[governance] Announcing the First Arab IGF

Wed Feb 15 10:20:41 EST 2012

Dear Khaled and Hanan
Thank you Hanan for your kind comments and thank you khaled for raising
your concerns. The fact that someone was not there in the meeting does not
mean that the meeting was not set in the right way or did not comply with
multistakeholder participation. Actually as I have mentioned in a previous
input and echoed by some of my colleagues, the open consulation was
inclusive, open and publicly anounced for participation.

However what khaled have in mind is what we are planning for the Arab IGF.
We do want the Arab youth who drived change in the Arab world and still
doing it to be the main dirve of the AIGF. I believe AIGFshould be a
dialouge space for them. It should allow us to exchange views with the
youth as well as listen to them.

We need also to bare in mind that the purpose of the open consultation that
took place in Beirut was only to discuss the launch of the AIGF and I think
all of us agree that it is important to us. The planning of AIGF and its
program are our upcoming activities. It will start with a public
announcement for the AIGF MAG membership and we look forward to all
stakeholders to express their interest and participate in the AIGF MAG.

Let us look forward to make the upcoming AIGF a successful one by making it
inclusive, transparent and open to all with emphasis on Arab youth and
activists.

Regards,

Qusai AlShatti

On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 2:32 PM, Hanane Boujemi <hananeb at diplomacy.edu>wrote:

