[governance] the matter of MAG rotation 2010

[Parminder]

Hi All

I just now posted the following message to the IGF MAG list. More 
openness is always welcome but there are also some larger structural 
questions about the mandate and efficacy of the IGF which worry me since 
the proposal of 'only open meetings' has been made in connection with 
the need or not of renewing the MAG. I will posit these larger questions 
a little later while I share my mentioned email. Parminder

(Disclosure: I am some kind of a member of the MAG system and am funded 
for attending its meeting. However, to be fair to me, I was also funded 
to attend the planning meeting in Sept which was *not* a MAG meeting.)

Dear Markus and others,

A couple of questions come to my mind regarding the new proposal which 
could merit some discussion.

Does this mean that there will be no MAG post Feb? (I understand that 
MAG could exist while there be only open  planning meeting as in Sept last.)

If so, have we looked at all the implication - tangible and intangible - 
of there being no MAG in existence for a whole year in the run-up to an 
IGF meeting, and during the meeting?

Does this in fact suggest that we could anyway more or less do without a 
MAG, and a couple of open preparatory/ planning meetings in Geneva, 
outcomes of which are culled/interpreted by the secretariat, is all that 
is needed to hold the IGF and comply with the WSIS requirements?

Does trying out this practice in the year of possible structural changes 
to the IGF - possibly taken up along with its renewal if it comes - can 
have even more special significance?

Thanks and best regards

Parminder


Jeanette Hofmann wrote:
> Hi,
>
> the MAG started discussing the issue of rotation for this year. Some 
> people were in favor of an extended term for the present membership 
> because it is not clear if the IGF's mandate will be extended and, 
> should it be extended, under what terms. It could be that the MAG 
> meeting in May would be the only one for the new MAG.
>
> I argued that the MAG or the secretariat should not decide on this 
> matter without consulting the various stakeholder groups. This 
> afternoon, Markus and I discussed the options and we came up with a 
> third solution. Markus just sent the following message to the MAG list 
> and asked me to forward it to the caucus list as well. I expect the 
> caucus will be happy about the proposed solution?
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> Jeanette has got a point! It might not go down well  if any decision 
> were taken in this matter without consulting the broader community! 
> However, as there is a distinct possibility that a renewed MAG will 
> hold one meeting only, there is also a strong argument against 
> launching the heavy rotation machinery just for the sake of this 
> principle.
>
> I consulted with Jeanette and going through the pros and cons of both 
> approaches we both came to the conclusion that there might be a third 
> way. We both wondered whether there was any need for a closed meeting 
> at all in May. As last September's planning meeting went rather well, 
> we wondered whether we could not prepare most of this year's meeting 
> in an open process. By doing so, we would also take into account the 
> calls for more inclusiveness and transparency made during the 
> consultation in Sharm.
>
> The MAG would thus meet a last time next month and set the agenda for 
> the Vilnius meeting. The programme could be fleshed out in two open 
> planning meetings in May and June.
>
> This could also be an experiment in view of a possible renewal of the 
> mandate. Should the mandate be renewed, any decision on how to 
> continue could be taken in light of this experiment.
>
> Please let me know what you think about this possible approach.
>
> Best regards
> Markus
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