Introduction

The workshop commenced with a welcoming address by Esra Al-Bakoush, who provided an overview of the “Anir” Initiative. Anir is a Libyan initiative dedicated to enhancing digital awareness and developing digital policies in Libya. She reviewed the initiative’s key achievements over the past year, the challenges faced, and its future strategic plans, in the presence of a distinguished group of digital experts and specialists.

Presentation by Mr. Osama Mansour (via Zoom)

Mr. Osama Mansour, a lead expert for the Anir Initiative, delivered a detailed presentation on the initiative’s methodological framework.

Key Highlights:

• Conceptual Clarification: He distinguished between various legislative levels:
  • Laws: Issued by legislative authorities.
  • Strategies: Established to set a general vision and prevent redundancy.
  • Policies: Executive procedures.
• Nature of Anir’s Policies: Mr. Mansour emphasized that the initiative does not issue “policies” in the sense of binding government mandates. Instead, it provides Policy Briefs—evidence-based, research-driven guidance documents designed to assist decision-makers.

Primary Outputs

1. Three Policy Briefs: Focusing on key areas based on scientific foundations and broad consultations:

• Cybersecurity.
• Protection of Personal Data.
• Digital Space and Human Rights.

2. Guiding Privacy Policy: Specifically designed for the private sector, this serves as a proactive measure to protect user data in the absence of a comprehensive national law.

3. Proposed Policy Paper: A comprehensive document providing recommendations to develop the legal framework governing Libya’s digital sector.

4. Digital Policy Portal: A digital platform launched to allow public participation in proposing and discussing digital policies.

5. Libya School on Internet Governance (LSIG): The launch of the 2025 edition of the school, aimed at equipping youth and stakeholders with the tools necessary to understand and develop digital policies.

Challenges

• Political and security instability in Libya.
• Jurisdictional overlaps between government institutions.
• Shortage of specialized personnel in the digital field.
• Escalating security threats and cyber challenges.
• Lack of institutional harmony and inter-agency coordination.
• Absence of modern legal frameworks and reliance on outdated laws incompatible with digital progress.

Discussion and Participant Contributions

• Academic Integration (Dr. Abdulraouf Al-Qasabi, President of Al-Saraya Al-Hamra University): He praised the initiative and suggested visiting both public and private universities to introduce students to these concepts, especially within modern disciplines like Cybersecurity and AI. He stressed the importance of organizing workshops and practical training programs.
• Naming and Inclusivity: A participant suggested renaming the initiative “Digital Reform” instead of “Policies” to be more comprehensive. The Anir team clarified that the term “Policies” was intentionally chosen to avoid friction with government entities; “Reform” might be perceived as interference in government affairs, whereas “Policy Proposals” from a civil society organization are seen as constructive support.
• Public Awareness: A participant noted that the general public may not read lengthy policy briefs. They suggested simplifying content into accessible formats, such as short videos in the local dialect to spread digital culture.
• Standardization of Terminology: Participants emphasized the need to unify digital terminology to prevent misunderstandings across various sectors (legal, technical, medical, etc.).

Recommendations

1. Expand Scope: Extend the initiative’s reach to other cities and universities outside Tripoli to maximize awareness and impact.
2. Academic Collaboration: Build partnerships with educational institutions to raise awareness among the new generation and prepare specialized cadres.
3. Simplify Content: Produce simplified awareness content (e.g., short videos and infographics) targeting the general public to raise digital security and rights literacy.
4. Utilize the Policy Portal: Leverage the digital portal as an open platform for all stakeholders to submit policy proposals and seek consultations.
5. Digital Sovereignty and Localization: Work on a regional level to localize technologies and establish a shared Arab framework for data protection and digital sovereignty.
6. Empower Civil Society: Enhance the role of civil society organizations by involving them in policy-making discussions to ensure inclusive digital governance.