[governance] Draft statement to UNSG on bypassing CSTD

[Carlos A. Afonso]

This is important as it refers precisely to specific formal decisions by
Ecosoc.

--c.a.

Yrjö Länsipuro wrote:
> My intention was to suggest that para 3 would be entirely replaced by this:
> 
> Responsibility for system-wide follow-up of the WSIS outcomes, including 
>> >> the IGF, was granted to ECOSOC, with the actual review and
> assessment work
>> >> tasked to the CSTD, one of its functional commissions, which for this
>> >> purpose was to be strengthened "taking into account the
> multistakeholder
>> >> approach". (Tunis Agenda, para 105). The "opening" of the CSTD to other
>> >> stakeholders was formalized in ECOSOC decisions 2007/215, 2007/216,
> 2008/217
>> >> and 2008/218. According to these decisions, all WSIS-accredited NGOs,
>> >> academic entities and private sector representatives were invited to
>> >> participate in the work of the CSTD.
> 
> 
> Sorry for not being clear,
> 
> Yrjö
> 
> 
>> Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:17:05 -0200
>> From: ca at cafonso.ca
>> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; williams.deirdre at gmail.com
>> CC: yrjo_lansipuro at hotmail.com
>> Subject: Re: [governance] Draft statement to UNSG on bypassing CSTD
>>
>> I second Deirdre (I would also remove "very complicated" in the same
> para).
>>
>> Also, I would try to briefly stress how the pluralist approach resulted
>> in quite successful national and regional IGFs, bringing valuable
>> contributions to the debates and dialogues in the main IGF.
>>
>> A hint on what we would do if Moon does not react and things follow this
>> absurd path is missing, I think. We respectfully request and do not dare
>> to mention what would a next step be on our part if we are just kicked
>> in the butt by the Secre (which is a real possibility)?
>>
>> fraternal regards
>>
>> --c.a.
>>
>> Deirdre Williams wrote:
>> > Make sure then that para 3 is edited to remove (though never
> formalised),
>> > possibly adding a reference to formalisation process.
>> > Deirdre
>> >
>> >
>> > On 16 February 2010 08:26, Yrjö Länsipuro
> <yrjo_lansipuro at hotmail.com>wrote:
>> >
>> >> Thank you, Jeremy, for the first draft.
>> >>
>> >> I think than in the 3rd para, we could refer to the relevant
> decisions by
>> >> the ECOSOC that actually formalized the participation of other
> stakeholders
>> >> in the work of the CSTD, e g.:
>> >>
>> >> Responsibility for system-wide follow-up of the WSIS outcomes,
> including
>> >> the IGF, was granted to ECOSOC, with the actual review and
> assessment work
>> >> tasked to the CSTD, one of its functional commissions, which for this
>> >> purpose was to be strengthened "taking into account the
> multistakeholder
>> >> approach". (Tunis Agenda, para 105). The "opening" of the CSTD to other
>> >> stakeholders was formalized in ECOSOC decisions 2007/215, 2007/216,
> 2008/217
>> >> and 2008/218. According to these decisions, all WSIS-accredited NGOs,
>> >> academic entities and private sector representatives were invited to
>> >> participate in the work of the CSTD.
>> >>
>> >> Best,
>> >>
>> >> Yrjö
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------
>> >> Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:52:02 +0000
>> >> To: jeremy at ciroap.org; governance at lists.cpsr.org
>> >> From: email at hakik.org
>> >> Subject: Re: [governance] Draft statement to UNSG on bypassing CSTD
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Paragraph four may elaborated further including a few success cases
> that
>> >> have been initiated by civil societies in several countries aiming
> at WSIS
>> >> missions. They have elevated Internet governance platforms in those
>> >> countries. Further progress of them requires substantive support in
> terms of
>> >> policy issues and state level patronization. These will roll out
> the process
>> >> of inclusive society to achieve the target set at several IGF
> sessions and
>> >> will open the door to continue as such in future.
>> >>
>> >> Best regards,
>> >> Hakikur Rahman
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> At 10:13 16-02-2010, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
>> >>
>> >> As agreed, please find below a draft letter to the UNSG (United Nations
>> >> Secretary-General) expressing our strong concern about the
> usurpation of the
>> >> role of the civil society-friendly CSTD (Commission on Science and
>> >> Technology for Development) in reviewing the conclusions of the
> UNSG on the
>> >> continuation of the IGF. This is based closely on Wolfgang's post
> to the
>> >> list that followed on from mine and Yrjö's. This is just a first
> draft, and
>> >> I might have missed some recent discussions as I'm composing this
> in the air
>> >> between the US and Europe.
>> >>
>> >> Dear Sir,
>> >>
>> >> As a strong supporter of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and
> its unique
>> >> multi-stakeholder process, the Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus
>> >> writes to express a concern about what we see as a potential
> weakening of
>> >> that process, in the revelation at the last IGF open consultation
