[governance] [Re-post] Consensus call on IGC statement: please

[Parminder]

If Bill's real objection is to the way options are framed, it may be 
worth a try to make a clean statement for a clear 'yes' and 'no'. As I 
said earlier the part on 'working groups' which complicates options is 
not so controversial as to need a special option.

As for the management of the process, there has been a problem of very 
little participation of IGC members, which blame all of us should share. 
Another complicating factor which can be corrected with experience is 
that the time line for final comments was set a week ago and then, after 
a week, the final statement was put out. It mostly works if a day or two 
before making it final final, a warning is given that it is now or 
never. Most people just jump in at that last moment as happened this 
time too. So we can perhaps just take that lesson and now put a new 
clean statement for 'yes' or 'no'. My two cents.

Parminder

William Drake wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Given the way the process was managed and the options are now framed, 
> I vote no.
>
> Best,
>
> Bill
>
>
>
> On Jan 29, 2010, at 1:03 PM, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
>
>> Reposted as previously, with minor changes as follows:
>>
>> * one sentence struck out (or in double square brackets if your mail 
>> client does not show striking out)
>>
>> * one added paragraph underlined (or in single square brackets if 
>> your mail client does not show underlining)
>>
>> Please vote:
>>
>> *YES + thematic working groups *to accept the statement as shown here
>> *YES* to accept the statement without underlined passage 
>> *NO* to reject the statement
>>
>> *Submission of the IGC in taking stock of the Sharm el Sheikh meeting 
>> of the IGF*
>>
>> The Internet Governance Caucus (IGC) strongly supports the 
>> continuation of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as a 
>> multi-stakeholder forum for the discussion of Internet-related public 
>> policy issues.  When, as we expect, the forum's mandate is extended 
>> for a further term, there are a number of adjustments that we believe 
>> should be taken into account, continuing the IGF's pattern of 
>> incremental improvement since its inauguration in 2006.
>>
>> None of these suggestions would fundamentally alter the IGF as an 
>> institution; for example, we are content that it remain formally 
>> convened by the UN Secretary General, with an independent budget and 
>> a Secretariat under contract with the United Nations Department of 
>> Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).  We do not see any benefit to 
>> the IGF in moving underneath a different UN body such as the ITU.
>>
>> One question on which the IGC is in clear agreement is that the 
>> composition of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) itself 
>> should be more evenly divided between the stakeholder groups.  Many 
>> also believe that the stakeholders should have a more direct role in 
>> the selection of MAG members, and that MAG discussions should 
>> continue to be made more transparent.
>>
>> One particular aspect of the IGF's operations in which the 
>> participation of stakeholders could be improved is in setting the 
>> substantive agenda of IGF meetings.  We understand that the MAG might 
>> not be rotated this year (though in our view the uncertainty about 
>> the IGF's future need not preclude that).  If a rotation does not 
>> take place, care must be taken that this does not result in the 
>> programme for the Vilnius meeting being prematurely set in stone. 
>>  [[The IGC is ready to make innovative contributions to enhance the 
>> present "Secretariat-MAG-Open Consultation" mechanism for the 
>> preparation of IGF meetings.]]
>>
>> The IGF should also consider how to improve its orientation towards 
>> the development of tangible outputs, even if these would amount to 
>> "messages" rather than to recommendations, declarations or statements 
>> (though many of our members would also support outputs of these 
>> stronger kinds).  Whatever form its outputs take, efforts should be 
>> taken to ensure that they are transmitted to relevant external 
>> institutions through appropriate mechanisms.
>>
>> Similarly, attention must be given to the effectiveness of the IGF's 
>> intersessional work program, which is currently limited to open 
>> consultations, MAG meetings, dynamic coalition meetings, and loosely 
>> connected national and regional meetings.  In particular, there 
>> should be a better mechanism than at present for these other groups 
>> and meetings to present their outputs to the IGF as a whole.  This 
>> would require the IGF to set more stringent standards for such groups 
>> and meetings, including open membership, democratic processes, and 
>> perhaps multi-stakeholder composition.
>>
>> [The MAG should also organize thematic working groups to develop 
>> background material, IGF discussion synthesis etc on major themes 
>> selected to be taken up by the IGF.]
>>
>> We thank you for the opportunity to present you with these thoughts, 
>> which reflect a "rough consensus" of our several hundred members from 
>> civil society.  We look forward to continuing to constructively 
>> engage with and participate in the IGF over the course of its renewed 
>> term.
>>
>> *About the IGC*
>>
>> The IGC is an association of individuals in civil society, with a 
>> wide spread of geographic and gender representation, who are actively 
>> engaged in internet governance and the IGF. Formed during the lead up 
>> to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), our mission is 
>> to promote global public interest objectives in Internet governance 
>> policy making. It now comprises more than 400 individual subscribers 
>> to its mailing list, who have subscribed to its Charter.  More about 
>> our coalition can be found at http://www.igcaucus.org 
>> <http://www.igcaucus.org/>.
>>
>> -- 
>>
>> *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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> ***********************************************************
> William J. Drake
> Senior Associate
> Centre for International Governance
> Graduate Institute of International and
>  Development Studies
> Geneva, Switzerland
> william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch 
> <mailto:william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch>
> www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html
> ***********************************************************
>
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