> Kahled
>
> I get your point and I can confirm that civil society fingerprints are
> quite significant in setting the scene of the AIGF even though there were
> only few members present.
>
> Now that the process took off effectively with Kuwait taking the lead in
> organizing the first AIGF (and thanks to Qusai for his constant support)
> and ESCWA as well who really worked hard to get this process out of the
> door.  We have to join forces to make it a successful true open forum to
> all parties concerned. There will be open consultations to decide on the
> themes and workshops and that's where civil society from the region must be
> ready to raise the main issues at stake vis-a-vis IG.
>
> There is no chance for the AIGF to be another episode in
> the oppression soap opera , power is now changing as you said and it's in
> the hand of the common man thanks to the Internet.
>
> Hanane
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 12:54 PM, Khaled KOUBAA <khaled.koubaa at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>>  Hanane,
>> The AICTO is a Governmental-Organization and does not represent the civil
>> society.
>> You know more than me that they are really very few of real civil society
>> "free" and "independent" CSO in the Arab World.
>> The private sector is as well governed in a big part by governments. So
>> what we will have is a Arab IGF where what the governments will propose
>> will be congratulated and accepted by the participants.
>> Let's be honest with ourselves, are we just continuing to do the same
>> "cinema" than before ?
>> I think that a region like the Arab region where there is now huge
>> geopolitical regional change, revolutions in some countries, power changing
>> in some others, and all this with a big role being played by Internet.
>> Do you think an Arab IGF can be made like this ? We need a real
>> participatory process.
>> Where is the revolution leaders ? where is the Internet and Human rights
>> activists ? are they involved ? will the be invited ? I don't think so.
>> The same old pro-dictators continue to play the same game in our
>> countries.
>>
>> Khaled
>>
>> Le 14/02/2012 21:18, Hanane Boujemi a écrit :
>>
>> Kahlid&Tijani,
>>
>> There was a lady from Tunisia Ms. Roukia who represented Arab ICT ORG.
>> The whole AIGF process was delayed for one year due to the Arab spring and
>> ESCWA had to organize the last consultation meeting to establish the forum
>> very quickly and it might explain the reason why other CS ORGs from the
>> Arab region did not manage to participate.
>>
>> I was very much involved since 2009 in this process. I participated in
>> the consultaions that took place in 2010 and 2012 and I also constributed
>> with other CS members from the Arab region to define the Arab IG roadmap
>> published by UNESCWA and based on which the forum will be organized. I
>> suppose that the emerging issues since the roadmap was drafted will be also
>> taken into consideration to define the agenda of the first edition.
>>
>> Please do follow @IGFArab on Twitter and ArabIGF on Facebook for more
>> updates about the whole process. It will be great if we get as many Arab CS
>> members involved. It will be also great to do some outreach at the local
>> level to define the IG process since the concept is still ambiguous to the
>> masses in the region. I am afraid a lot of work needs to be done in this
>> regard.
>>
>> Hanane Boujemi
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 8:55 PM, Imran Ahmed Shah <ias_pk at yahoo.com>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Dear Quasi,
>>> Would you please share the next meeting schedule for AIGF activities?
>>> I hope that if there is some remote participation facility, some of our
>>> Group Members may join from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Saudi Arabia.
>>> We can also ask UN-GAID to participate and support in AIGF formation
>>> activities.
>>> Thanks and Regards
>>> Imran Ahmed Shah
>>> ------------------------------On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 12:33 AM PKT Qusai
>>> AlShatti wrote:>Dear Salenieta:>Yes they were there.>>Qusai>>On Tue, Feb
>>> 14, 2012 at 7:29 PM, Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro <>
>>> salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com> wrote:>>> I am just wondering
>>> whether the UAE ICT regulators were also there at the>> planning. If not, I
>>> am happy to facilitate the introduction? Let me know.>>>>>>>> On Wed, Feb
>>> 15, 2012 at 5:27 AM, Qusai AlShatti <qshatti at gmail.com> wrote:>>>> Dear
>>> Khaled:>> We wish that you were there with us in Beirut. The open
>>> consultation were>> conducted in an open transparent inclusive
>>> multistakeholder process were>> all participants from all multistakeholder
>>> groups actively engaged in an>> equal manner in discussing the Arab IGF and
>>> in drafting the outcomes of the>> open consultations. I don't have the list
>>> of final participants but all>> stakehlders groups from the Arab World were
>>> represented. Actually we>> requested the ESCWA and
>>>  LAS before the meeting to ensure a>> multistakeholders representation
>>> in the open consultations. A public>> announcement was made for this
>>> purpose. Furthemore when the open>> consultation was requested by the Arab
>>> ministers of communication, they>> requested that it should be conducted in
>>> a multistakeholder format.>>>> We look forward for your participation in
>>> the Arab IGF and its process.>>>> Regards,>>>> Qusai AlShatti>> On Tue, Feb
>>> 14, 2012 at 4:57 PM, khaled koubaa <khaled.koubaa at gmail.com>wrote:>>>>>
>>> Hi Qusai,>>> Could you please share with us the list of participants at
