By Clifford Agugoesi, Editor-in-Chief

The International Institute of Communications (IIC) took a decision to move  its Latin America & Caribbean Forum to Panama City and is delighted by the reaction it has received so far for so doing. The attendee and speaker lists are coming along nicely with over 15 countries represented already, Cyber Era NG learns.

Information emanating from the office of the IIC Director-General, Lynn Robinson, to which we are privy, says some of the confirmed  speakers include:

• Deputy Executive Director, Broadcasting Commission Jamaica, Nicole Walford
• Member of the Board, Autoridade Nacional de Comunicacoes (ANACOM), Portugal, Patricia Silva Gonçalves
• Executive Officer Policy, Planning and Economics, Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) Annie Baldeo
• Executive Director and Commissioner, Commission for Communications Regulation of Colombia (CRC) Lina María Duque del Vecchio
• Executive Director, Asociacion Latinoamericana de Internet (ALAI)  Raúl Echeberría
• General Secretary, Asociación Interamericana de Empresasde  Telecomunicaciones (ASIET) Marylena Méndez Jiménez
• Executive Director, Alliance for the Open Internet (Aliança pela Internet Aberta), Brazil, Alessandro Molon
• Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Panama, Ambassador Izabela Matusz
• Lead Specialist Telecommunications – Broadband Platform Coordinator, Antonio García Zaballos
• Director of Institutional Relations LATAM South, Ericsson, Jacqueline Lopes
• Head of Public Policy Canada, Latin America, Emerging Markets, Verizon Communications, Ivana Kriznic
• Chief Executive and Board Member, Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA) Tim Ringsdore

On May 15, there is a roundtable exclusively for regulators and government on the theme of: Moving from legacy telecommunications/media regulation to digital regulation – is a new regulatory model required? How do we manage the migration/transition?

At the Forum itself on 16-17 May IIC will be addressing a range of highly topical issues namely:

• Closing the digital divide: what’s really working, what isn’t, and how to make measurable, sustainable progress
• Closing the funding gap: quantifying the investment required and potential sources of finance
• Fulfilling the creative economy’s potential to drive socio-economic development and soft power: policy and regulatory levers
• Promoting competition in digital markets: does one size fit all? How are countries in LAC tailoring their approach to ex ante and ex post regulation?
• Trust and authenticity in online content: tackling misinformation and disinformation; protecting media plurality; media literacy initiatives
• Creating an enabling but safe environment for the use of Artificial Intelligence for social and economic good. How are regulatory models developing in LAC?
• Broadband cost recovery and network fees – what is the direction of travel?
• Mini-workshop sessions on connectivity, infrastructure, cybersecurity

According to Ms. Robinson: “As always at this meeting we will provide simultaneous translation Spanish/English/Spanish, and the discussions will be held under the Chatham House Rule.

We have secured a 50 per cent discount at the Westin Panamá Hotel which is a 5 minute walk from the venue and can be booked via our website.” www.iicom.org