Olufuye joins UN-IGF Working Group

The President of the Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Dr. Jimson Olufuye is to represent the World Information Technology and Services Alliance in the United Nations’ Working Group on Internet Governance.

Confirming this, the Public Policy Director at (WITSA), Mr. Anders Halvorsen, said that the appointment follows the outcome of his organisation’s meeting on December 21, 2010.

Olufuye who also is the vice chairman of WITSA for sub-Saharan Africa was formally appointed by the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) as a representative to the new working group on Internet Governance.

“As one of only five business representatives globally, Dr. Olufuye will play an instrumental role in influencing the recommendations from the working group, which will be presented to the CSTD at its 14th session in Geneva on May 23-27,” he said.

Additionally, he would participate in both working group meetings, taking place in Montreux, Switzerland on February 25-26 and in Zurich on March 24-25, this year respectively.

“Please join me in congratulating Jimson on this important appointment,” Mr. Halvorsen declared.

He listed members states and other stakeholders that constitute the working group on improvements to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to comprise Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, Ghana, Greece, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Lesotho, Lithuania, Pakistan, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tunisia and the United States of America.

Although one nomination from the Group of Eastern Europe is still outstanding, he noted that the Business Community has Ms Marilyn Cade, CEO and Principal, mCADE LLC - ICT Strategies, Mr Patrik Faltstrom, Distinguished Consulting Engineer, Cisco Systems –Sweden, Mr. Jimson Olufuye, President Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) & Vice-Chairman WITSA (Sub-Saharan Africa), Nigeria, Mr Christoph Steck, Public Policy Director, Telefonica South Africa, and Ms Theresa Swinehart, Director - Global Internet Policy, Verizon.

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