Blog

Rwanda hosted for the first time, in its capital, Kigali, the ICANN Policy Forum. This is a country whose very recent past is marked by violence, discrimination, and human tragedy. The scars of the genocide that decimated the country in 1994 are still visible today. In a country with a population of around 14.5 million people, we were presented with an Internet penetration rate just above 30%. Digital is starting to become a priority among many others, but the path ahead is still long. Nevertheless, Rwanda impressed us with its organization, sense of community, and, above all, humanism, reflected – as just one example – in the mantra that seems to guide the country's direction and the lives of Rwandans, and which deserves reflection from all of us: "Forgive, to move forward.”

From June 10 to 13, Kigali hosted the 80th edition of the Policy Forum, which included 109 sessions, 1581 participants (957 in person and 624 online), representing 123 countries/territories.

Numbers aside, this edition of the Policy Forum was undeniably marked by the announcement of the new ICANN President and CEO, Kurt Erik "Kurtis" Lindqvist, an industry leader with over 30 years of experience in the ISP (Internet Service Providers) market and extensive experience within the ICANN community. Kurt Erik will succeed the interim President, Sally Costerton, and will take office on December 5, 2024. By that time, the new President will face a year of implementing the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, but will also already have a draft version of the new 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, whose proposed pillars, objectives, and KPIs were presented at this meeting, in the session "ccNSO: What Are ccTLD Relevant Aspects in FY26-30 Strat Plan?”.