Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum to be held in Russia for the first time

On April 25, the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), which operates in the Asia-Pacific Region and organizes regional forums, decided on the location of next year’s Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF). The group reviewed two bids: from Russia and China. The Russian bid had been submitted to MSG by the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ and won with 27 votes against 9 for China.

APrIGF 2019 will take place at Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island in Vladivostok in late July 2019. The exact date of the event is to be announced later.

“We are very happy to host the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum. We closely cooperate with many ccTLD registries in the region, such as China, Vietnam, and former Soviet republics. In 2012, the Coordination Center hosted the 60th meeting of the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD), and this was very interesting and useful experience. In addition, next year we are organizing the anniversary 10th Russian Internet Government Forum and are planning to take it to a new level by holding it in Vladivostok jointly with APrIGF 2019. This way the Russian Internet Government Forum will become a part of the regional agenda and attract more representatives of the global community,” said Coordination Center Director Andrei Vorobyov.

The Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) has been held since 2010. It serves as a platform to discuss regional problems and to cooperate on the regional level as well as to unify the national forums’ agendas and, finally, to develop internet governance in the Asia-Pacific Region.

The Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) includes over 30 representatives of the Asian-Pacific ccTLD registries, national internet governance forums, and international organizations. MSG organizes regional forums dedicated to internet governance and development in the region.