[governance] Message to the IGC [Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation]

Sun Mar 17 19:09:28 EDT 2013

*To the IGC:*

*Warm Greetings from Fiji!* I trust that you are all well and in excellent
health. I apologise for the delayed response as I walked over 10km this
weekend and was recovering. :)

I thought that I should give some background to the discussions on the
Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation. Particularly as we have new
subscribers who have just recently joined us.

This follows a letter by Constance Bommalaer to Anriette which the IGC was
copied in.

 It is important to clarify that the calls for clarification on eligibility
of a certain stakeholder is not an attack against whom the clarification is
being sought.

On the same token, I would like to urge the Caucus to keep the lines of
communication open and not use a call for clarification as arsenal or
ammunition to create a war with other stakeholder groups. The composition
of the Working Group is no doubt critical as it affects us all.

For the sake of those who have just recently joined the IGC, this is a
brief background and my take on the issues that surfaced. On the same note,
it is important to note that Michael Gurstein did not submit his name to
the IGC NomCom for consideration for selection in the CSTD Working Group on
Enhanced Cooperation and did not submit his name to Anriette Esterhuysen
for consideration by the assigned Civil Society focal point.

On the matter of Michael Gurstein’s interactions with the Technical and
Academic community focal point, this is something between Internet Society
(ISOC) and Michael Gurstein and for them to sort out. However, an issue
that Michael raised is of concern in terms of the interpretation of
"Academic and Technical" but more on that later.

However, it is important to correct the assertion that Michael Gurstein
“double dipped”.

*The Dilemma*

*
*

On March 14, 2013, Michael Gurstein informed the IGC that he had been
advised that he did not meet the criteria of building the Internet. The
issue for discussion is in relation to the interpretation of what the
technical and academic community comprises of. This generated dialogue and
debate within the IGC on the issue.

Of interest was the definition of what constitutes the technical and
academic community. There was some discussion and debate about why a
technical and academic stakeholder group was carved out. The Working Group
on Internet Governance (WGIG) had acknowledged that the academic and
technical also played an important role[1] <#_ftn1>.

Whilst the Tunis Agenda does not explicitly state that there is a separate
academic and technical stakeholder group, the past composition of the
Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation creates a precedent coupled with
recognition by the WGIG of the importance of having representation by the
Academic and Technical community.

At this point, discussions on whether or not there should be an Academic
and Technical group are not relevant as the UN CSTD has the discretion to
set its own criteria and composition. My personal view is that the Academic
and Technical community is equally important as civil society, private
sector and the public sector. Apteral, we should not forget that the Tunis
Agenda acknowledges that the “Internet is a central element of the
Infrastructure within the Information Society that evolved from a research
and academic facility into a global facility available to the public[2]<#_ftn2>
”.

The issue that is of concern however, is the interpretation of Academic and
Technical. It is important to recognise that any interpretation must be
viewed with the lenses of the Tunis Agenda. The Tunis Agenda and the UNGA
Resolution 67/195 highlights the context and is “wider and expansive” than
just the Internet as it includes bridging the digital divide and
Information Communication Technologies as this is part of the broad mandate
of working alongside diverse stakeholders to explore means of increasing
cooperation.  On the same token Paragraph 31 of the Tunis Agenda reminds us
of the importance of having a people-centred, inclusive, development
oriented approach that is non-discriminatory.

One of the reasons why simple requests for clarification is able to
generate conflicts is the underlying fear that new organisations may be
created to take over certain responsibilities or turf wars. Many can
testify that there are members of all stakeholder communities who have
spent many years, and laboured to work on building relationships and
progressively advancing in the nature of cooperation and this includes
having frank discussions. This does not mean that there will always be
agreement on issues but that we can dialogue on issues professionally and
in a civil manner.

 *The Context*

* *

The United Nations General Assembly, at its 67th session, adopted *resolution
67/195 **on** Information and communication technologies for development**
[3]* <#_ftn3>. This resolution invited the Chair of the United Nations
Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN CSTD)[4] <#_ftn4>,
to establish a working group on enhanced cooperation to examine the mandate
of the World Summit on the Information Society regarding enhanced
cooperation as contained in the Tunis Agenda.

 The Tunis Agenda[5] <#_ftn5> pivots on focusing on financial mechanisms
for bridging the digital divide, on Internet governance and related issues,
as well as on implementation and follow-up of the Geneva and Tunis
decisions.

The *GA RES 67/195 *requested the Chair of the UN CSTD to “ensure that the
working group on enhanced cooperation has balanced representation between
Governments from the five regional groups of the Commission and invites
other stakeholders, namely the private sector, civil society, technical and
academic communities, and intergovernmental and international
organisations”.

In a letter to the members of the UN CSTD on 29th January, 2013, the Chair
invited feedback before 8 February, 2013 on the Note that he had prepared
in relation to the composition of the Working Group.

As per the Chair’s Note[6] <#_ftn6>, the Composition for the Working Group
on Enhanced Cooperation is as follows:

·         22 Member States (four per regional group plus the two that have
hosted the

·         World Summit on the Information Society)

·         Five representatives from the business community

·         Five representatives from civil society

·         Five representatives from representatives from the technical and
academic community

·         Five representatives from intergovernmental organizations

On 15 February, 2013, the IGC NomCom made an open call to the IGC for
nominations for the UN CSTD Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation.

On 22 February, 2013, the IGC community was informed that the Chair had
written to Anriette Esterhuysen to be the civil society focal point and she
outlined the role of the focal point.

On 14 March, 2013, Anriette Esterhuysen updated the IGC on the process of
selection and the composition of the group that she gathered to help her
run the selection process. Of the 6 names submitted by Anriette
Esterhuysen, the Chair would only select 5.

At this stage, it is important to underscore that Anriette did an excellent
job in reaching out to the IGC and other civil society organisations
without a doubt and the manner in which she selected people to assist her
in the selections was also inclusive.

*Way Forward*

*
*

The UN CSTD is running behind time in the selection of the Working Group on
Enhanced Cooperation and the work of selection is a critical one.

The IGC can work towards developing a clear normative framework for the
selection of Working Groups and Committees as suggested by Parminder. This
can be led by a group of volunteers from within the IGC. This can also be
in the form of a Workshop as suggested by Anriette.

This can be submitted to the UN CSTD for endorsement and Accountability and
Transparency and good governance demands that guidelines and criteria are
well published and clear.

------------------------------

[1] <#_ftnref1> Part IV Developing a common understanding of the respective
roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders from both developed and
developing countries. Para 29 , page 8 of the Report of the Working Group
on Internet Governance, Chateau de Bossey, June 2005 in
http://www.wgig.org/WGIG-Report.html

[2] <#_ftnref2> Para 30 of the Tunis Agenda

[3] <#_ftnref3> http://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ares67d195_en.pdf

[4] <#_ftnref4> Ambassador Miguel Palomino de la Gala is the current Chair
of the UN CSTD

[5] <#_ftnref5> http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/6rev1.html

[6] <#_ftnref6>
http://unctad.org/Sections/un_cstd/docs/cstd2013d01_ares67d195.pdf

Kind Regards,

Sala
Co-coordinator of the IGC

*Disclaimer*
The views expressed are my personal views.
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