Emmanuel Vitus Agbenonwossi

Organization:	Afrotribune
Affiliation:	GNSO
Region:	Africa
Country:	Togo
Email:	vitus@afrotribune.org
Website:	afrotribune.org
Blog:	https://afrotribune.com/
Facebook:	Emmanuel Vitus Agbenonwossi
LinkedIn:	Emmanuel Vitus Agbenonwossi
Twitter:	@https://twitter.com/emmavitus

Career History

Emmanuel Vitus is Policy Analyst, Internet Governance Expert and independent Researcher. Based in Accra (Ghana) since 2014, Emmanuel Vitus works to advance professional journalism and digital freedom with media and the Internet rights defenders globally. He firmly believes that all Internet governance stakeholders must get engaged, to ensure that the Internet remains open, pluralistic and democratic. Through research, advocacy and policy analysis, Emmanuel educates citizens to challenge power and encourage Internet governance debate across Africa.

Emmanuel has previously worked as Communications Lead for Paradigm Initiative and Google policy Fellow for Francophone Africa. He is currently the Executive Director of Afrotribune, the General Secretary of ICANN's Not-for-Profit Operational Concerns Constituency (NPOC). His interest topics include Freedom of Expression, Digital Rights and Privacy, Access and Affordability, Internet security and Cyber Diplomacy.

Emmanuel is a graduate of the University of Greenwich (London), Central University (Tunisia), University of Malta and the IAEC University (Togo).

ICANN and Internet Governance Participation

Emmanuel is prominently involved in Togo’s iInternet governance processes through research, multi-stakeholder engagement and co-coordinate Togo’s national Internet Governance Forum. Graduate of the African School of Internet Governance (class 2016) and the internet governance Academy , Emmanuel’s interests include IT entrepreneurship, Africa digitalisation, e-education, e-agriculture, Freedom of Expression and digital rights. He believes that the bedrock for the sustained development of his nation is through youth involvement, internet development, and Entrepreneurship. His work and research led lead him to acquire a deep understanding of the Entrepreneurship and Internet ecosystem in Togo. He provides policy makers and young entrepreneurs with advice. He is a vibrant member of Internet Society's chapter in Togo and a member of the Policy Committee. He was in the 2016 Africa Internet Forum as a participant and panelist. He has also attended the Global IGF in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2016. Emmanuel has joined ICANN as a fellow during the ICANN59 in Johannesburg. He was elected as the General Secretary of the NPOC (Generic Names Supporting Organisation) in 2020.

Education

M.A Journalism, Central University of Tunisia B.A.in Finance, IAEC University, Togo BSc, Business Information Technology,University of Greenwich, UK

Research works and Publications

• Youth Entrepreneurship in Togo: Trends and Policy Recommendations
• Growing e-entrepreneurship in Africa and Challenges
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Internet Economy (Case of Togo)
• African Perspective on Digital Preservation (Case of Ghana)
• Internet of Things for Africa: Challenges and Opportunities (Case of Togo)
• Internet shutdowns and Huaman Rights, case of Congo
• A4AI Internet Affordability Report 2017 (Case of Ghana and Ivory Coast)
• A4AI's Affordability Report (Country reports: Ghana & Ivory Coast, 2017)
• ICANN's Africa DNS Market Study (Country reports: of Ghana, Mali, 2017)
• Fake news: the strategic fight in Africa vs government censorship (Original report published in French)
• Data protection: Is Africa ready for a data privacy laws like EU GDPR? (Original report published in French)
• Migrating to IPv6: Why Africa must accelerate the migration process (Original report published in French)
• A Reporter's Guide to Election Coverage in Togo (Thomson Reuters Foundation, 2019)
• IGF Academy Transfer Guide. A handbook to foster Internet Governance Initiatives in the Global South, 2016
• Digital Rights in Africa Report 2018 & 2020
• Co-authored Global Information Society Watch, Country report, 2017
• Global Information Society Watch, Country report, Internet governance in Togo: Building the hope of multi -stakeholder dialogue
• Global Information Society Watch, Country report, Triumphing over distance and time: the case of wireless Ghana

Awards and Fellowships

• Chairperson of Togo Internet Governance Forum (2016-2021)
• Faculty Member, West Africa School of Internet Governance (2019)
• Faculty Member, Ghana School of Internet Governance (2020)
• Faculty Member, Benin School of Internet Governance (2019)
• UNESCO Freedom of Expression Experts committee (2016-2018)
• Ressource Person Africa School of Internet Governance (2019)
• Focal Point and Resource Person Africa Union PRIDA project (2019-2020)
• Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship programme 2016 (Nigeria)
• Young African Leadership Initiative
• UNESCO Youth Leadership Fellow (South Korea)
• African School of Internet Governance (class 2016)

Generic Names Supporting Organization. Develops and recommends to the Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains and other responsibilities set forth in the Bylaws (ICANN Bylaws).

Not-for-Profit Organizations Constituency

Internet Governance Forum

General Data Protection Regulation