<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>This response has just been received to our joint letter on transparency and accountability of the IGF Retreat. <br><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">-- </span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jeremy Malcolm</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Senior Global Policy Analyst</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Electronic Frontier Foundation</span></div><font color="#000000"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://eff.org/">https://eff.org</a><br><a href="mailto:jmalcolm@eff.org" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3">jmalcolm@eff.org</a></span></font><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tel: <a href="tel:415.436.9333" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="4">415.436.9333</a> ext 161</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">:: Defending Your Rights in the Digital World ::</span></div></div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> Wai Min Kwok <<a href="mailto:kwok@un.org">kwok@un.org</a>><br><b>Date:</b> 13 July 2016 at 5:23:34 PM GMT-7<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:jmalcolm@eff.org">jmalcolm@eff.org</a><br><b>Cc:</b> Chengetai MASANGO <<a href="mailto:CMASANGO@unog.ch">CMASANGO@unog.ch</a>>, Brian Clarke GUTTERMAN <<a href="mailto:BGUTTERMAN@unog.ch">BGUTTERMAN@unog.ch</a>>, "Lynn St.Amour" <<a href="mailto:Lynn@internet-matters.org">Lynn@Internet-Matters.org</a>>, Deniz Susar <<a href="mailto:susar@un.org">susar@un.org</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>Re: Fwd: Civil society letter to UN DESA on transparency and accountability of IGF Retreat</b><br><br></div></blockquote><div><span></span></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><font size="2" face="sans-serif">Dear Jeremy, </font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">Thank you for your letter of 30 June
2016. </font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">First and foremost, please rest assured,
as reaffirmed by USG Wu on behalf of the SG, that the UN commitment to
the open, transparent, democratic and multi-stakeholder character of the
IGF remains firm. The retreat is just start of an ongoing process
aimed at improving the working modalities of the IGF, as called for in
WSIS+10. </font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">Indeed, the retreat will be informed
and guided by the WSIS+10 resolution that renewed the mandate of the IGF
as stated in the Tunis Agenda, and the report of the Working Group on Improvements
to the IGF of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development.
A set of relevant background documentation as well as the proposed agenda
of the retreat are made available online for public access: </font>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">(Refer to </font><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2016-06-23-15-15-52/background-documentation"></a><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2016-06-23-15-15-52/background-documentation"><font size="2" color="blue" face="sans-serif">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2016-06-23-15-15-52/background-documentation</font></a><font size="2" face="sans-serif">;
</font><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-2016-agenda"></a><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-2016-agenda"><font size="2" color="blue" face="sans-serif">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-2016-agenda</font></a><font size="2" face="sans-serif">).
The UN Secretariat has also requested a call for inputs and all contributions
are made available online (Refer to </font><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-written-inputs"><font size="2" color="blue" face="sans-serif">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-written-inputs</font></a><font size="2" face="sans-serif">)</font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">The retreat is envisaged as a strategic
dialogue and it is hoped that it will further strengthen the IGF, leading
to enhanced and accelerated progress on implementing improvements to the
IGF, taking into account the report of the Working Group. It is expected
that there will be further suggestions for improvements that will need
to be reviewed broadly by all Stakeholder groups following the retreat.
Specifically, any idea or suggestion coming out of the retreat will
be shared with the broader IGF community for further comment/consultation.