>>> that meeting>>> in Lebanon.>>> I have real concern with contnuous oversight
>>> of some gov-organizations>>> of the Arab IGF without real multistakeholders
>>> involvment.>>> Thank you,>>>>>> Khaled Koubaa>>>>>> Sent by an Android
>>> phone>>> Le 14 févr. 2012 11:41, "Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro" <>>>
>>> salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com> a écrit :>>>>>> We warmly
>>> congratulate this
>>>   development and look forward to including>>> this in our
>>> Calendar.>>>>>> On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 12:26 AM, Qusai AlShatti <
>>> qshatti at gmail.com>wrote:>>>>>>> Dear Colleagues:>>>> I would like to
>>> take the opportunity to announce the establshment of>>>> the Arab IGF
>>> (AIGF). The first meeting of AIGF will be organized by Kuwait>>>>
>>> Information Technology Society which will be held in Kuwait on the
>>> first>>>> week of October 2012. I am attaching the AIGF
>>> announcement.>>>>>>>>>>>> *Announcement of*>>>>>>>> *The endorsement of the
>>> Arab Internet Governance Forum (AIGF) process*>>>>>>>> A Multistakeholder
>>> open consultation meeting to discuss the launch of>>>> the Arab Internet
>>> Governance Forum (AIGF) was held during the period of>>>> 31/1 – 1/2/2012
>>> in Beirut, Lebanon. The open consultation was organized by>>>> the League
>>> of Arab States (LAS), the United Nation Economic and Social>>>> Commission
>>> of Western Asia (ESCWA) and the Council of Ministers of the>>>>
>>>  Republic of Lebanon. The open consultation was sponsored by Kuwait>>>>
>>> Information Technology Society and RIPE NCC and was attended by the IGF>>>>
>>> secretariat. More than 50 participants representing stakeholders from>>>>
>>> governments, private sector, civil society and regional organizations
>>> in>>>> the Arab World attended the open consultation and engaged actively
>>> in>>>> discussing the importance of an Internet Governance Forum for the
>>> Arab>>>> World.>>>>>>>> The open consultation was carried based on the
>>> request of the Arab>>>> Telecommunication and Information Technology
>>> Council of Ministers (ATICM)>>>> to seek feedback from various stakeholders
>>> on the need for an Arab IGF. The>>>> ministers requested it after receiving
>>> the outcome of an expert group>>>> meeting that was organized by the ESCWA
>>> in October 2010 which emphasized on>>>> the need to have a dialogue on
>>> Internet Governance with relevance to>>>> stakeholders in the Arab
>>> World.>>>>>>>> During
>>>   the open consultations, a strong consent emerged on the need>>>> and
>>> the importance for the Arab IGF especially with the turn of events in>>>>
>>> the region and the major role of the Internet in these events. A report>>>>
>>> recommending the establishment of AIGF was drafted by the participants
>>> and>>>> forwarded by the LAS Secretariat to the Executive Bureau of the
>>> Arab>>>> Telecommunication and Information Technology Council of Ministers
>>> (ATICM)>>>> on 2/2/2012, who welcomed the outcome, endorsed it and
>>> recommended the>>>> active participation of all stakeholders, including
>>> governments, in the>>>> Arab IGF process.>>>>>>>> The participants in the
>>> open consultations focused also on the goals>>>> of the AIGF and its
>>> structure. There was consent to adopt a structure>>>> similar to the IGF’s
>>> current structure with a secretariat and a>>>> Multistakeholder Advisory
>>> Committee (MAG). *A proposal was made by>>>> Kuwait Information Technology
>>> Society to host the
>>>  First Arab IGF in Kuwait>>>> in early October 2012 and a proposal was
>>> made by the Republic of Egypt>>>> National Telecommunication Regulatory
>>> Authority to be the AIGF secretariat>>>> *. There was an agreement and
>>> consent on both proposals by the>>>> participants. It was agreed that a
>>> public announcement for the MAG>>>> membership will be made to give the
>>> opportunity for all stakeholders in the>>>> Arab world to express their
>>> interest to participate in it.>>>>>>>> The open consultation recommended
>>> that the AIGF should:>>>>>>>> ·         Focus on discussing public policies
>>> related to Internet>>>> Governance especially in the areas of access,
>>> stability, security and>>>> development.>>>>>>>> ·         Facilitate the
>>> exchange of information, best practices,>>>> knowledge and lessons learned
>>> by involving experts, technical community and>>>> Academics.>>>>>>>> ·
>>>     Gather different opinions and build consensus for unified>>>> Arab
>>> views on priorities
>>>  and on mechanisms to respond to Arab countries>>>> needs related to
>>> Internet governance issues.>>>>>>>> ·         Discuss emerging issues and
>>> present recommendations on it.>>>>>>>> ·         Build and develop capacity
>>> in Internet Governance as well>>>> as improve the participation of all
>>> stakeholders to benefit from all>>>> possible resources of knowledge and
>>> expertise.>>>>>>>> ·         Communicate globally the Arab positions and
>>> enhance the>>>> Arab role in formulating Internet Governance
>>> policies.>>>>>>>> ·         Outreach with the Internet Governance Forum and
>>> other>>>> regional IGFs with purpose of exchanging knowledge and
>>> expertise.>>>>>>>>
>>> ____________________________________________________________>>>> You
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>>> -->>> Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala>>>>>> Tweeter: @SalanietaT>>>
>>> Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro>>> Cell: +679 998 2851>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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>>> >>>>>>>>
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>>>
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