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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">Jeremy, <br>
<br>
You may consider these comments too late in the day and may ignore
them. I havent reached Bangalore yet after the open consultations and
thus the delay. <br>
<br>
However if you are still considering major changes i would suggest that
we make a simple though strong statement that IGF review should be an
elaborate process with MS involvement, and it is but appropriate that
UN Secy Gen's recommendations based on the formal consultations with
IGF participants at Sharm is presented to the CSTD before it is
reviewed by ECOSOC and then the UN Gen Assembly which makes the final
decision. CSTD clearly has a formal role in WSIS follow up as per
section 105 of TA, and IGF review is obviously a part of WSIS review. <br>
<br>
We can add that the CSTD forum gives a relatively greater
multistakeholder (MS) involvement.<br>
<br>
However I wont harp too much on this point, in this representation. I
am really not sure how much more MS is CSTD than other UN forums in
Geneva/ New York. Does someone has full information on this? I do know
that a temporary window was created to involve all WSIS accredited
organizations (when does this end) but perhaps not much more. Even at
CSTD CS is present only as an observer and speaks only in allocated
slots, in the end. We are also not formally involved in drafting
processes, though informal practices may operate (sometimes). So while
we may make this point, I dont think we should push it too much. <br>
<br>
In fact, in making the statement it might be best to stress the CSTD
factor, since CSTD is formally assigned to do WSIS follow up and not so
much the MS point (which should follow form implication) because TA
para 76 clearly says that UN Secy Gen after formal consultations with
IGF participants will 'make recommendations to the UN membership'. We
can say that CSTD, like ECOSOC is extension of the UN membership review
system. <br>
<br>
parminder <br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="2"><font
size="2"><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></font></font><br>
Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:E4FA1D6F-B4E9-4E15-A61C-55DA1A3B9C83@ciroap.org"
type="cite">
<div>
<div>I think I have incorporated everyone's suggestions in what
appears below. If not, let me know. If all is well, my feeling is
that we can probably move swiftly to a consensus call. If not, please
contribute specific language that would address your dissatisfaction.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>When the consensus call is made, responding to feedback from
last time, I propose to experiment with Web-based polling, rather than
the usual stream of "YES" and "NO" emails to the list (though the list
can and should still be used for comments during the consensus call
period). If there are any objections to that, please say so now.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE CAUCUS TO THE UNITED
NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Dear Sir,</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As a strong supporter of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and
its unique multi-stakeholder process, the Civil Society Internet
Governance Caucus writes to express a concern about what we see as a
potential weakening of that process, in the revelation at the last IGF
open consultation meeting on 10 February that your recommendations on
the continuation of the IGF will not be reviewed by the CSTD
(Commission on Science and Technology for Development). In raising
this concern, we are joining our voice to those of several governments
who spoke to similar effect at that open consultation meeting.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>This recognition of the principle of "multistakeholderism" in
the Tunis Agenda 2005 was the biggest conceptual achievement in WSIS
and was in particular accepted as a guiding principle for Internet
Governance in contrast to a "one stakeholder (intergovernmental)
approach". The acceptance of civil society as an "equal parter" (in
their specific role) was a big step for civil society. This was paved
by the constructive and substantial work the civil society
representatives did during WSIS I and II, documented in particular in
the WSIS Civil Society Declaration, adopted in Geneva in December 2003
and handed over officially to the Heads of States (who accepted it) in
the Closing Ceremony of WSIS I, and in the contribution to the results
of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG). The launch of
the IGF as a "multistakeholder discussion platform" was the result of
this. </div>
<br>
Responsibility for system-wide follow-up of the WSIS outcomes,
including the IGF, was granted to ECOSOC, with the actual review and
assessment work tasked to the CSTD, one of its functional commissions,
which for this purpose was to be strengthened "taking into account the
multistakeholder approach". (Tunis Agenda, para 105). The "opening"
of the CSTD to other stakeholders was formalized in ECOSOC decisions
2007/215, 2007/216, 2008/217 and 2008/218. According to these
decisions, all WSIS-accredited NGOs, academic entities and private
sector representatives were invited to participate in the work of the
CSTD.<br>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>With this structure in place, the CSTD drafted the annual ECOSOC
resolutions on the WSIS follow-up for 2007-2009, including assessments
on the performance of the IGF. Its multi-stakeholder process, like
that of the IGF itself, has been widely lauded as innovative and
successful. A similar approach has also resulted in success in other
forums: for example, national and regional IGFs that have brought
valuable contributions to the debates and dialogues in the main IGF.
There is therefore no reason for a sudden departure from this process
on the question of the continuation of the IGF.</div>
<div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>In contrast to the CSTD, ECOSOC itself is not a
multi-stakeholder institution. Whilst ECOSOC has accredited
NGOs, their influence is limited and much of their expertise is not
taken into consideration by ECOSOC. More importantly, there are many
NGOs that were accredited at WSIS but which are not in consultative
status with ECOSOC, and the private sector has no representation within
ECOSOC at all. This makes it impossible to regard ECOSOC as a truly
multi-stakeholder institution.</div>
<div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Consequently, to move the debate to ECOSOC means to silence an
open and transparent debate among governmental and non-governmental
stakeholders. It would mark a return to the pre-WSIS time when civil
society (and the private sector) were removed from the room after the
ceremonial speeches of the opening sessions ended and the real debate
started in June 2002. It took three years and ten PrepComs to change
this.<br>
<br>
We request you to take steps to redress this anomaly, by transmitting
your recommendations on the continuation of the IGF to the CSTD for
consideration at its May meeting, where they will be open for review by
non-governmental stakeholders, as befits the review of a unique
multi-stakeholder institution. Should it not be possible to do this,
civil society's confidence in the legitimacy of the resolution on the
continuation of the IGF that is ultimately made by the General Assembly
might well be reduced. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate
our support for the continuation of the IGF as a multi-stakeholder
forum for the discussion of Internet-related public policy issues,
located in Geneva, with an independent budget and a Secretariat under
contract with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UNDESA).</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thank you for your consideration.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
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