[governance] Suggested statement on MAG's future

Tue May 4 04:38:21 EDT 2010

Yes, this is nice! And perhaps we should be a bit less subtle towards 
the end of this paragraph saying that the MAG has shown the feasibility 
and positive effects of non-bureau like structures.

jeanette

Yrjö Länsipuro wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> Thanks, Jeremy and Ginger, for the initiative.
> 
> I, too, think that the third para should be reformulated. I suggest the 
> following:
> 
> The roles of the UNSG and MAG in controlling the IGF process should be 
> re-examined in the light of he relevant articles of the Tunis agenda and 
> of the IGF experience so far. While the UNSG has the overall authority 
> over the IGF in terms of convening it (§72, §74), reporting on its 
> operation (§75) and examining the desirability of its continuation 
> (§76), the IGF in its working and function, will be 
> multilateral,multi-stakeholder, democratic and transparent (§73). In 
> post-Tunis practice, the MAG has evolved into the main actor managing 
> the actual "working and function" of the IGF, ensuring "the 
> complementarity between all stakeholders involved in this process - 
> governments, business entities, civil society and intergovernmental 
> organizations" (§73a)
> 
> 
> Best,
> 
> Yrjö
>  
> 
>  > Date: Tue, 4 May 2010 08:20:20 +0100
>  > From: jeanette at wzb.eu
>  > To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; jeremy at ciroap.org
>  > Subject: Re: [governance] Suggested statement on MAG's future
>  >
>  > Hi Jeremy,
>  >
>  > thank you for the draft statement.
>  >
>  > I have issues with the following sentences:
>  >
>  > Whilst the United Nations Secretary-General is the titular leader of the
>  > IGF process, this is a formal appointment only. Rightful control of the
>  > IGF as a process or institution of Internet governance belongs
>  > ultimately to the stakeholders themselves.
>  >
>  > What does that mean, it is a formal appointment only. Have you, for
>  > example, asked the secretariat if they also regard this appointment as
>  > merely formal? I think you would be surprised. Also, I don't understand
>  > the meaning of "rightful" in this context. Is it supposed to mean what
>  > you or we find just or adequate? Then this should be made more clear.
>  >
>  > Many of these issues we have discussed before and I can only repeat my
>  > positions:
>  >
>  > I don't think it is feasible and desirable for the stakeholders to
>  > choose their members for the MAG. We need somebody sorting out issues of
>  > regional and gender representation. Expertise is also an issue in this
>  > context.
>  >
>  > I am also not convinced that the MAG should get more authority. This
>  > would raise problems of legitimacy and most likely bring the equality
>  > between governments and other stakeholders in the MAG and the IGF in
>  > general to an end.
>  >
>  > Finally, the issue of transparency: The secretariat publishes a summary
>  > of the MAG's discussions as a response to the request for more
>  > transparency. If the caucus thinks this is not enough or doesn't do what
>  > we need, perhaps we should be more specific than just repeating what we
>  > have said for years?
>  >
>  >
>  > jeanette
>  >
>  > Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
>  > > Ginger and I have been silent on the drafting of a statement on the
>  > > future of the MAG for its meeting on the 12th, in the hope that such a
>  > > statement would emerge from the bottom up, but in order not to let the
>  > > opportunity slip, allow me now to propose some text for discussion.
>  > > There are six paragraphs. If you have an issue, please state which
>  > > paragraph is of concern, and please make your suggestions as 
> focussed as
>  > > possible.
>  > >
>  > > --- begins ---
>  > >
>  > > The Internet Governance Caucus (IGC) supports the maintenance of
>  > > the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) of the Internet Governance
>  > > Forum (IGF), as the body that links the UN Secretariat to the
>  > > stakeholder groups that are the joint sovereigns of Internet 
> governance.
>  > > We would like to see the democratic legitimacy and effectiveness of 
> the
>  > > MAG strengthened as it continues into a renewed term for the IGF.
>  > >
>  > > To this end, in our statement for the February open consultation 
> and MAG
>  > > meetings, the IGC suggested that the composition of the MAG itself
>  > > should be more evenly divided between the stakeholder groups. We also
>  > > reported that many 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.
>  > >
>  > > We also consider that care must be taken in balancing the respective
>  > > roles of the Secretariat and the MAG. Whilst the United Nations
>  > > Secretary-General is the titular leader of the IGF process, this is a
>  > > formal appointment only. Rightful control of the IGF as a process or
>  > > institution of Internet governance belongs ultimately to the
>  > > stakeholders themselves. Therefore, the Secretariat's role ought to
>  > > remain a purely facilitative and technical one.
>  > >
>  > > In underlining this, the appropriate role of the MAG, as the only
>  > > representative body of the stakeholders within the IGF process, 
> becomes
>  > > clear. Namely, it should be responsible for every decision that 
> effects
>  > > the substantive work of the IGF. This includes agenda setting,
>  > > overseeing the preparation of briefing and synthesis documents, and
>  > > reshaping the IGF's structure and working methods (such as the
>  > > establishment of thematic working groups).
>  > >
>  > > In the future, its role may go further still. Until now, the IGF has
>  > > been largely just a forum for discussion. Looking to the future, the
>  > > Secretary-General's report on the continuation of the IGF envisages 
> that
>  > > it may come to produce some form of recommendations. If so, the MAG
>  > > will have a role in supporting that process too, likely in shaping the
>  > > content of any statements that are to be issued in conformity with the
>  > > consensus of the plenary forum.
>  > >
>  > > Whatever the future may hold for the IGF, the MAG will be integral to
>  > > it. This is why it is so important that the composition of the MAG is
>  > > balanced, that the process of selection of its members satisfies the
>  > > stakeholder groups from which they are drawn, that its operations are
>  > > conducted with a high degree of transparency in order to ensure its
>  > > accountability to the stakeholders at large, and that its legitimate
>  > > role is not usurped.
>  > >
>  > > --- ends ---
>  > >
>  > > Perhaps time is too short for us to agree on this statement (extending
>  > > the delay, I'm writing while away without Internet access), but let's
>  > > try and see how far we get.
>  > >
>  > > --
>  > >
>  > > *Jeremy Malcolm
>  > > Project Coordinator*
>  > > Consumers International
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