Who controls the data? Perspectives on digital sovereignty from the Global South

The Heinrich Boell Foundation Washington, DC and Konnektiv would like to invite you to an online discussion on perspectives on digital sovereignty in the Global South. Digital technologies are instrumental for global exchange and connectivity – nothing illustrates this better than the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet there is fierce competition over who gets to reap the benefits of cross-border data flows. The United States and China are in a process of decoupling their digital spheres while the European Union is asserting its digital sovereignty by launching Gaia-X, the European cloud. Countries in the Global South often find themselves on the sidelines of global debates over digital governance. In this event, Geraldine de Bastion will introduce her new paper “Data and the Global South,” which gives an overview of key issues for inclusive digital development. The panel will then discuss how societies in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America can access the data they produce and put them to good use – while avoiding exploitation or repression by domestic actors. We are looking forward to your participation!