[governance] Results of the IGC 2015 Coordinator Election - Welcoming the newly elected co-coordinator

[Sivasubramanian M]

Thank you Mawaki for all your good work. Congratulations Analia.


Sivasubramanian M
India.

Sivasubramanian M <https://www.facebook.com/sivasubramanian.muthusamy>

On Tue, Jan 20, 2015 at 12:43 AM, Mawaki Chango <kichango at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Rejoice, for we have a new co-coordinator! Hence, here is my last message
> as a co-co to report about the election and share some final thoughts on my
> way out. .
>
> THE ELECTION PROCESS
>
> In this month of January 2015 one co-coordinator seat became vacant and
> was up for filling. The election process kick started with a call for
> nominations posted to the IGC list on 18 November 2014. By the end of the
> nomination period on 19 December, we received the following confirmed
> nominations:
>
> 1) Analia Aspis
> 2) Arsene Tungali
> 3) Kawsar Uddin
>
> After setting up the survey in the online system used for IGC elections,
> we had to prepare the voting list by making sure all members who meet the
> voting criteria are included in the list, despite potential confusion due
> to the fact that the IGC website seems to re-initialize the count of
> membership time span from the last time members' information (eg, email
> address) has been updated. This worked rather well since for all the misses
> that were reported, only one or two were confirmed after verification. The
> email ballot paper sent to about a dozen voters got probably lost in their
> spam folder or they simply missed it in their regular mailbox.
>
> After the election started, we were reminded of the need to add an
> abstention option for those who do want to exercise their right to vote
> (and be on the record for participating in the election) without the
> obligation to give their vote to one or another of the candidates standing.
> After checking, it has appeared that a "No candidate" vote was in option in
> the last election cycle (2014). However, we first missed that as we were
> using a template from the latest election where only one coordinator was to
> be elected, which was in 2013 (in 2014, the two co-coordinators were to be
> replaced.) Hopefully now we will systematically have an "Abstention" or "No
> candidate" option (whichever the Caucus finds more appropriate) on the
> ballot next to the candidates' names.
>
> I would like to take this opportunity to thank all three candidates for
> their dedication and willingness to step forward and serve this community.
> Any of them would have made a positive difference for the Caucus and bring
> more diversity to its leadership.
>
> THE ELECTION RESULTS
>
> The results of the elections are as follows.
>
> Total number of tokens generated and invitations sent = 488
> Total number of valid votes (survey completed) = 163
> Incomplete responses = 31
> Total responses = 194
>
> Votes received by the candidates:
> 1) Analia Aspis = 83 (42.78%)
> 2) Arsene Tungali = 57 (29.38%)
> 3) Kawsar Uddin = 22 (11.34%)
> 4) None of the nominees = 1 (0.52%)
> 5) No answer = 10 (5.15%)
> 6) Not completed or not displayed = 21 (10.82%)
>
> (Please note the details of these results will be posted to the IGC web
> page later and the link will be forwarded here when done.)
>
> This makes Analia Aspis the next IGC co-coordinator. Congratulations,
> Analia! With you I am delighted and confident to pass on the baton to good
> hands. Welcome on board! In your nomination statement, I note and applaud
> your eagerness to bring IG regional actions into IGC focus and to make this
> place ever more relevant to young researchers and beyond. I wish you every
> success!
>
> THANK YOU'S
>
> Furthermore, I would like also to seize this opportunity to thank my
> "coordinatorship mate" (for lack of a better word) Deirdre Williams. During
> our time together she had carried out the most thankless coordination tasks
> more times than I can count (the ones that we didn't even suspect would be
> on our plate when each of us decided to stand for the election.) For that
> and for her patience I am grateful.
>
> I know well too much how easier (and much less time consuming) it often is
> to get things done by yourself, when you know how to do them, than to have
> to instruct and explain to a novice how to get the job done. Well, I,
> stubborn learner, had Jeremy take the longer path and heavier burden to
> provide guidance, patiently and always swiftly replying to my inquiries and
> helping me navigate through the challenges I was facing with the online
> election system and the mechanics of the IGC website. Thank you, Jeremy!
>
> Last but not least, I would like to thank each and every one of you for
> your support, patience and understanding. I know we have not always been in
> agreement and I am most certain I haven't met everyone's expectations, but
> I felt almost all of you have each time given me the benefit of the doubt.
> I appreciate that, and only wish I could have done more to put IGC at a
> better place on the IG map.
>
> SOME PENDING BUSINESS
>
> Speaking of the place of IGC on the Internet governance map, I recall we
> had an unfinished business, which I'll make sure to leave you with.
> Following is the synthesis of the consultation we had a while before IGF
> Istanbul regarding the way forward for IGC. It was posted to this list on
> 31/8/2014. I would hope to see one day some follow up action or some
> conclusion given to this matter.
>
> Between June 26 and 30, we had here a discussion running by the following
> subject line:
> Inquiry for a new vision into the future of IGC
> Following is the summary of the main points I got from
> your contributions to this discussion
>  [adding my summary notes, observations/comments in square brackets].
>
> Suggestions include:
>
> -
> H
> olding a face to face workshop, accommodating remote participation, on the
> topic at Istanbul IGF
>
