[governance] Caucus meeting in Athens

Tue Oct 17 04:57:52 EDT 2006

I agree with Vittorio's scheme of two meetings...

>>>a possible process statement to be given afterwards in the plenary (which
should, anyway, be first drafted and discussed on list) 

Yes, we should give a statement on IGC to the plenary and outside. IGF is
too big an opportunity to be missed..

However, I also think that it should be possible to agree on this list - in
the next few days - on a short statement at least on the IGF process (if not
on some substantive matters - even if briefly stating public interest
orientation etc) - and what we expect out of it, and what is our level of
satisfaction over its current institutional form....

The way IGF is organized and is increasing describing itself has some
problems about its ability and effectiveness in fulfilling all the points of
its mandate under para 72 of Tunis Agenda.

In this regard please see the latest statement of Nitin Desai in London at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6037345.stm 

(quote)

"The forum has no membership, it's an open door, a town hall, all views are
welcome."

"But it's not a decision-making body. We have no members so we have no power
to make decision." 

(ends)

For example how does it plan to "Interface with appropriate
intergovernmental organizations and other institutions on matters under
their purview" or to "advice all stakeholder" or "Promote and assess, on an
ongoing basis, the embodiment of WSIS principles in Internet governance
processes" and few such mandates that require a more active role than being
an international conference on IGF.

How does IGF plan to do it, since it says that it has no members and no
'body' so as to say, and is merely a 'space'.  What is the special status or
legitimacy of this 'space' and if there is any such specialty about it - how
is it proposed to be expressed.

(we may even just list such questions form IGC and ask them officially on
IGC's behalf in open house. Maybe with a list forwarded to the secretariat
earlier)

After WSIS, a top US officials said something to the effect that things have
turned out well for the US (and allied economic and political) interests,
but that we - meaning these interests - need to be careful over 2006 as well
- and that 2006 is an important year. He obviously meant WSIS follow-up
processes, where 'unpleasant' issues may again raise their head. Id say, as
things are going, they are having it even better than they had it during the
WSIS, and any strong  public interest, or south oriented advocacy has not
build up in post-WSIS spaces. 

The first meeting of IGF is an important occasion which still have (I hope)
some possibility of determining IGF's character in a meaningful way whereby
IGF still has some status, role and effectiveness beyond being an annual IG
conference..

Any effort to get this done needs to come from IGC, and we should not
declare it lost even before we have tried the least bit.. We must recognise
we represent, in some ways, the global civil society, since there aren't
many others in this space, and we have corresponding responsibilities.

Parminder 

________________________________________________

Parminder Jeet Singh

IT for Change, Bangalore

Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities 

Tel: (+91-80) 2665 4134, 2653 6890

Fax: (+91-80) 4146 1055

www.ITforChange.net 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Vittorio Bertola [mailto:vb at bertola.eu.org]

> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 1:58 PM

> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; Adam Peake

> Subject: Re: [governance] Caucus meeting in Athens

> 

> Adam Peake ha scritto:

> > Whoever considers themselves coordinators, get coordinating

> please :-)

> 

> You know, that might be an empty set! :-) Anyway, I would

> suggest that,

> if possible, we keep the two things parted.

> 

> One might be a short and small coordination meeting among the

> current

> caucus members, where we discuss practical issues such as the

> election

> process (and candidates, if you like) and a possible process

> statement

> to be given afterwards in the plenary (which should, anyway,

> be first

> drafted and discussed on list).

> 

> Another one might be a short but broader informational

> meeting, open to

> everyone in a big room, aimed at informing all civil society

> and

> individual participants of the opportunity to participate

> through us. We

> could just come up with a set of slides about what we did and

> how you

> can join, and do outreach. It could actually turn into a sort

> of

> "introduction to new participants to this process", a bit

> like ICANN's

> introduction at the beginning, and so it could actually be a

> service to

> the entire Forum. But then, this would require a big room on

> the first

> day, and I don't know whether that's feasible. On the other

> hand, the

> other, "internal" meeting could be moved out of the critical

> path, for

> example at dinner or just before it, after the Forum ends for

> the first day.

> 

> > Other things going on during lunch will be the new informal

> plaza (and

> > food.)

> 

> And don't forget about food... people less crazy than us tend

> to put it

> as a high priority item :-)

> --

> vb.             [Vittorio Bertola - v.bertola [a]

> bertola.eu.org]<-----

> http://bertola.eu.org/  <- Prima o poi...

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