[governance] 'Internationalisation workshop'

[Fouad Bajwa]

I would like to back this notion with you Parminder and I would like
to revert back to the initial recommendations from WSIS 2003 and what
the WGIG sorted that: "
- Transparency (governance and statutory requirements, meetings,
translation, documentation)
- Accountability (structure and functioning of decision-making powers,
participation and comment, appeals)
- Democracy (roles, composition, and representation of stakeholders,
participation of disadvantaged stakeholders like developing countries
and civil society)"

Then the most debated issue was Multialteralism and Civil Society's
role and the issue about who governs an international process and I
would like to revert you all to the following link and information:
http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/736.htm

Multistakeholderism or Internationalization?

This led to an interesting discussion about the possible Internet
governance framework and its legitimacy. While India insisted that
only “governments and governments alone can claim to speak on behalf
of the public”, Syria and others mentioned the ITU’s experience with
involving the private sector. For civil society, this had been a
constant problem, as the ITU sector membership involves heavy fees.
The “intergovernmentalization” faction also includes China, South
Africa and a couple of other governments. The ITU itself also clearly
wants to play a bigger role in Internet governance. The overarching
question was the legitimacy of the respective governance mechanisms.
Lyndall Shope-Mafole, WGIG member and former South African delegation
leader to the WSIS negotiations, made the problem very clear:

“How do you make the mechanism fully accountable when it is
multi-stakeholder? The roles or the mandates or the powers or the
legitimacy of the different stakeholders is not the same: Governments
that are elected that have public accountability in their countries;
the private sector that is accountable to its stakeholders; civil
society – I’m not sure what the accountability to civil society is.
The only legitimate mechanism that we know that represents the will of
the peoples of the world is the U.N. system.”

From all the proceedings todate starting from Athens, I haven't been
able to find a concrete strategy to bring the mechanism to be fully
endured by the Civil Society and that the process to be recognized by
the IGF itself in its totality. If you look at the press release from
Athens by the UN, you will see what I mean:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/pi1750.doc.htm

How do we go about setting the global stage to recapture and proceed
with this debate. This is very important for Civil Society and we as
members of the CS Caucus should stand up and lead this workshop and I
would recommend the IGC to take this workshop forward with full
thrust.


On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 9:40 PM, Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net> wrote:
>
> Hi All
>
> Since the theme of 'internationalisation of IG' (loosely put) seem to have
> received early attention in MAG meetings, I suggest we propose one workshop
> on this subject.
> What about 'Democratic internationalization of IG - Exploring various
> institutional options'
>
> The term 'democratic' before internationalisation brings in civil society
> concerns regarding possible use of this term for a simple statist takeover
> of global IG processes.
>
> WGIG report explore some institutional options for such
> internationalisation. Since WSIS documents have to be relatively definitive
>  on such things , these options are not mentioned there, but I think the
> WSIS's IG related follow up processes are precisely to take such
> discussions/ possibilities forward.
>
> There is increasing pressure to move forward on the 'internationalisation'
> issue and it best if civil society takes lead in exploring/ proposing some
> options. In doing so it will help IGF to move forward in its principal
> mandate - that of helping (and if needed nudging forward) global Internet
> policy processes, which includes new institutional  forms, as and when
> needed.
>
> There is going to be  a main session on this theme - our workshop can
> connect to it.
>
> If an early workshop proposal is put by the IGC on the table I expect some
> governmental actors to get also interested.
>
> parminder
>
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-- 

Regards.
--------------------------
Fouad Bajwa
@skBajwa
Answering all your technology questions
http://www.askbajwa.com
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