[governance] [Fwd: Outside evaluation]

Jeanette Hofmann jeanette at wzb.eu
Wed Aug 6 03:51:31 EDT 2008


Hi everyone,

the MAG has recently discussed potential approaches to the upcoming 
evaluation of the forum. As has been mentioned on this list, there is 
also the option of an outside evaluation. Some MAG members like this 
idea, others expressed reservations.

In the following message to the MAG, Markus outlines the state of 
things, his interpretation of the Tunis Agenda, and the time table for 
the evaluation of the IGF.
jeanette


Dear colleagues,

In light of the feed-back received we will refrain from posting the
draft TOR for an external evaluation and asking for comments.
Instead, we will put the review process in general terms on the
agenda for the September consultations. The external review will be a
sub-item under this agenda item.

At this stage, it is useful to start the discussion on the review
process. Let me add a few thoughts on this issues.

While the Tunis Agenda is fairly precise in this matter, there is
nevertheless room for interpretation and a need for discussing how
the paragraphs related to the review need can  to be translated into
action.

A few elements are given:

The actors:

-The Secretary General (he is charged with examining "the
desirability of the continuation of the Forum")

- Forum participants (they are to be consulted)

- UN Membership: the Member States are to take a decision, based
on recommendations by the Secretary-General

The timing: para 76 states: “within five years of its creation”.
Presumably, this means the date when the Secretary-General convened
the first meeting of the Forum, in July 2006. The review therefore
needs to take place no later than July 2011. However, the Tunis
Agenda allows for the review to take place earlier. A review process
should leave the door open and should not prejudge a decision in
either way. Should it be delayed until the last moment, it would have
a negative impact on the IGF. A decision in this regard should be
taken by the end of 2010 at the latest, should there be a general desire for
a 2011 meeting.

The UN Membership takes decisions in the framework of the annual
General Assembly which meets each year between September and
December. Decisions by the GA need to be prepared by subsidiary
bodies: in this case the CSTD and ECOSOC. For the GA to be able to
take a decision by the end of 2010, the Secretary-General will need
to submit his recommendations as part of his annual report on the
WSIS Follow-up to the CSTD. This report is prepared early each year.
The elements for the Secretary-General’s recommendations therefore
need to be ready by late 2009.

Para 76 mentions that there is a need for “formal consultations with
Forum participants”. Does this relate to the annual meeting or to the
regular consultations in Geneva? It would be safe to assume that this
para relates to the participants at the Forum itself, as this is a
far broader community than the 'IGF insiders' who attend the Geneva
meetings. Should this be the general reading of this para, then the
2009 meeting in Egypt will need to include a slot in the programme
for these “formal consultations with Forum participants.”

This is my reading of the situation. Any other views are welcome. I
will also ask the legal services of the UN to give us their
interpretation.

The Tunis Agenda leaves open how the “formal consultations with Forum
participants” should be prepared and carried out. We thought an
external input into this process in form of an evaluation could be
helpful. In any case, we should start “examining the
desirability of the continuation of the Forum” at the open consultations
in May 2009 at the latest.

Best regards
Markus

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