[governance] communicating with our peers

[Adam Peake]

At 11:26 AM +0000 2/6/08, Jeanette Hofmann wrote:
>Parminder wrote:
>>>If you're just saying the civil society 
>>>members don't report enough of what's being 
>>>said, you're right.  We don't.
>>
>>That¹s the whole thing, the entire point of the discussion and not a minor
>>post-script to the discussion. Can we know and try to understand why we
>>don¹t.
>
>Actually I am not sure if there has been any 
>substantial issue that hasn't been reported by 
>any of us.


That's true.  Except the great leak, which I 
personally wouldn't have reported, at the time I 
felt as bound by normal netiquette we expect of 
private lists as much as any chatham house rule.

But I think some more frequent reporting could be 
helpful. Even if it's just to say that nothing's 
happening.  The MAG list is not busy, about 1400 
messages since May 2006. Last 6 months:  44 in 
August, 112 September, 164 October, 136 November, 
40 December, 39 January. During those 6 months 
there was one Geneva consultation and the Rio 
meeting, speaker discussions etc. Inevitable "me 
toos" and off topic stuff included of course.


This document from the time names were put 
forward might be helpful 
<http://www.nomadicity.net/IGC-candidates-for-IGF-MAG.html> 
See criteria.

We weren't all or only nominated by the caucus, names the IGC put forward were:

Adam Peake
Chun Eunghwi
Divina Frau-Meigs
Gemma Brice (Ken) Lohento
Gustavo Gindre Monteiro Soares
Jeanette Hofmann
Mawaki Chango
Milton Mueller
Parminder Jeet Singh
Paul Byron Wilson
Qusai AlShatti
Rikke Frank Joergensen
Robert Guerra
Robin D. Gross
William Drake

From that list Adam Peake, Ken Lohento, Jeanette 
Hofmann, Qusai AlShatti, Robin Gross became MAG 
members, along with Titilayo Akinsanmi and  Erick 
Iriarte and chair's special advisors, (Nitin) 
Wolfgang Kleinwächter and Jovan Kurbalija, and 
(Brazil) Carlos Afonso. (hope I'm not missing 
anyone!)



>(Remember, it is not just Adam and me. We are 
>about 6 if we include Wolfgang, the special 
>adviser.) What I have noticed is that very often 
>there is not much of a response from the caucus. 
>For example, in early january I sent a long 
>email that listed all the issues under 
>discussion in the MAG including my own opinion 
>in cases where I thought it might matter. From 
>what I remember, Jeremy was the only one who 
>took up at least one of the issues.
>Such a weak feedback is not very encouraging, is it?


I agree the lack of response from the caucus isn't helpful.

The consultation is now less than 3 weeks away. 
Are we prepared? There was a very useful thread 
in November/December.

Adam



>jeanette
>
>>
>>Please correct me if I am wrong but I think there was something in the IGC's
>>nomination process for MAG members that put some obligation on selected
>>members to keep in regular contact with the group. Not merely communicating
>>the process details (which are important, and most have never communicated
>>even that) but also real substantive details. Basically to consider the IGC
>>and the groups it connects to as their primary constituency (or at least one
>>of their primary constituencies).
>>
>>Now that a two year term is over, and MAG may be renewed, can MAG members
>>who accepted to be nominated by the IGC get involved with the IGC about
>>assessing these two years and the role of IGC nominated MAG members and
>>related issues?
>>
>>  I think we should seek from all positions, including co-cordinators such
>>accountability extracting questions. Unlike governments and the private
>>sector, civil society has no direct and simple accountability mechanisms. A
>>lot of questions, some uncomfortable ones, therefore is a basic and
>>necessary part of accountability in public life. 
>>Those who are too sensitive to any such public questioning and
>>accountabilities at all should in my opinion stay away from these public
>>roles (I say it matter-of-factly and with no judgment of people and their
>>choices and values).
>>
>>Parminder
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