[governance] Some thoughts regarding the selection of the next MAG Chair (possible criteria)

[Ian Peter]

Hi Bertrand, 

Let me put on my requirements ranking hat and respond to your various
criteria by labelling them MANDATORY, HIGHLY DESIRABLE, DESIRABLE, and LESS
IMPORTANT (in line below with some reasoning where it might help)). Hope
that helps in moving the discussion forward.



From: Bertrand de LA CHAPELLE <bdelachapelle at gmail.com>
Reply-To: <governance at lists.cpsr.org>, Bertrand de LA CHAPELLE
<bdelachapelle at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:11:31 +0100
To: <governance at lists.cpsr.org>
Subject: [governance] Some thoughts regarding the selection of the next MAG
Chair (possible criteria)

Dear all,
 
As we are preparing for the February IGF consultations and the first
(unfortunately closed) meeting of the WGIIGF (or WOGII : WOrking Group on
Improvements to the Igf), there is one element that deserves some attention:
the future selection of the future MAG Chair.
 
In order to launch the discussion on this list, I have listed below some
possible criteria that could be taken into account and used as input by CS
participants in the WOGII. They are largely based on the reasons why Nitin
Desai has been exemplary in this role and they constitute a useful benchmark
for any successor, albeit a difficult one to match.
 
This is only a seed and comments are of course welcome.
 
1)    First and foremost, the new MAG Chair must elicit trust among all
stakeholder groups, by his/her reputation in terms of neutrality, patience,
understanding of the notion and challenges of multi-stakeholder dialogue,
and capacity to moderate discussions on sensitive topics, foster consensus
and constructively summarize complex exchanges into actionable items.
MANDATORY
 
2)    Even if in principle it should be possible to choose this person from
any stakeholder group (and in a long-term perspective this should be the
case), the next five year period would probably benefit from a MAG Chair
with governmental (or international organization) experience, in order to
facilitate acceptance even by the critical governments. If this is the case,
an additional experience within civil society, the business sector or the
technical community would certainly be a plus.
HIGHLY DESIRABLE
 
3)    During his/her tenure, the MAG Chair should preferably not be in an
active position within an organization actively involved in the IGF process,
in order to limit potential conflicts of interests, illustrate neutrality
and ensure time availability for the critical meetings. This points to
people that are retired, or willing to leave their current function (but the
Chair position is not full-time and is not paid) or active in different
domains with schedule flexibility.
MANDATORY
 
4)    The MAG Chair should have attended at least one recent IGF (and
hopefully more than one), to have a concrete experience of the unique format
of the event and its dynamics. This is necessary because the working methods
of the IGF have evolved through time and they are not formalized and
documented yet. Knowledge of the existing good practices is therefore
essential. Having sponsored, participated in or organized workshops or
moderated panels would be a plus.
HIGHLY DESIRABLE
 
5)    Additionally, the MAG Chair should preferably have himself/herself
been a member of the MAG, at least for one year: this is where the role of
the Chair is the most important and firsthand understanding of the potential
and limits of this particular structure could prove critical in fulfilling
this role. 
NOT IMPORTANT. I think this narrows the field too much and could lead to a
more incestuous future rather than the capacity to invoke new directions and
possibilities
 
6)    Finally, and ideally, the MAG Chair should have participated in the
WSIS, at least its second phase, to have a holistic understanding of the
history and the delicate balance that allowed consensus around the creation
of the IGF in the first place.
DESIRABLE
 
These criteria are not absolute requirements and are more or less listed in
order of importance. However, the first one (eliciting trust among all
stakeholder groups) should be considered an absolute must. The other
criteria are contributing to this essential trust-building in the second
mandate of the IGF.
 
I hope this helps foster a useful discussion on this list and - hopefully -
in the Working Group.


Looking forward to more discussion.


Best


Bertrand


-- 
____________________
Bertrand de La Chapelle
Tel : +33 (0)6 11 88 33 32

"Le plus beau métier des hommes, c'est d'unir les hommes" Antoine de Saint
Exupéry
("there is no greater mission for humans than uniting humans")


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