GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala—Global technology experts are calling for a collaborative, multisectoral approach to the continued development of a more open, stable and secure Internet in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

“For Internet users in many Central American societies, the Internet affects many aspects of our quality of life. The Internet is not just an impersonal telecommunications technology. Therefore, Internet development is not just a technical question. It is an issue that deeply affects us all,” said Alfredo Verderosa, manager of services at the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Address Registry (LACNIC), a non-governmental organisation established in Uruguay in 2002.

Verderosa was among several regional Internet experts gathered in Guatemala City for LACNIC On The Move, a regional technology event taking place from March 20 to 22.

“The growth of an open and secure Internet requires the participation and cooperation of all sectors of society, including government, private sector, academia and the technical community. For this reason, the mission of LACNIC On The Move Guatemala is to allow a variety of Guatemalan perspectives to inform the development of the Guatemalan Internet,” added Cesar Diaz, head of strategic relations and telecommunications at LACNIC.

Through initiatives such as LACNIC On The Move, LACNIC has provided training to more than 15,000 technology professionals throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean, Diaz added. The three-day event was held with the support of global Internet organisations such as the Internet Society (ISOC) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and coordinated by the national regulator, Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SIT).

“In Latin America and the Caribbean, the Internet is perhaps the single most important driver of development for our countries and our societies. For this reason, the development of the Internet is a mission that unites us all,” said Sebastián Bellagmaba, regional bureau director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Internet Society (ISOC).

Since its inception in 2014, LACNIC On The Move has facilitated the training of some 230 participants.

“LACNIC On The Move and ICANN’s LAC I Roadshow are initiatives that allow us to converge our efforts on one common cause, such as the development of the Internet in Guatemala and the region,” said Rodrigo Saucedo, a senior manager for ICANN in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The next LACNIC On The Move event is expected to take place in Guyana in July.