[governance] role in MAG

[Parminder]

Hi All

 

As a caucus co-coordinator, I consider it important to inform the caucus
that the IGF secretariat had asked me to be a special advisor to the MAG
chair, which I role I have accepted. I did so after some amount of thinking
and clarifying with the secretariat that my IGC co-coordinator and advocacy
role should and will in no way be affected by this responsibility.  For the
sake of transparency, I am sharing as below the email that I wrote to the
IGF secretariat in this regard. I have been told that my understanding of
the role as per my email is quite fine. 

 

I have convinced myself that the role of a special advisor does not conflict
with my role of IGC co-coordinator. In any case, I still see the later as
primary, and will act accordingly, if any circumstances of conflict, however
unlikely, were to arise. In this regard, I am given to understand that
almost the only really strict principle of MAG working is that of following
Chatham house rules. 

 

 

 

Parminder 

 

(PS: Due to some internal reasons, I was asked by the secretariat to not
share this information till the MAG meeting started today.)

 

 

 

(Below is the email I wrote a few days back in response to the invitation to
be a special advisor to the MAG chair) 

 

Dear Markus

 

As you would have judged, my taking some time to think about accepting the
gracious invitation to be a Special Advisor to the Chair of MAG had to do
with the civil society advocacy work I do. I had to consider if this work
will in any way get affected by my working in this capacity. I also needed
to consult my organization. 

 

I will of course in no way be able to change anything in terms of my
advocacy work - as IGC co-coordinator, where I have a little more time to
go,  or, even more so, the work I do on the behalf of my organization and
the network of South-based civil society groups that I work with. As in
engagement with any institution, advocacy positions may carry differing
perspectives on various aspects of the institution's work, in this case
IGF's. 

 

However, I have no doubt that I see the IGF as an extra-ordinarily important
forum - even more so from a futuristic perspective - in providing new
possibilities in the area of democratic global governance, apart from its
cardinal role in global IG.  It is exciting as well as eminently useful, in
terms of my keen interest in these areas, for me to be a part of such an
evolving institution. I am also completely in agreement with the mandate
that WSIS has given to the IGF, and will like to see it steadily evolve in
fulfilling this role, even as we figure out how best it can be done.  

 

I understand that as a special advisor my services are available to the
chair to help him carry out his responsibilities. I will be able to provide
assistance especially in terms of civil society perspectives, and reaching
out to civil society groups and persons. 

 

As I understand it, I will not be seen as necessarily representing the
'official' MAG position if there is one, as I understand even MAG members
can keep their individual distances from, as they deem fit. However I do
understand the responsibilities of constructive engagement with basic
purposes and activities of the IGF; and, also the need to observe the agreed
rules of the MAG's internal activities, and other tasks, if any, especially
those undertaken in confidence.  

 

I did not meant to make it sound like a formal acceptance speech, but the
specific circumstances of involvement with civil society advocacy activities
makes the issue of formal involvement with concerned institutions as
something that requires some amount of careful thought. 

 

I gladly accept to be a special advisor to the MAG Chair, with the above
understanding of the role. And I very much look forward to working with the
Chair, the IGF secretariat, and the MAG. 

 

Best Regards

 

Parminder 

 

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