WSIS+10 workshop?, was Re: [bestbits] Next steps on principles (was Re: Coordination...)

Tue Dec 11 04:59:47 EST 2012

I'm very unlikely to get funding to be in Geneva but I would like to comment
on the idea of a BestBits workshop at WSIS+10.

First, I think it is a great idea and we should be building on the limited
concensus that we achieved in Baku to move forward beyond some of the
impasses of the past and towards some positive statements as folks have been
mentioning in this thread.

I do want to take exception to Bill's comments below however and suggest
that issues of finanicial disequilibria resulting from an Internet based
global economy is something that we should be addressing (if not us, then
who... 

The issue here is to my mind, is as I discussed it in my earlier blogpost
http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/the-ituwcit-thinking-about-internet
-regulatory-policy-from-an-ldc-perspective/ is how to provide revenue
streams to LDC's in the area of ICTs to support the extension of ICTs into
underserved areas/populations and to overall support local infrastructure
maintenance and development as well at some point making a contribution to
general revenues for other public services.

I think/realize there is a lot of conceptual work that needs to be done in
this area especially if we move towards a model of the Internet as a global
public resource/public good as I think we should be suggesting.  In that
instance some financial mechanism for supporting development at the edges
(as the Internet folks are always arguing for and indicating is currently
being done) would begin I think to come into focus.

BTW, I think we should also at some point discuss the issue of whether or
not there is an actual or potential conflict of interest in having members
of a Civil Society caucus either at or in preparatory discussions for an
event who are also members of national delegations or paid employees of
companies with interests in the matters under discussion.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: bestbits-request at lists.igcaucus.org
[mailto:bestbits-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of William Drake
Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2012 7:01 PM
To: anriette at apc.org
Cc: bestbits at lists.igcaucus.org
Subject: Re: WSIS+10 workshop?, was Re: [bestbits] Next steps on principles
(was Re: Coordination...)

Hi

On Dec 10, 2012, at 12:36 AM, Anriette Esterhuysen wrote:

> Good idea to do a workshop, and we should try to have a meeting
beforehand.  I like the idea of "developing a positive civil society agenda
on internet governance" as a theme although making it concrete could be
difficult.  One way of doing this would be to do a 'stock-taking of where
things have moved since they were highlighted in the WGIG documents, as
Pranesh suggests. 

I too like the idea.  But I'm unclear over morning coffee how to frame it.
General stock taking is one approach.  

A second option would be to address the factors that drove WCIT.  But many
of the developing country concerns that have generated support for bad
proposals concern domestic telecom revenues and operational matters for
incumbent telcos rather than global Internet governance.  That they seek
tools through an international instrument doesn't necessarily make the
issues inherently global and requiring global frameworks.  And emphasizing
other matters instead where such framework are really needed might look
non-responsive and like an effort to redirect.  I guess one could frame it
broadly enough that it can be interpreted as on point and fill in later etc

Another option still would be to look forward to the WTPF and offer a CS
take on what'll happen there.  There's been no civil society per se
representation in the planning process; ISOC's been the only sort of MS
voice.  

In fact, it might be conceivable to do more than one workshop proposal
I
tend to think saying nothing about WTPF, which explicitly covers much more
global IG than does WCIT, would be a mistake.  There should be an
alternative vision on the table for that meeting, even if we don't have
standing to formally present it.  It could serve as a short of shadow
agenda, one that friendly governments might well make reference to.  Could
do press and campaign around it...

FYI below for reference are a couple efforts in this space at past WSIS
forumsboth of which I'd call positive agenda mapping...

Best

Bill

WSIS Forum 2012 Workshop

9:00-10:45, Thursday 17 May 2012
Room XI, the International Labor Organization

Global Internet Governance for Development

Does global Internet governance promote the effective participation of
developing country stakeholders in the information society?  What are its
implication for national development trajectories?  To fully address these
and related questions, it would be useful to establish an Internet
Governance for Development (IG4D) agenda.  Such an agenda could comprise a
holistic program that mainstreams development considerations into the
procedures and policy outputs of global Internet governance mechanisms.
While development agendas are being pursued in the multilateral
organizations dealing with issues like international trade and intellectual
property, there has been no corresponding effort with respect to global
Internet governance.  Accordingly, since 2007 a series of workshops and main
sessions exploring the idea have been held at the annual Internet Governance
Forum meetings. This workshop seeks to broaden the dialogue by engaging
interested attendees at the WSIS Forum.

