[governance] URGENT: Last call for feedback on CS participation in NETmundial Initiative

[Mawaki Chango]

Dear All,

I have listened to your views, to your fears and concerns as well as to
your hopes and support. This one is really difficult a decision, probably
the most difficult IGC decision I will have to be involved in before the
expiration of my term.

Taking into consideration all the responses, comments, explanations,
positions and advice received on the IGC list in response to this call,
whether under this email thread or in a different one since this call has
been posted;

Noting that Deirdre, my co-coordinatorship mate, has also already expressed
herself on this question;

Observing that most of the concerns and the strongest ones expressed here
relate more (albeit not exclusively) to the presence or participation of
the WEF as such in the NMI than to anything else;

Considering that the NMI is a different undertaking from the WEF;

Noting that the modus operandi of WEF may in itself be diametrically
opposed to, or at least is different from, the open, transparent, bottom-up
and consensus-seeking mode of operation that we value as civil society in
the IG field and which ICG,br and IGC agree to promote and uphold in
carrying forward the legacy of NETmundial2014;

Noting that in that regard the goals pursued by WEF in global governance
may be at odds with the goals of civil society, and as a result there are
most likely many questions on which civil society and WEF may not agree on
in one increasingly prominent area of global governance to date (i.e, the
internet governance area);

Noting that the IG space is one that is meant to be open to all
stakeholders who are willing to contribute, as long as they accept to live
up to that openness and the other basic rules of operation mentioned above
from the CS standpoint, without the pre-requisite of agreeing with each
others on their worldview or even on a set of core substantive issues;

Noting that currently, the NMI is the beginning of something that still
needs to be shaped and can be shaped as have shown so far the amendments
that have been made by its proponents to their original plans after CS
feedback and criticism;

Understanding that those amendments may have been made in order to lure CS
into NMI and that they may not guarantee any type of outcome on the long
run unless CS remains vigilant and keeps fighting for the outcomes it
wishes for or supports;

Noting that the outcome of NETmundial2014 is not perfect and thus _at
least_ some sections of CS do not consider it as final in the sense that
some of its provisions may still need to evolve and be improved, but that
would be better achieved through the continuous collaborative work of the
various stakeholders rather than by fiat from one stakeholder (group);

Considering that if CS resolves to join NMI, it is not lending legitimacy
to WEF in any way but to NMI which has already gained some legitimacy by
the CGI.br being one of its co-founders and will further gain legitimacy by
having a delegate of the IGF-MAG join the NMI's Coordination Council
(assuming its current design is implemented)*;

I would recommend that IGC engages with the NMI process by participating in
the vetting and selection by CSCG of civil society nominees to the NMI
Coordination Council.
On the IGC behalf, I will further advise and support the idea that the CSCG
assorts the CS participation with a number of conditions that will be meant
to make sure the continuous participation of the CS and its appointees is
subject to being accountable to their constituents.

CSCG will be informed immediately of this outcome, that is, the acceptance
of IGC to go forward with NMI.

Thank you for your participation in this consultation.
Best regards,

Mawaki


(*) Excerpt from the https://www.netmundial.org/
The Coordination Council will have a total of *25 individual members*: 20
distributed across four sectors and five geographies, and additional seats
(one each) for the organizational founders CGI.br and ICANN; one for the
World Economic Forum in its role of supporter of the Initiative; as well as
one seat each for the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) and the
technical community (I* group).
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