> [This will be taking place at IGF 2014 this
> Friday, 5 September, 12.30 - 14.00 is Bilateral Room 1 (Rumeli -1 Level /
> Room 9).
>
> -
> C
> ontemplating the possibility of national or regional chapters for IGC
> [Make sure this not be confused with IGFs at the base. One thing for sure
> is that IGC is meant to embody the CS component while IGF for all
> stakeholders.]
>
> -
> N
> eed for mutual respect between participants
> [D
>  ifferences in positions should be aired with the predicate that no matter
> how strong
>  we feel
>  about being right, contradicting positions may still be
>  both
>  valid under
> different
>  circumstances or with different assumptions than our
>  own
>  (and sure we all have assumptions!)
> ]
>
>
> -
> A
>  minimum level of decorum or "netiquette" to ensure it is safe for
> everybody to participate
> [It's critical to make it comfortable for people to participate
> whatever their level of familiarity
> (or unfamiliarity)
> with the issues,
> their level of
> knowledge or
>
> self-confidence
> (or lack thereof)
> as regards the relevance of their contribution.
>  ]
>
> -
> E
> nabling and fostering trust
> [M
> aybe a number of basic principles
> and ideas
> should be spelled out here (
> including for possible
> charter
>  revision
>  ?)
> as to how to achieve that and
> ensure a
>  baseline in expectations with regard to
> our respective and mutual commitments. This might be the place to consider
> the question of 'conflict of interests' policy for those in leadership
> position, if relevant.]
>
> -  IGC still provides a space to aggregate many of the differing views
> that "civil society" holds about Internet governance.
>
> -
> IGC should engage in Social
> C
> apacity building
> in
>  I
> G and
>  related activism
>
> "
> People need to be educated through any extensive
> [as well as extension]
> program in various level of literacy and knowledge regarding their
> vulnerability
> " in the face of the d
> evelopment
>  of the cyber-environment
> .
> "
> People needs to be educated and know how to participate in procedure of
> governance and how to share their concerns. I believe, it would be great,
> if IGC opens a chapter for educating people in this area.
>  "
>
> -
> IGC should engage in (enabling)
>  Customer protection
> based on
>  Human rights, multilingualism
> , regional/
>  cultural diversity
> : Seek best practices in the field of customer protection and help empower
> end-users.
> -
> W
> e absolutely need a credible broadly accepted civil society coordination
> entity
>
> [This is being taken care of through the newly set up Civil Society
> Coordination Group, CSCG]
>
> -
>  R
> eform is needed to enable
> such entity
>
> with
>  reasonable and reasonably fast decision-making
> with
>  regard to all the decisions that need to be made in the context of a civil
> society coordination function
>
> [In process with the CSCG]
>
> - Criticism or fear was raised with the notion that the CSCG might be
> exclusionary or the fact that it is so far perceived by some as such.
> [This might be addressed through the operating procedures to be developed
> by the CSCG]
>
> - "
> The alternative
>  [to CSCG in coordinating CS appointments]
>  would be IGC. However that would require a few changes so that IGC could
> respond more promptly, and also for the role and processes of IGC in doing
> this to be acceptable to the myriad parties who in the past few years have
> forwarded their own civil society MAG nominations. Quite clearly some
> substantial groups within IGC have not been happy for IGC to do this on
> their behalf in the past few years, thus leading to them making their own
> nominations.
>  "
>
> [Please note that the CSCG is not meant to develop policies or submit
> policy positions on behalf of its members' constituents. So the question
> remains: How can we as IGC get there from here?]
>
> - "a
> s regards the broader question of policy statements and policy co
> ordination – I do not think CSCG is a good vehicle for this.  IGC is
> potentially, but there has been difficulty in getting consensus positions
> here in the past, which led to the creation of Best Bits (where sign on
> statements not acceptable to 100% of civil society became a useful tool)
> and later to Just Net Coalition. Where there is potentially a broader
> consensus, I think IGC can play a very useful role, providing it continues
> to enjoy strong support from all groups.
>  "
>
> - In the discussion it was also noted that "
> IGC is the big tent for Internet governance geeks of all persuasions
>  ...
> who will never agree on much
> ."
>
> Now questions:
> - How do we get there from here?
> - Is there any remedy to this (the fact that IGC cab "never agree on
> much") beyond the above points for improvements? Or are these points
> sufficient?
> - How can we detect and handle cases where there is a potential for
> broader consensus?
> - Where there is not such potential how do we deal with the coordination
> of policy positions and making policy statements? Shall we create some sort
> of internal Dynamic Coalitions mechanism? Can these find some level of
> compromise after they develop their baseline positions, and if not how will
> those positions relate to IGC as a whole as they may be contradicting?
> ----
>
> Right here ends my term as IGC co-coordinator. I am delighted to yield the
> floor (or rather the stage) to two remarkable women and leaders, both
> hailing from Latin America and the Caribbean.
> Take it away, ladies!
>
> With my very best wishes,
>
> Mawaki
>
>
> =====================================
> Mawaki Chango, PhD
> Founder
> & CEO
>
> DIGILEXIS
> Consulting
> http://www.digilexis.com
> m.chango at digilexis.com | *kichango at gmail.com <kichango at gmail.com>*
> Twitter: @digilexis & @prodigilexis
> Mob. +225 57 55 57 53 | +225 44 48 77 64
> Skype: digilexis
> =====================================
>
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