Daily summaries will be made available as soon as they are available. Remote
participation, however, will not be possible due to the retreat brainstorming
modality and on-site logistics. (Refer to </font><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-faqs"></a><a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-faqs"><font size="2" color="blue" face="sans-serif">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-retreat-faqs</font></a><font size="2" face="sans-serif">)</font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">The modalities for considering and taking
forward any idea or suggestion coming out of the retreat will be subsequently
considered by the global IGF community itself, following various work streams
of the IGF community including the IGF's Multistakeholder Advisory Group.</font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">Once again, we thank you and look forward
to your continued participation and contribution to the IGF. </font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" face="sans-serif">Best regards,<br>
Wai Min </font>
<br>
<br><font size="2" color="#0082bf" face="sans-serif">Wai Min KWOK <br>
</font><font size="2" color="#4f4f4f" face="sans-serif">Division for Public
Administration and Development Management | Department of Economic and
Social Affairs</font>
<br><font size="2" color="#4f4f4f" face="sans-serif">United Nations | Office
DC2-1750 | </font><a href="mailto:kwok@un.org"><font size="2" color="blue" face="sans-serif"><u>kwok@un.org</u></font></a><font size="2" color="#4f4f4f" face="sans-serif">
| +1 (917) 367 3026 | </font><a href="http://publicadministration.un.org"><font size="2" color="blue" face="sans-serif"><u>publicadministration.un.org</u></font></a><font size="2" face="sans-serif"><br>
</font>
<br><img src="cid:_1_0E4B6B280E4B6728000228C885257FF0" style="border:0px solid;"><font size="2" face="sans-serif">
</font>
<p>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size="3" face="Helvetica"><b>From: </b>Jeremy Malcolm <</font><a href="mailto:jmalcolm@eff.org"><font size="3" color="blue" face="Helvetica"><u>jmalcolm@eff.org</u></font></a><font size="3" face="Helvetica">></font>
<br><font size="3" face="Helvetica"><b>Subject: Civil society letter to UN
DESA on transparency and accountability of IGF Retreat</b></font>
<br><font size="3" face="Helvetica"><b>Date: </b>June 30, 2016 at 11:57:45
PM GMT+2</font>
<br><font size="3" face="Helvetica"><b>To: </b></font><a href="mailto:igfretreat@intgovforum.org"><font size="3" color="blue" face="Helvetica"><u>igfretreat@intgovforum.org</u></font></a><font size="3" face="Helvetica">,
IGF <</font><a href="mailto:igf@unog.ch"><font size="3" color="blue" face="Helvetica"><u>igf@unog.ch</u></font></a><font size="3" face="Helvetica">></font>
<br>
</p><p><font size="3">Dear organizers,</font>
</p><p><font size="3">In light of the scheduled “Retreat on Advancing the 10-Year
Mandate of the Internet Governance Forum” to be held in New York from
14-16 July 2016, we would like to note that the theme is of interest to
all parties in the IGF community. As such, we kindly request that remote
participation facilities be made available to widen participation in this
event, and that more information be provided on the expected modalities
for implementation of the meeting’s outcomes and the lines of accountability
for such implementation.</font>
</p><p><font size="3">The Tunis Agenda states in paragraph 73, “The Internet
Governance Forum, in its working and function, will be multilateral, multi-stakeholder,
democratic and transparent.” To the extent that UN DESA has custodianship
of this unique multi-stakeholder institution, it is incumbent upon it to
uphold these values, and this extends to the transparency and accountability
of meetings such as the IGF retreat and of the implementation of the recommendations
of such meetings.</font>
</p><p><font size="3">The IGF has been working since its inception to be open,
transparent, and fully accessible to all stakeholders through the live
streaming of all its sessions and its planning meetings. It also offered
remote participants the possibility to intervene, collecting inputs from
the widest possible range of stakeholders. It is also valuable to mention
that platforms for remote participation have been made available in meetings
with limited membership, such as the 2013/2014 CSTD Working Group on Enhanced
Cooperation (WGEC).</font>
</p><p><font size="3">As the purpose of the retreat is to show “progress on
working modalities and the participation of relevant stakeholders from
developing countries”, remote participation constitutes the very essence
of a participatory working modality and broadens the chance for under-represented
communities to engage in the IGF’s mandate.</font>
</p><p><font size="3">Apart from the need for transparency of the working sessions
of the retreat itself, it is also important to ensure clarity around the
bigger picture of how this event will impact the evolution of the IGF,
and by what means. We therefore ask for clarification of to whom the retreat’s
recommendations will be addressed or directed, who will have the authority
and responsibility to implement these recommendations, and to whom they
will they be accountable in doing so.</font>
</p><p><font size="3">We trust that the organizers will find these to be reasonable
requests that will contribute to the public legitimacy of the outcomes
of this meeting by all stakeholders, and we look forward to receiving your
reply on these points in advance of the retreat next month.</font>
</p><p><font size="3">Endorsed by:</font>
</p><p><font size="3">Baltic Internet Policy Initiative, Belarus<br>
University of Zurich, Switzerland<br>
IT for Change, India<br>
Eurolinc, France<br>
v5n4e8, Canada<br>
SFLC.in, India<br>
Electronic Frontier Foundation, USA<br>
Renata Aquino Ribeiro, Brazil<br>
Nadira Al Araj, Palestine<br>
Timothy McGinnis, United States<br>
Louis Pouzin, France</font>
</p><p>
</p><p></p></div></blockquote></body></html>