Global technology experts met this week in Guatemala to call 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. Costa Rica has found itself lagging behind on Internet speed.

“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 and organizer of the event.

Each year, LACNIC’s “On The Move” program organizes conferences at sites throughout the Latin American region to provide training, identify common ground and strategize on Internet technology for the region.

“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,” added Cesar Diaz, head of strategic relations and telecommunications at LACNIC, and partcipant in the March 20-22 event.

LACNIC has provided training for more than 15,000 technology professionals in the region, added Diaz.

The three-day event was made possible through the support of global Internet organizations including the Internet Society (ISOC) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and was hosted by Guatemala’s 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).

According to the group’s website, “LACNIC is responsible for assigning and administrating Internet resources in Latin America and the Caribbean in accordance with the rules developed by the regional community. Born as an initiative of Internet pioneers from different countries of our region, the organization is strongly committed to Internet development and stability, cooperating and articulating with all stakeholders.”