> meeting on
>> >> 10 February that your recommendations on the continuation of the
> IGF will
>> >> not be reviewed by the CSTD (Commission on Science and Technology for
>> >> Development). In raising this concern, we are joining our voice to
> those of
>> >> several governments who spoke to similar effect at that open
> consultation
>> >> meeting.
>> >>
>> >> This recognition of the principle of "multistakeholderism" in the Tunis
>> >> Agenda 2005 was the biggest conceptual achievement in WSIS and was in
>> >> particular accepted as a guiding principle for Internet Governance in
>> >> contrast to a "one stakeholder (intergovernmental) approach". The
> acceptance
>> >> of civil society as an "equal parter" (in their specific role) was
> a big
>> >> step for civil society. This was paved by the constructive and
> substantial
>> >> work the civil society representatives did during WSIS I and II,
> documented
>> >> in particular in the WSIS Civil Society Declaration, adopted in
> Geneva in
>> >> December 2003 and handed over officially to the Heads of States (who
>> >> accepted it) in the Closing Ceremony of WSIS I, and in the
> contribution to
>> >> the results of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG). The
>> >> launch of the IGF as a "multistakeholder discussion platform" was
> the result
>> >> of this.
>> >>
>> >> Responsibility for system-wide follow-up and review of the WSIS
> outcomes,
>> >> including the IGF, was granted to ECOSOC through its CSTD, and this
> role was
>> >> to be managed using a multi-stakeholder approach (Tunis Agenda,
> para 105).
>> >> The "opening" of the CSTD was a very complicated procedure which
> was first
>> >> (in 2006) established as a preliminary exception, but was later
> taken for
>> >> granted (though never formalized). It allows for all
> WSIS-accredited NGOs,
>> >> and private sector representatives, to participate as active
> observers. In
>> >> fact, the ECOSOC decisions that opened CSTD up to other
> stakeholders speak
>> >> about "participating in the work" of it, rather than just observing.
>> >>
>> >> With this structure in place, the CSTD drafted the annual ECOSOC
>> >> resolutions on the WSIS follow-up for 2007-2009, including
> assessments on
>> >> the performance of the IGF. There is no reason for a sudden
> departure from
>> >> this process on the question of the continuation of the IGF.
>> >>
>> >> In contrast, ECOSOC itself is not a multi-stakeholder institution.
> Whilst
>> >> ECOSOC has accredited NGOs, all they can do is to send written
> statements
>> >> which are published before the meeting. They have no right to
> negotiate, no
>> >> right to speak, and no right to access the meeting room to brief
> (or lobby)
>> >> delegates. Moreover, the private sector has no representation
> within ECOSOC
>> >> at all.
>> >>
>> >> In other words, to move the debate to ECOSOC means to silence an
> open and
>> >> transparent debate among governmental and non-governmental
> stakeholders. It
>> >> would mark a return to the pre-WSIS time when civil society (and
> the private
>> >> sector) were removed from the room after the ceremonial speeches of the
>> >> opening sessions ended and the real debate started in June 2002. It
> took
>> >> three years and ten PrepComs to change this.
>> >>
>> >> We request you to take steps to redress this anomaly, by
> transmitting your
>> >> recommendations on the continuation of the IGF to the CSTD for
> consideration
>> >> at its May meeting, where they will be open for review by
> non-governmental
>> >> stakeholders, as befits the review of a unique multi-stakeholder
>> >> institution. We would also like to take this opportunity to
> reiterate our
>> >> support for the continuation of the IGF as a multi-stakeholder
> forum for the
>> >> discussion of Internet-related public policy issues, located in
> Geneva, with
>> >> an independent budget and a Secretariat under contract with the United
>> >> Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
>> >>
>> >> Thank you for your consideration.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >> *Jeremy Malcolm
>> >> Project Coordinator*
>> >> Consumers International
>> >> Kuala Lumpur Office for Asia Pacific and the Middle East
>> >> Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur,
>> >> Malaysia
>> >> Tel: +60 3 7726 1599
>> >> *CI is 50
>> >> *Consumers International marks 50 years of the global consumer
> movement in
>> >> 2010.
>> >> Celebrate with us as we continue to support, promote and protect
> consumer
>> >> rights around the world.
>> >> * http://www.consumersinternational.org/50*
>> >>
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>> --
>>
>> Carlos A. Afonso
>> CGI.br (www.cgi.br)
>> Nupef (www.nupef.org.br)
>> ====================================
>> new/nuevo/novo e-mail: ca at cafonso.ca
>> ====================================
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-- 

Carlos A. Afonso
CGI.br (www.cgi.br)
Nupef (www.nupef.org.br)
====================================
new/nuevo/novo e-mail: ca at cafonso.ca
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