Contact
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E-mail: post@comcom.ge
Phone number
+995 32 2921667
ComCom, Ministry of Economy and Association of Telecom Operators Hold the 10th Internet Governance Forum
The 10th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was held in Tbilisi, organised by the Communications Commission, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, and the Association of Small and Medium Telecom Operators of Georgia. During the opening session, ComCom member Ekaterine Imedadze spoke about Georgia’s digital transformation, its positioning as a regional hub, and the importance of international partnerships and enhanced stakeholder engagement in this process. The opening segment also featured remarks from Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, Zviad Gabisonia, and Head of the Communications, Information and Modern Technologies Department at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Eka Kubusidze. Addressing the participants online, Director of the Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Cosmas Zavazava, thanked the Communications Commission and the Ministry of Economy for their close cooperation on digital governance issues and for organising the forum.
Cosmas Zavazava emphasised that the active engagement of the Communications Commission and Georgia in ITU initiatives is critically important for strengthening the regulatory framework and advancing digital infrastructure. On behalf of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), IGF participants were also addressed by Gabriella Schittek, Director of Stakeholder Engagement for the Nordics and Central Europe.
During the event, Ekaterine Imedadze moderated the session titled “The Future of the Internet: WSIS+20 and Multistakeholder Cooperation.” The panel featured the Head of the Communications, Information and Modern Technologies Department at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Eka Kubusidze; Director of the ITU Office for Europe, Jaroslaw Ponder; Deputy Governor of the Regulation and Competition Sector at the Communications, Space and Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia, Omar Abdulrahman Al Rejraj; Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation of Cyprus, Petros Galides; and Director General of the Agency for Regulation of Postal and Electronic Communications of Republic of the Congo, Louis-Marc Sakala. Participants were also addressed remotely by Programme Management Officer of the Governmental and Digital Governance Division of the Internet Governance Forum Secretariat, Anja Gengo.
Another session at the Internet Governance Forum, titled “Internet Accessibility and Market Opening,” was moderated by Ekaterine Imedadze. The session featured the participation of the Head of the Competition Promotion and Market Regulation Department at the Communications Commission, Ekaterine Sichinava; the expert involved in the holistic telecom market study conducted by ComCom and the consulting company M2E Strategy, Domagoj Jurjevic; Chairman of the Association of Small and Medium Telecommunications Operators of Georgia, Ucha Seturi; and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the ICT Association of Georgia, Tornike Sulaberidze. The discussion focussed on the current trends in the Georgian telecommunications market, key challenges, and future initiatives.
The forum also featured a session titled “Internet Ecosystem – State Strategy, Infrastructure and Digital Skills.” Head of the Media Literacy Development Department at the Communications Commission, Mariam Dakhundaridze, took part in the session, where she reviewed the Commission’s media literacy projects and results. She highlighted ComCom’s Digital Support Programme, under which more than 11,000 individuals have already been trained to raise awareness about digital literacy and promote the purposeful and effective use of the internet. The session was moderated by Eka Kubusidze and included participation from Director of Open Net, Mariam Sulaberidze, and Chairman of the Association of Small and Medium Telecommunications Operators of Georgia, Ucha Seturi.
The forum also addressed key issues such as the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, Georgia’s cybersecurity landscape, as well as the current practices, trends, and challenges in this area.
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is one of the most significant global platforms on internet governance, bringing together government institutions, private sector stakeholders, and civil society representatives involved in digital policy. The forum aims to strengthen cooperation, foster dialogue, and develop effective solutions to global digital challenges.
