[governance] Fora

[Meryem Marzouki]

Hi all,

Interesting that the former Cluster of WSIS-related eventS is now:
(1) renamed "THE WSIS Forum" (http://www.itu.int/wsis/implementation/ 
2009/forum/index.html), and
(2) designed and shaped in an IGF-like way (http://www.itu.int/wsis/ 
implementation/2009/forum/docs/draft-agenda.pdf). There is even an  
opening and a closing ceremony.

On the other hand, the IGF themes and format have, since 2006,  
evolved in such a way that they are closer to the WSIS follow-up  
action lines discussions.

Given that we're approaching the time to "examine the desirability of  
the continuation of the [IG]Forum", one might wonder what would  
happen next, especially when the ITU Secretary General declares  
(ICANN Cairo meeting, Nov. 2008):
"Coming back to what we do with ICANN, we also participate actively  
in the work of Internet Governance Forum, which was established as  
the result of the multistakeholder deliberations at the WSIS. I  
personally believe that the IGF is just going around and around,  
avoiding the topics, and becomes sometimes a waste of time. We need  
to address issues frankly and try to solve them. And that's why I  
thought I should be here to talk to you here, so that we learn to  
know each other better. Next year, ITU will organize the World Policy  
Forum, which addresses a number of Internet-related public-policy  
issues, ranging from cybersecurity and data protection to  
multilingualism and the ongoing development of Internet."

The ITU World Telecom Policy Forum (http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/wtpf/ 
wtpf2009/about.html) will be held on 21-24 April 2009, just one month  
before THE WSIS Forum. This year, one WTPF main theme is  
"convergence, including internet-related public policy matters".  
Excerpt: "The crux of today’s Internet governance debate centres on  
resource management, and in particular on the management of top level  
domains, the allocation of IP addresses – and the regulations  
stipulating who defines their associated rules."

Sounds like, while the IGF is beating around the bush for 3 years  
now, the ITU is dribbling its way through. What about a convergence  
between the WTP Forum and the WSIS Forum? What would happen to the IG  
Forum, then?

Best,
Meryem

--
Meryem Marzouki - http://www.iris.sgdg.org
IRIS - Imaginons un réseau Internet solidaire
40 rue de la Justice - 75020 Paris


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