<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>It is so important during this phase that people and governments step up and reach out to each other. The best role of Governance is not in restrictions or rules or voting or technical expertise. The ultimate success is in giving a platform and room and chair for the individual participants. To not only invite them but make them feel worthy of contribution. And it is in this act of governance that we see real purpose. For it is not the government that empowers individuals but individuals who empower government. The greatest shame is when they empower that government to do nothing.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And so it is now up to each user, registrant and individual to demand. Not with a silent secret ballot but with a hardened heavy <SPAN>mallet</SPAN>.*</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>*yes the java entendre is intended<BR><BR>--- On <B>Thu, 10/1/09, lohento@oridev.org <I><lohento@oridev.org></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"><BR>From: lohento@oridev.org <lohento@oridev.org><BR>Subject: Re: [governance] so do i owe bill drake a pizza or not?<BR>To: governance@lists.cpsr.org<BR>Cc: africann@afrinic.net<BR>Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009, 10:27 AM<BR><BR>
<DIV class=plainMail>Indeed, this is a good step towards more <SPAN>multilateralism</SPAN> in ICANN<BR>processes. Let's hope that the review committee members will be really<BR>independent (apart from those already linked to ICANN) or adopt<BR>independent recommendations. It's true their nomination by ICANN and the<BR>GAC brings about some fears about this independence towards ICANN, but<BR>since there is room for public comments throughout the process, let's be<BR>optimistic to start with. The involvement of GAC in particular in that<BR>nomination is a good thing but I hope in some countries real experts will<BR>be nominated (and not just lurkers).<BR><BR>For sure, IGF can still play a role here in contributing to bringing to<BR>limelight some issues to be dealt with by the review committee. But IGF<BR>would be really effective in that role only if in one way or the other it<BR>has concrete outputs.<BR><BR>KL<BR><BR>> Ok, so the main shift is the
establishment of four review processes<BR>> which will assess ICANN's performance in four areas in three year<BR>> cycles. The review teams will be jointly established by the ICANN Chair<BR>> or CEO and the Chair of the GAC. These reviews will replace the role of<BR>> the US DoC in reviewing ICANN's performance. One can see an increased<BR>> role for the GAC in oversight of ICANN here, but it is a 'soft' form of<BR>> oversight - the 'recommendations of the reviews will be provided to the<BR>> Board and posted for public comment. The Board will take action within<BR>> six months of receipt of the recommendations'. In other words, there is<BR>> no enforcement mechanism for the recommendations - the ICANN Board is<BR>> not obliged to implement the recommendations, i.e. the reviews will have<BR>> the soft force of persuasion and moral or political pressure but not the<BR>> instruments of 'hard' oversight. This is
reinforced in the Affirmation<BR>> by the clear statement that 'ICANN is a private organization and nothing<BR>> in this Affirmation should be construed as control by any one entity.'<BR>> So the Board remains the key body of power within ICANN and the least<BR>> accountable, as there is no democratic mechanism for the bottom-up ICANN<BR>> community to dismiss the Board.<BR>><BR>> Nevertheless this is a step forward, with respect to diluting unilateral<BR>> US oversight of ICANN. It remains to be seen to what extent civil<BR>> society is represented on any of the review teams and whether the<BR>> recommendations of the reviews are accepted and implemented by the ICANN<BR>> Board. The EU has come out in support of the continuation of the IGF 'as<BR>> it is the only place where all internet related topics can be addressed<BR>> by a wide range of stakeholders from all over the world,
including<BR>> Parliamentarians.' It will be interesting to see what role the IGF may<BR>> be able to play as a space where the reviews can be deliberated on in a<BR>> multi-stakeholder fashion and boost the transparency of the review<BR>> process and perhaps its soft power.<BR>><BR>> Willie<BR>><BR>> Avri Doria wrote:<BR>>><BR>>> On 30 Sep 2009, at 11:21, Bertrand de La Chapelle wrote:<BR>>><BR>>>> Hi Mc tim,<BR>>>><BR>>>> I must have misunderstood. I thought Milton bought pizza if nothing<BR>>>> changed ?<BR>>>><BR>>>> B.<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>> And something did change.<BR>>><BR>>> Though I am not sure how much there is for Civil society to be cheer<BR>>> about.<BR>>> It is like the old days of WSIS, CS will be beholden to the gov't<BR>>> chair for right of participation.<BR>>><BR>>> Or, in the long
run, other then outward appearance, how significant<BR>>> the change will turn out to be for ICANN processes.<BR>>><BR>>> a.<BR>>><BR>>> ____________________________________________________________<BR>>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:<BR>>> <A href="http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=governance@lists.cpsr.org" ymailto="mailto:governance@lists.cpsr.org">governance@lists.cpsr.org</A><BR>>> To be removed from the list, send any message to:<BR>>> <A href="http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=governance-unsubscribe@lists.cpsr.org" ymailto="mailto:governance-unsubscribe@lists.cpsr.org">governance-unsubscribe@lists.cpsr.org</A><BR>>><BR>>> For all list information and functions, see:<BR>>> <A href="http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance"
target=_blank>http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance</A><BR>>><BR>><BR>> ____________________________________________________________<BR>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:<BR>> <A href="http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=governance@lists.cpsr.org" ymailto="mailto:governance@lists.cpsr.org">governance@lists.cpsr.org</A><BR>> To be removed from the list, send any message to:<BR>> <A href="http://us.mc839.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=governance-unsubscribe@lists.cpsr.org" ymailto="mailto:governance-unsubscribe@lists.cpsr.org">governance-unsubscribe@lists.cpsr.org</A><BR>><BR>> For all list information and functions, see:<BR>> <A href="http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance" target=_blank>http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance</A><BR>><BR><BR><BR>____________________________________________________________<BR>You
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