The AfPIF-2023 Program Committee is now seeking contributions for presentations and panels for the AfPIF 2023 event.

We are looking for individuals who can:

• Participate in the conference sessions as a speaker
• Convene and chair panel sessions
• Deliver commercial and technical tutorials

Please submit your lightning talks by email to pc@afpif.org by 17:00 UTC Wednesday, August 23rd 2023.

Event Overview

The African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) is a 3-day event which addresses the key interconnection, peering, and traffic exchange opportunities and challenges on the continent and provides participants with global and regional insights for maximising opportunities that will help grow Internet infrastructure and services in Africa. The forum targets executives, business development managers, peering coordinators, and engineers from Internet exchange points (IXPs), network operators, content providers, and infrastructure providers.

The conference format consists of keynotes, presentations, panel sessions, tutorials, and lightning talks. There are also dedicated networking sessions and social events.

Content Themes

Presentation, tutorial, and panel proposals should consider the following themes:

• Peering and transit strategies
• Interconnection policy and regulation
• Data Centers and content development
• New technologies and innovations related to peering and interconnection
• Research on the African Internet including routing and network interconnection.
• Experiences and lessons learnt from deploying Internet infrastructure
• WomenTechConnect – Discussions to help make the Internet engineering space one that’s more comfortable with gender diversity^[1] Topic guidance for 2023: Empowering Women Internet Engineers: Mentorship, Advocacy, and Allyship Strategies for Success
• Other matters that relate to peering and interconnection

Additional background information is available on this site.

Submission Requirements

Submissions must be made on-line.

• Slides must be provided with all submissions
• Abstracts or Draft slides are acceptable for works-in-progress
• Final slides must be provided by 31 July 2023
• Slides must be submitted in PDF format only
• Presentations should be technical and non-commercial. Product marketing talks will not be accepted.
• Preference for onsite presentations
• Presentation slots will be allocated based on acceptance
• Submissions will be reviewed fortnightly after the deadlines

Submission Schedule

• Call for Papers Opens: 19 May 2023
• Submission Deadline: 28 June 2023
• Submissions will be reviewed on a first-come first-serve basis in accordance with the following review schedule
  • 1st Review: 31 May 2023
  • 2nd Review: 14 June 2023
  • 3rd Review: 28 June 2023
• Acceptance/Rejection notifications may be sent at any time during this process but no later than: 10 July 2023
• Final Slides Due: 31 July 2023

Questions and Feedback

All questions and comments should be addressed to the secretariat by e-mail at: sec@afpif.org

We look forward to receiving your proposals.

Regards,
The AfPIF-2023 Program Committee

Endnotes

[1] More information on WomenTechConnect: At WomenTechConnect, we strive to help make the Internet engineering space one that’s more comfortable with gender diversity. We create networking and discussion opportunities for cross-skilling, mentorship, open dialogue and the promotion of diversity amongst Internet engineers across Africa in the form of online or face to face events. WomenTechConnect was founded by Workonline, with LINX as its founding sponsor. The first major event for WomenTechConnect was held during AfPIF in 2018 as part of the annual AfPIF meeting that year in Cape Town and continues to be a regular feature on the AfPIF agenda, among other events.