[governance] Workshop on the role of Government in IG

Tue Mar 24 06:31:06 EDT 2009

Hi Bill,

Thanks for your comments.

Exactly my point : "respective roles" is the core issue (key but most
ambiguous part of the IG definition) and the categorization of article 35 is
not doing justice enough to the complexity of overlapping - and shared -
responsibilities. Without getting into the discussion now (that will take us
far), this is exactly what such a workshop should address.

Wolfgang is right on point in his response to our exchange : the question is
not to segregate the different categories of actors with exclusive roles
(higher and lower ones) but to study how they interact in processes (PDPs,
...).

This is all about what is a multi-stakeholder governance model and how does
it function in the five different stages : agenda-setting, regime drafting,
formal adoption/validation, implementation and enforcement. If the IGF and
ICANN are laboratories for the new multi-stakeholder governance as we
believe they are, this discussion is a central contribution to a better
understanding of how it can work.

As 180 or so Heads of State or Government have explicitly endorsed the
multi-stakeholder approach in the WSIS documents, the question is not
"whether" it should be pursued but "how" this should function. And a part of
it is unchartered territory.

But let's not launch a whole thread at that stage. Even if it is a great
topic. Sorry for having started it :-) Just suggest the workshop.

Best

Bertrand

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 10:37 AM, William Drake
<william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch> wrote:

