<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div><div>Dear all, <br><br></div>I'm writing regarding the outcome of the MAG nomination process this year. As you know, the CSCG ran a nomination process to select candidates to the MAG 2017 nominations and submitted the three names selected (Norbert Bollow, Jeremy Malcolm, Arsene Tungali) by the deadline, 16 December.<br><br>The CSCG was informed of the outcome on 27 February. We received the communication that "<span lang="EN-GB">there will be no new Civil Society MAG member being added".<br><br></span></div><div><span lang="EN-GB">The IGF 2017 MAG has now been been approved by the Secretary-General's office. </span>The list of members can be found on the following url: <a href="https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/mag-2017-members" target="_blank">https://www.intgovforum.org/mu<wbr>ltilingual/content/mag-2017-me<wbr>mbers.</a><span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></div><div><br></div>In response, we have sent the following letter to the IGF Secretariat, copied in full under the dotted line below. The first Open Consultations and MAG meeting of the IGF 2017
preparatory cycle are taking place now (01-03 March) in Geneva, so we expect for this to be brought up during the course of the discussions there, and to receive a response soon. <br><br></div>Should you have any questions at all, <br><br></div>Best<br></div>Sheetal and Poncelet.<br><div><div><div><div>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 360pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">1 March 2017</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">Dear Chengetai,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">We are writing, as members of the Civil Society
Coordination Group (CSCG), to respectfully express our concern at the notice
received via the Internet Governance Forum’s (IGF) Secretariat, that there will
be no new civil society member added to the Internet Governance Forum's
Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) this year (2017). The reason provided to
the CSCG was that there is no civil society MAG member being rotated out.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">The Civil Society Coordination Group
(CSCG) exists solely to ensure a coordinated civil society response and conduit
when it comes to making civil society appointments to outside bodies. Please
see the website for more information on the mechanism:</span><a href="http://internetgov-cs.org/#about"><span class="gmail-InternetLink"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black">
</span></span></a><span class="gmail-InternetLink"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" lang="EN-US"><a href="http://internetgov-cs.org/#about">http://internetgov-cs.org/#about</a></span></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">According to the </span><a href="https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/mag-renewal-2016"><span class="gmail-InternetLink"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" lang="EN-US">FAQ provided</span></span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US">,</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"> there is not a fixed
number of civil society representatives. We understood that one of the current
members (</span><a href="https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/Ms-Amelia-Andersdotter"><span class="gmail-InternetLink"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" lang="EN-US">Ms. Amelia Andersdotter</span></span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US">)</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"> has served three terms
and would be be rotated out. On the </span><a href="https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/mag-members-0"><span class="gmail-InternetLink"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" lang="EN-US">IGF website</span></span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">, her affiliation is
listed as Civil Society, we therefore do not fully understand the explanation
provided about her past and current affiliation in your email (dated 27
February) 2017 to us. </span>We understand that, apart from Amelia
Andersdotter's retirement, another civil society vacancy has been created
by John Dada stepping down over the last year. This vacancy we understand was
never filled.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">Once again, it was our understanding from
the beginning that at least one, perhaps two, vacant position(s) was available
and to be filled by a Civil Society representative. The CSCG conducted an open,
transparent and democratic selection process, following which three candidates
were selected. These three names </span><a href="http://www.internetgov-cs.org/2016-12-15"><span class="gmail-InternetLink"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" lang="EN-US">were
submitted</span></span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"> before the deadline to UNDESA for consideration.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">However, the decision to not elect a civil
society representative to replace the outgoing member comes as both a surprise
and disappointment to the CSCG. The selection process conducted via CSCG paid
respect to the factors outlined by UNDESA, “notably: priorities for regional
diversity, with an emphasis on representation from developing and least
developed countries; gender balance; and diversity of institutions and
organizations with which members are affiliated”. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">We strongly regret that, following an
open, transparent and democratic selection process, we will not be able to
provide a satisfactory explanation for this situation to the members of the
various constituencies which we represent. Moreover we are concerned about the
possibility that this situation may deter, or at least reduce willingness of,
civil society members to engage in the process going forward considering the
time lost and unaccounted for on this occasion. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"times new roman",serif" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"arial",sans-serif;color:black" lang="EN-US">While we would like to thank the UNDESA
for its leadership we hereby respectfully request that UNDEA reconsider its
decision and agree to appoint at least one additional representative from civil
society on the basis of our proposal, or, at a minimum, that UNDESA provide
further explanation as to the decision not to nominate a replacement for the
outgoing civil society MAG member. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:black" lang="EN-US">Thank you for your time and consideration
of this matter.</span></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt" lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">With
best wishes,</span></span></font></p><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></font></p><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">
</span></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">The
CSCG.</span></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div><div><div><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:12.8px"><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#073763"><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#073763" size="2"><b><br></b></font></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:12.8px"><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#073763"><b><br></b></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:12.8px"><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#073763"><b>Sheetal Kumar</b></font></div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-size:12.8px"><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#073763">Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL</font><div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#666666" size="1">Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL</font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#666666" size="1">T: +44 (0)20<font color="#666666"> 3 818 3258</font> 0337</font><font face="verdana, sans-serif" color="#666666" size="1">| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | </font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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