By Clifford Agugoesi, Editor-in-Chief

The International Institute of Communications(IIC) is looking forward to returning to Washington DC, the United States, for its annual North America Forum 2024 on 3-4 December to be hosted by Verizon, Cyber Era NG can authoritatively report. Our reportorial confidence is boosted by information received over email from the Director-General of IIC, Ms. Lynn Robinson.

We learn that discussion themes across the two days will include:

• National and international priorities for US Govt. What might/should be on the to-do list for the next Administration?

• Broadband: funding, affordability, convergence, competition

• Transatlantic developments: EU regulatory model evolution; data governance; competition

• Global Digital Compact and the future of multistakeholder digital policy / internet governance; implications for the global south

• AI governance frameworks: accountability, provenance, safety, global cooperation

• The growth of streaming video and live content – policy, regulatory and societal considerations

• Building and maintaining trust and authenticity in digital services, content, communities, entertainment

• Tackling the disinformation battle in election year – lessons learnt

• Network and supply chain security / resilience

As at press time, the confirmed speakers so far include:

*Digital Counselor, Delegation of the European Union to the United States, Johannes Bahrke

*Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), USA, Alan Davidson

*Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, US Department of State, Jennifer Bachus

*Senior Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Federal Regulatory & International Public Policy, Verizon Communications, Will Johnson

*Vice President, Government and Policy Advocacy, Ericsson, Jeffrey Marks

*Head of Office and Vice President, Government Affairs, North America, Nokia, Grace Koh

*Executive Director, Telecommunications, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Leila Wright

*Digital Services Commissioner, Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland, John Evans

*AI Policy – Regulation, Meta, Shira Anderson

*Vice President, Digital Policy, USCIB, Cheryl Miller

*Head of US and Canada Public Policy, Discord, Kate Sheerin

*Senior Director of Emerging Tech, Competitiveness & Sustainability Policy, Google, David Weller.

Registration is open and the meeting is complimentary for IIC members to attend.

– With additional reporting by Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas.