Cabo Verde and Niger are the only two African countries that have signed ‘The Declaration for the Future of the Internet’.

The United States also lists Kenya as one of the three from Africa to have committed to the cause, but Nairobi said they are yet to do so, since it has to go through parliament.

Government spokesperson retired Colonel Cyrus Oguna said in a statement said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement published on the US Government White House website on the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. The statement lists Kenya as one of the 60 signatories to the said declaration.

“We wish to state that, as a country, we have not gone through our processes and laws for endorsing this declaration. As per our laws, Kenya can only be a signatory to any international instrument after Cabinet approval, and ratification by the National Assembly.”

According to the US, the declaration comes at a time when the internet is providing opportunities never seen before for people around the world to connect socio-economically.

However, despite this positivity, the internet has also provided policy challenges and the world was, “… witnessing a trend of rising digital authoritarianism where some states act to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation and deny their citizens other human rights. (As such) democratic governments and other partners are rising to the challenge.”

• A Tell report