[governance] IGF consultations - extending IGF's mandate

[jlfullsack]

Dear Parminder and all

I see a (highly important and urgent) issue to be added between (2) and (3) : IG and Developinng Countries. 

So far we -the grass-root orgs, either from these countries or from industrialised ones working with them- missed this issue to be given its right place during the IGF's debates. In my opinion there are two main themes related to this issue : 
(1) The actual inclusion of DCs (and not only some representatives of a minority of these countries participating to the IGF) in the discussions on IG, i.e. in the whole IGF process ;
(2) Taking in account the spatial extension of the critical Internet resources, first of all the Internet backbone network with its IGX and IXP, in order to provide the  affordability to Internet access and services for these countries.

Respecting that, the third point you raise should also encompass the financing of both these themes.

All the best
Jean-Louis Fullsack   

---- Original Message ----- 
  From: Parminder 
  To: governance at lists.cpsr.org 
  Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2009 7:20 AM
  Subject: [governance] IGF consultations - extending IGF's mandate


  Dear All

  The Feb open consultations of the IGF have a specific purpose of getting views on the issue of extending the IGF's mandate. This issue will be considered by CSTD (commission of science and technology) and later UN's ECOSOC in 2010. The WSIS (world summit on the information society) mandated that the decision on the issue will be taken in 'consultation with IGF participants'. It is the first time that open consultations will be for 2 days, and the reason for this is that oneday will be exclusively devoted to considering this particular issue. 

  Now, it is not entirely clear if 'IGF participants' are only those who gather for the annual IGF, or the open consultations also in some form comprises of IGF participants. In any case, the open consultations in Geneva are supposed to give MAG its directions, and since MAG takes all process decisions, inputting into the forthcoming consultations can have important bearing on the process that will be followed in terms of what may constitute 'consultations with forum participants' for deciding on continuation of the IGF. However, I am of the opinion that we should also put in our substantive comments on the continuation of the IGF right away. 

  Just to kickstart the discussion, my view is that;

  (1) First of all we should clearly, and unambiguously, state that we will that IGF has a crucial and unparalleled role in the area of IG, specifically global public policy making in this area. For this reason, not only the IGF should be continued beyond 2010, but it should be suitably strengthened. 

  (2) We should also assert that there are two clear, and relatively distinct, mandates of the IGF -  first, regarding public policy functions, as a forum for multistakeholder policy dialogue, and second, regarding capacity building. Both aspects of the IGF's role needs to be strengthened. Especially, one role (for instance, capacity building) should not be promoted to the exclusion of the other (policy related role). If the IGF is assessed not to be sufficiently contributing to its one or the other principal roles, adequate measures should be considered to improve its effectivenesses vis-a-vis that role. 

  (3) The IGF should be assured stable and sufficient public funding to be able to carry its functions effectively, and impartially in global public interest. 

  Also is enclosed the contribution IGC made late last year to the synthesis paper on this subject.

  parminder 






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