> Hi Bertrand,
> I have a slightly different view.  I've always thought the "respective
> roles" bit is the single worst part of the definition, one that confuses
> much more than it clarifies.  We put this in the WGIG report at the
> insistence of a couple of developing country reps who wanted to establish
> that policy is for governments full stop, and when we spent an afternoon
> trying to specify what those respective roles really were, the discussion
> quickly revealed abundant ambiguities and overlaps.  Many of the functions
> listed for each actor is or should be shared across them, so the whole
> effort ultimately seemed like a just a political sop to folks who had a
> rather restrictive vision of the relationship between state and society.
>  Hence, from the standpoint of promoting multistakeholderism et al, I can't
> help wondering whether re-fetishizing these artificial categories and trying
> to specify how they apply in different issue spaces, stages etc would really
> be such a constructive activity...?
>
> Best,
>
> Bill
>
> On Mar 24, 2009, at 10:18 AM, Bertrand de La Chapelle wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> Interesting exchange. And a good progressive refinement on the topic. This
> is clearly something of interest for all stakeholders.
>
> Such a workshop clearly would build upon the now famous IG definition of
> art. 34 of the TAIS:
>
> A working definition of Internet governance is the development and
> application by governments, the private sector and civil society, *in
> their respective roles*, of shared principles, norms, rules,
> decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use
> of the Internet.
>
> There is considerable discussion about what the "respective roles" are and
> Article 35 is not completely satisfactory in that respect.
>
> I have always argued that the "respective roles" of the different
> stakeholders can (and should) vary according to : the issue, the venue where
> it is discussed and the stage of the discussion. Such a workshop would
> probably benefit from exploring in some detail those various dimensions, to
> move beyond the classic oppositions on abstract principles into more
> operational territory.
>
> In particular, there is a sort of symmetry between the ICANN space where
> governments want more say and more traditional IGOs where CS and business
> want more say. This is all about "embodiment of the WSIS principles in
> Internet Governance processes".
>
> An important element is to define what is the expected outcome of the
> workshop and in which of the categories identified in the MAG discussions it
> fits : probably the one where actors know the different elements of the
> debate but simply do not agree ... yet. Hence the format could be more an
> open discussion than a panel of experts. But a key factor of success will be
> to make sure that all the different viewpoints are represented in the room.
>
> A way to do this would probably be to outreach ahead of time to a range of
> key stakeholders to promote the workshop and make sure that they will
> attend.
>
> Important thread.
>
> Best
>
> Bertrand
>
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 9:50 AM, Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>wrote:
>
>>  >Role of Governments in IG is an interesting topic and needs to be
>> discussed. But in the context of multi-stakeholderism, why would the Caucus
>> single out >Government and propose a theme "Role of Governments in IG" ?
>>
>> I agree, the workshop should be on a title something like
>>
>> "Global IG - the role of the governments, civil society and the private
>> sector'.
>>
>> Just interrogating the role of governments is either reducing IG to CIR
>> management, or, if we are speaking of all aspects of IG,  it is a bit
>> presumptuous, in the sense that governments obviously see themselves in
>> 'the' central role. We may want to challenge that, especially at the global
>> level, but best to do with a workshop with the above kind of a title, that
>> looking at the 'role of government in IG' which seem, at least to me, to
>> suggest that it was something of a new and developing concept.
>>
>> Parminder
>>
>> Sivasubramanian Muthusamy wrote:
>>
>> Hello Ian
>>
>> Role of Governments in IG is an interesting topic and needs to be
>> discussed. But in the context of multi-stakeholderism, why would the Caucus
>> single out Government and propose a theme "Role of Governments in IG" ?
>>
>> This moves the role of Governments center stage with the roles of other
>> stakeholder groups undiscussed.
>>
>> It would be more appropriate if the workshop is about the Role of various
>> stakeholder groups, as a part of which, the role of Governments is debated.
>>
>> Sivasubramanian Muthusamy
>> http://isocmadras.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 12:52 AM, Ian Peter <ian.peter at ianpeter.com>wrote:
>>
>>>  I also agree this is a good proposal. There are three dimensions –
>>>
>>>
>>>    1. appropriate regulation/governmental involvement at a national
>>>    level
>>>    2. international co-operation of governments
>>>    3. governmental involvement in global multistakeholder structures
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On the former – I know how this is organized at a national level differs
>>> vastly from country to country. Has anyone done a detailed study on this we
>>> could suggest for a panel?
>>>
>>>
>>> Similarly on the latter two – what are the current areas of international
>>> co-operation across various organizations? Has anyone a good study on this?
>>>
>>>
>>> A couple of good introductory studies would be the key to a successful
>>> workshop here.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ian Peter
>>>
>>> PO Box 429
>>>
>>> Bangalow NSW 2479
>>>
>>> Australia
>>>
>>> Tel (+614) 1966 7772 or (+612) 6687 0773
>>>
>>> www.ianpeter.com
>>>
>>>
>>>   ------------------------------
>>>
>>> *From:* Ginger Paque [mailto:gpaque at gmail.com]
>>> *Sent:* 23 March 2009 05:19
>>> *To:* governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>> *Subject:* [governance] Workshop on the role of Government in IG
>>>
>>>
>>> Please post your interest and ideas for a workshop on the role of
>>> government in IG on this thread.
>>>
>>> Milton L Mueller <mueller at syr.edu
>>>
>>> I think a WS on the role of Government in IG is useful for the IGF, and
>>> for civil society to be the initiators. I see echoes of this theme in
>>> current discussions of G7-G20, discussions of ICANN-GAC, discussions of
>>> different actions of national governments, forum shopping, etc.
>>>
>>> Ralf Bendrath <bendrath at zedat.fu-berlin.de
>>>
>>> This would spark an interesting discussion, indeed. But please do not
>>> equate "Internet Governance" with "ICANN" and only talk about the MAG and
>>> the JPA. ;-)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ginger
>>>
>>>
>>> Ms. Virginia (Ginger) Paque
>>>
>>> DiploFoundation
>>>
>>> Coordinator IGCBP 09
>>>
>>>
>>> www.diplomacy.edu/ig
>>>
>>> VirginiaP at diplomacy.edu
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>>
>
>
> --
> ____________________
> Bertrand de La Chapelle
> Délégué Spécial pour la Société de l'Information / Special Envoy for the
> Information Society
> Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et Européennes/ French Ministry of
> Foreign and European Affairs
> Tel : +33 (0)6 11 88 33 32
>
> "Le plus beau métier des hommes, c'est d'unir les hommes" Antoine de Saint
> Exupéry
> ("there is no greater mission for humans than uniting humans")
> ____________________________________________________________
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
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>
>
> ***********************************************************
> William J. Drake
> Senior Associate
> Centre for International Governance
> Graduate Institute of International and
>   Development Studies
> Geneva, Switzerland
> william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch
> New book: *Governing Global Electronic Networks,*
> http://tinyurl.com/5mh9jj
> ***********************************************************
>
>

-- 
____________________
Bertrand de La Chapelle
Délégué Spécial pour la Société de l'Information / Special Envoy for the
Information Society
Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et Européennes/ French Ministry of Foreign
and European Affairs
Tel : +33 (0)6 11 88 33 32

"Le plus beau métier des hommes, c'est d'unir les hommes" Antoine de Saint
Exupéry
("there is no greater mission for humans than uniting humans")
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