GFCE Member Since: 7 June 2021

Partner Description: The Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America) was established in 2020 as an independent, non-partisan public policy institute based in Washington DC. It is an overseas affiliate of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India’s premier non-government think tank. ORF America produces research and commentary and convenes policymakers and thought leaders on global affairs, with a particular focus on relations between the developed and developing worlds and between India and the Americas. Its areas of focus include strategic and security affairs, technology policy, energy and sustainability, and economic policy.

Partner Description: IFES advances democracy for a better future. We collaborate with civil society, public institutions and the private sector to build resilient democracies that deliver for everyone. As a global leader in the promotion and protection of democracy, our technical assistance and applied research develops trusted electoral bodies capable of conducting credible elections; effective and accountable governing institutions; civic and political processes in which all people can safely and equally participate; and innovative ways in which technology and data can positively serve elections and democracy. Since 1987, IFES has worked in more than 145 countries, from developing to mature democracies. IFES is a global, nonpartisan nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Virginia, and registered as a 501(c)(3).

GFCE Member Since: 10 November 2021

Partner Description: AFRINIC’s mission is to provide professional and efficient distribution of Internet number resources to the African Internet community, to support Internet technology usage and development across the continent and to strengthen Internet self-governance in Africa through a bottom-up, multi-stakeholder Policy Development Process (PDP). Internet number resources are allocated to AFRINIC and the four other RIRs by Public Technical Identifiers (PTI). PTI is responsible for coordinating the Internet’s unique identifiers and performs the IANA functions, which include coordination of domain names, Internet number resources and protocol parameters.

GFCE Member Since: 17 December 2021

Partner Description: Africa Cybersecurity & Digital Rights Organisation (ACDRO) is a Non-Governmental Organisation pioneering the rights to access, privacy, security, freedom of expression, and policy-oriented research within the digital environment in Africa and beyond.ACDRO is committed to promoting Cybersecurity Strategy & Policy Development, Cybersecurity Awareness Training, Cyber Capacity Building, CSIRT Establishment, Critical Information Infrastructure Protection, and Data Protection within Africa and other developing countries. ACDRO assists African governments in developing a comprehensive cybersecurity policy and strategy through a Multistakeholder/Multidisciplinary process.ACDRO has been at the forefront of many Digital Rights efforts, Internet Governance, Internet Freedom and Network Shutdown advocacy in Africa and other developing countries. ACDRO seeks to provide Rapid Incident Response Support to at-risk Human Rights Defenders, and CSOs facing security intrusions and breaches.

GFCE Member Since: 17 December 2021

Partner Description: The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) is a pioneer human and institutional capacity building organization for Africa. Founded in 1991. ACBF has spearheaded and robustly coordinated capacity development programs worth some 800 million US dollars across 48 countries and 8 regional economic communities (RECs) in Africa since its inception. ACBF is the go-to institution for expert knowledge and human resources to facilitate the timely implementation of continental and national development agendas. As the African Union’s Specialized Agency for Capacity Development following over 31 years of solid work, the Foundation advises and supports African countries, regional economic communities and institutions on decisive steps to take to develop the practical skills urgently required for the continent’s economic transformation. The Foundation assisted several public, CSO and academic institutions in the continent to create and/or enhance their local capacity in the planning and implementation of their developmental priorities and agendas ACBF has engaged in some cyber capacity building initiatives and programs, which include i) The Africa Capacity Report 2019: Fostering Transformative Leadership for Africa’s Development. Notably assessment 17 is specific about the “institutional and regulatory framework for science, technology, and innovation” ii) The Africa Capacity Report 2017: Building Capacity in Science, Technology and Innovation for Africa’s Transformation, highlights human and institutional capacity challenges and deficits in terms of STI, and calls for urgent attention to develop institutional and human capacity in all areas of STI development and maintenance iii) in 2016, ACBF assisted in project appraisal and selection of a state-of the-art enterprise grade virtual presence technology for Aurum Institute, South Africa. Iv) ACBF acted as lead drafter of a section of the African Union’s digital transformation strategy 2020-2030 v) An ongoing BMGF-funded digital capacity upgrading project for ACBF and its key partners.

GFCE Member Since: 7 June 2021

Participates in the following GFCE groups

Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy

Cybersecurity Culture and Skills

Partner Description: SMART Africa is a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent, ushering Africa into a knowledge economy through affordable access to Broadband and usage of Information and Communications Technologies.

GFCE Member Since: 21 June 2021

Partner Description: Registry Africa Ltd is a registry operator of domain names in particular Africa. Their offering relies on Registrars/ISP’s to on-sell domain names to end-users and further enhancing the domain name to have email and web hosting services. In this regard they are classified as a data handler and processor and to that extent need to manage the abuse of all records under their administration.

GFCE Member Since: 7 June 2021

Partner Description: OCF is a “Stichting” under the law of The Netherlands. It was founded on 21 October 2016 as a not-for-profit foundation. The OCF’s goal is to stimulate the state-of the-art in Internet security and resilience worldwide, in order to contribute to democracy as well as personal freedom. In order to achieve that goal, the Foundation will stimulate and facilitate relevant services, research, trainings, education, standardisation, best practices and any other associated activities

GFCE Member Since: 22 November 2021