A development agenda could involve organizing and improving access to
knowledge about global Internet governance issues and institutions,
including best practices and lessons learned such institutions could
consider within their respective work programs.  In addition, it could
encourage concrete actions that strengthen the fit between governance and
development, such as: a) facilitating access to capacity building programs
that help enable the effective participation of governmental and
nongovernmental actors from developing countries in global technical and
policy processes; b) enhancing institutional procedures and practices in
order to promote such participation; and c) identifying issues that raise
distinctive developmental considerations and possible options for
improvements in related policy frameworks.  Given the highly distributed
institutional ecosystem of global Internet governance, a development agenda
would need to be flexible enough to facilitate varying responses that are
appropriate to the issues and actors involved in each case.

The workshop will consider these matters in relation to relevant
multistakeholder, industry self-governance, and intergovernmental
institutions.  Of particular interest in this regard is the governance of
critical Internet resources, e.g. names, numbers, and standards; and current
proposals for new Enhanced Cooperation initiatives within the United
Nations, and for international treaty regulations that could be applicable
to the Internet.

Organizer

William J. Drake
International Fellow, Media Change & Innovation Division Institute of Mass
Communication and Media Research University of Zurich, Switzerland
Co-Sponsoring Organizations

Association for Progressive Communications

Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Government of Egypt

Kenya Internet Governance Steering Committee, Ministry of Information and
Communications Government of Kenya

Federal Office of Communications
Government of Switzerland

Speakers

Olga Cavalli
Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government of Argentina

Avri Doria
Researcher & former Chair of the ICANN GNSO Council United States of America

William J. Drake  [moderator]
International Fellow, Media Change & Innovation Division Institute of Mass
Communication and Media Research University of Zurich, Switzerland

Anriette Esterhuysen
Executive Director, Association for Progressive Communications South Africa

Wolfgang Kleinwächter
Professor of Internet Policy and Regulation, Department for Media and
Information Sciences, University of Aarhus, Denmark Germany

Markus Kummer
Vice President of Public Policy, The Internet Society Switzerland 

Alice Munyua
Convener, East Africa IGF, Kenya ICT Action Network; and Chair, Kenya
Internet Governance Steering Committee, and Kenya Network Information Center
Government of Kenya

Nermine El Saadany
Director of International Relations Division, Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology Government of Egypt

Thomas Schneider
Deputy Head of International Relations Service, Federal Office of
Communications Government of Switzerland

WSIS Forum 2011 Workshop
The International Labor Organization, Governing Body Room
9:00-10:30 Tuesday 17 May 2011

Institutional Choice in Global Communications Governance

The contemporary global communications order is characterized by a
significant increase in the number and variety of governance arrangements.
Traditional multilateralism has been supplemented by plurilateral, regional,
and bilateral intergovernmentalism; and by unilateralism, co-regulation,
industry self-governance, multistakeholder governance, and the coordinated
convergence of independent practices.  These ordering mechanisms vary
greatly in terms of the collective action problems they address and the
institutional attributes they possess.

How do we conduct a principled evaluation of alternative models relative
merits and potential fit with current and emerging governance challenges?
What are their respective strengths and weaknesses in terms of cross-cutting
objectives like equity, efficiency, transparency, accountability,
inclusiveness, development-friendliness, and public interest orientation?
Are there any generalizable lessons that they could learn from one another?
How well do todays mechanisms cohere into an strong and effective global
governance architecture?  This workshop will seek to advance the holistic
assessment of these and related questions and to assess them in relation to
key cases of contemporary ICT global governance.

Speakers

Dr. William J. Drake  [organizer & moderator] International Fellow, Media
Change & Innovation Division Institute of Mass Communication and Media
Research University of Zurich, Switzerland

Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen
Executive Director, Association for Progressive Communications South Africa

Mr. Alvaro Galvani
Head, Division of Information Society, Ministry of External Relations
Government of Brazil

Mr. Markus Kummer
Vice President of Public Policy, The Internet Society Switzerland 

Prof. Michael Latzer
Chair, Media Change & Innovation Division Institute of Mass Communication
and Media Research University of Zurich, Switzerland

Ms. Nermine El Saadany
Director of International Relations Division, Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology Government of Egypt

Mr. Thomas Schneider
Deputy Head of International Relations Service, Federal Office of
Communications Government of Switzerland

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