[governance] IGC statement to IGF MAG - content

[Parminder]

Since all of them are plenaries, the topic

(1) Plenary on Internet Global Public Policy

will be amended - what about 

Internet Global Public Policy - Issues and Institutions

Parminder  

________________________________________________

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Parminder [mailto:parminder at itforchange.net]
> Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 10:57 AM
> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; 'Jeremy Malcolm'; 'Vittorio Bertola'
> Subject: RE: [governance] IGC statement to IGF MAG - content
> 
> 
> 
> Hi All
> 
> We are taking inputs on the four topic areas for the main sessions (open
> for
> next 24 hours before consolidation), for which a draft is already
> proposed.
> In my email yesterday I had suggested that we have an opening para or two
> contextualizing what are we doing, and why. Bill said it may not be
> necessary and be read negatively etc, and that in the formulation of the
> themes itself it is obvious that we are taking  a different approach,  and
> I
> agreed. However, I now think that it may not be so obvious what are we
> doing
> and why, and an introduction invoking TA and the interests of our
> constituencies is important. I think all advocacy docs which present a
> forceful position shd do it.
> 
> 
> My present proposal for the statement on themes for the main sessions at
> IGF
> Rio is as follows. This is a quick first draft, and will be corrected.
> Inputs solicited.
> 
> (statement begins)
> 
> This is the contribution of the IGC towards setting up the agenda of the
> main sessions at IGF Rio. Our contribution on other issues, regarding
> content of workshops etc, and issues of structures, participation etc will
> be made separately.
> 
> We will like to preface our contribution by referring to the Tunis Agenda,
> and noting that many aspects of the mandate of the IGF which gives it a
> more
> proactive role than merely a policy deliberative space, remain
> unfulfilled.
> These are in terms of interfacing with and promoting dialogue among IG
> institutions, making its own analyses, making recommendations etc. So,
> while
> this far IGF has only focused on its role as a policy deliberative space,
> we
> feel that the IGF should take this role more seriously, and in an output
> focused manner. In terms of its main themes, around which plenary sessions
> are organized, it is important that they capture important public policy
> issues in the IG arena which are uppermost in the people's minds. And that
> they are presented in the terms and language that they are being spoken of
> in public spaces, while bringing in the best expertise to the issues.
> 
> Merely mentioning broad concerns like access and openness do not make for
> any useful deliberations. We are therefore suggesting below four topics on
> which main sessions should deliberate, along with the outline of the major
> issues implicated in each topic area. These subjects are in our opinion
> the
> most important public policy issues in the IG realm that concern most
> people
> today, and an open discussion on these will enable us to move forward on
> them. Taking up these issues in the right earnest will also provide
> greater
> legitimacy to IGF, as fulfilling its mandated role in this respect.
> 
> The four topics for main sessions should be:
> 
> (1) Plenary on Internet Global Public Policy
> 
> A call to "discuss public policy issues related to key elements of
> Internet
> governance" is the first point in the IGF mandate in the  Tunis agenda.
> The
> Agenda deals at length with the question of new  global public policy
> issues
> regarding IG, the possibility of new frameworks and structures, and the
> role
> of existing ones (e.g,  paragraphs 61, 69). We therefore believe that an
> IGF
> Plenary session should explore the following topics:
> 
> a) What is "public policy" on the Internet and when do we need to  use
> global institutions to establish it? The Tunis Agenda  distinguishes
> between
> "technical" and "public policy" issues, and  between public policy and the
> "day-to-day technical and operational  matters." What makes an Internet
> governance issue a "public policy"  issue, and what happens when policy
> concerns are closely linked to  technical administration?
> 
> b) What was intended by the TA's call for the "development of
> globally-applicable principles on public policy issues associated  with
> the
> coordination and management of critical Internet resources"  and how can
> this goal be pursued?
> 
> 
> (2) ICANN and Core Internet Resources
> 
> Core Internet resources should be discussed as a main session in the IGF.
> Policy toward "critical Internet resources" are a major topic  in the
> Tunis
> Agenda and the mandate for the IGF. Currently, name and number resources
> are
> administered by ICANN and the Regional Internet Registries. This session
> should discuss the policy issues and policy making processes in these
> institutions. In particular, ICANN's  status as an international
> organization, its representation of individual users, and the changing
> role
> of the  GAC within ICANN should be discussed.
> 
> 
> (3) Global Internet policies impacting access to and effective use of the
> Internet by disadvantage people and groups - The development agenda in IG
> 
> "Under the general theme of access, we would like to have a plenary
> session
> devoted to the topic, how can global Internet governance policies and
> practices have an impact on disadvantaged peoples' access to, and
> effective
> use of, the Internet and their access to knowledge? This panel would try
> to
> identify and explore the specific policies, institutional mechanisms,
> resource allocation processes, property rights regimes and financing
> mechanisms that are international in scope and can have a real affect on
> access to, and effective use of, the Internet."
> 
> 
> (4) role and mandate of IGF
> 
> The Tunis Agenda mandated that the IGF should, inter alia, facilitate
> discourse between bodies dealing with different cross-cutting
> international
> public policies and issues that do not fall within the scope of any
> existing
> body; interface with appropriate inter-governmental organizations and
> other
> institutions on matters under their purview;  identify emerging issues,
> bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and the general public,
> and, where appropriate, make recommendations; and promote and assess, on
> an
> ongoing basis, the embodiment of WSIS principles in Internet governance
> processes. Since these critically important, value-adding functions cannot
> be performed by any existing Internet governance mechanism, nor by annual
> conferences built around plenary presentations from invited speakers, the
> purpose of this panel would be to foster an open and inclusive dialogue on
> how the IGF could fulfill these and other elements of its mandate.
> 
> (ends)
> 
> Parminder
> 
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