshwari

    Rema Rajeshwari

    Indian Police Service officer

  • Deborah Suzanne James

    Deborah Suzanne James

    Director of International Programs
    Center for Economic and Policy Research

  • Arvind Gupta

    Arvind Gupta

    CEO
    myGov

  • Megan Lamberth

    Megan Lamberth

    Research Assistant
    Center for a New American Security

  • Olga Stern

    Olga Stern

    Founder
    Genews

  • Emily Paragamian

    Emily Paragamian

    Associate at The Asia Group
    The Asia Group

  • Heigo Sato

    Heigo Sato

    Senior Research Fellow
    National Institute for Defense Studies

  • Charity Wayua

    Charity Wayua

    senior research manager
    IBM research Africa

  • Manuela Appendino

    Manuela Appendino

    Founder,
    WeWomEngineers

  • Christina Larson

    Christina Larson

    Global Science and Environment Correspondent
    Associated Press

  • Chitra Subramaniam Duella

    Chitra Subramaniam Duella

    Senior Journalist
    India

  • Mailin Aasmäe

    Mailin Aasmäe

    Spokesperson,
    Office of the President of Estonia

  • Małgorzata KRUSIEWICZ

    Małgorzata Krusiewicz

    Policy Coordinator
    European Union

  • Vivek Lall

    Vivek Lall

    Vice President
    Lockheed Martin

  • Gulshan Rai

    Gulshan Rai

    Retired CIO
    PMO, India

  • Nigel Mugamu

    Nigel Mugamu

    Founder
    263chat

  • Mariam Ali Wardak

    Mariam Ali Wardak

    Strategic Planning Adviser
    Ministry of Counter Narcotics,
    Afghanistan

  • Franz Josef Berger

    Franz Josef Berger

    Manager
    Moonshot CVE

  • Laura Sallstrom

    Laura Sallstrom

    Global Head of Data Policy & Trust
    Access Partnership

  • Tatiana Turculet

    Tatiana Turculet

    Compliance Officer
    European Investment Bank Group

  • Sanchaita Gajapati Raju

    Sanchaita Gajapati Raju

    Founder Trustee
    SANA

  • Abdou Khadre Lo

    Abdou Khadre Lo

    Director, Africa
    Access Partnership

  • Caterina Assenti

    Caterina Assenti

    Delegate
    ICRC Colombia

  • Chikodinaka Eze

    Chikodinaka Eze

    Co-anchor (Kakaaki), News Producer, Researcher and Reporter
    Africa Independent Television Headquarters,
    Nigeria

  • Chrissy Changwa Simukonda

    Chrissy Changwa Simukonda

    Senior Economist
    Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Republic of Zambia

  • Hindol Sengupta

    Hindol Sengupta

    "Editor-at-Large"
    Fortune India

  • Jamal Edwards

    Jamal Edwards

    Global Advocate, Digital Peace and Member, Digital Diplomacy
    Microsoft

  • John Conrad Mallery

    John Conrad Mallery

    Research Affiliate
    MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)

  • José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

    José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

    President of the Government of Spain (2004-2011)

social media, Africa, competitive politics, politics, Arab Spring, Twitter, multiparty politics, political engagement, critical conversations, political landscape, CyFy Africa, CyFy Africa 2019

Social media and politics in Africa: The good, the bad, and the ugly

bioethics, CyFy Africa, CyFy Africa 2019, Clinical Engineering, CNED, Manuela Appendino, genetic engineering, genomics, genetic data

BioMethics: Bioethics issues and aspects in modern biomedical engineering

digital society, rights, social transformations, mobility, power, expression, people, human right, public good, digital platforms, normative rationality, personal data, empowerment, CyFy Africa, Africa, ethical implications, digital political economy

New knowledge paradigms for Tech and I: Toward a more ethical digital society

emerging technologies, health systems, Artificial Intelligence, Advantage Africa, telemedicine, AI, CyFy Africa, organ transportation, CNED, Chitra Subramaniam, science and technology, AI capabilities

Emerging technologies are transforming health systems in Africa

Videos 2018

CyFy Africa | ORF Chairman Sunjoy Joshi's address

Samir Saran on what to expect from CyFy Africa

​CyFy Africa | ​Film​maker Raja Krishna Menon on how AI will affect ​making movies

​CyFy Africa | Sanjay Kumar Verma (MEA) speaks on taking India's digital initiatives to Africa

ABOUT TANGIER

Just 14 km away from Spain, Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region is Europe's gateway to Africa. Situated in the north-western part of the Moroccan Kingdom, the region has the Atlantic Ocean as its western border, with the Mediterranean Sea and Spain to its north. The population of the region is close to 3.55 million and has Tangier as its capital city.

Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region is considered as a crossing and exchange point, a historical and geographical area, rich in economic potential and human resources, the Region is considered as the perfect spot of economic growth since it offers countless opportunities for investment: Privileged geostrategic position, perfect quality infrastructure, significant human and economic potential, suitable land supply and a pleasant living environment.

ABOUT THE ORGANISERS

CyFy Africa will be co-hosted by the Government of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, Morocco, The Ministry of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy and Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.

  • Observer Research Foundation Africa (ORFA) is an independent public policy think tank headquartered in Tangier, Morocco, engaged in research and dissemination. ORFA, develops and publishes policy proposals, convenes platforms and curate’s seminars in the African areas.

  • The UIR, as an independent Moroccan non-profit institution, is committed to the training of citizens who will be the future leaders of the country, endowed with knowledge, skills, soft skills, and savoir-vivre appropriate, provided within the framework of a universalist philosophy, open, fair, and which is also socially and politically responsible

  • Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is one of Asia’s preeminent think tanks with is headquarters in New Delhi, India. ORF provides non-partisan, independent analyses and inputs on matters of security, strategy, economy, development, energy, resources and global governance to diverse decision-makers (governments, business communities, academia, civil society).

  • The Ministry of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy, Morocco is responsible for the conception and implementation of government policy in the areas of industry, commerce and new technologies. It provides strategic intelligence, monitoring and evaluation and promotes innovation in the fields of industry and new technologies.

  • Council of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, Morocco

Digital Impressions