[governance] role in MAG

[Carlos Afonso]

I agree with Wolf and Qusai.

--c.a.

Qusai AlShatti wrote:
> Hi Parminder:
> I agree with Wolfgang, I think that being a special advisor to the chair
> will not contradict with your role as IGC coordinator. In the contrary it
> will expnand CS involvement within the IGF and will give the IGC cauacus a
> bigger role.
> 
> All the Best,,
> 
> Qusai
> 
> On Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 12:02 AM, Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>wrote:
> 
>>  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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> 

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