[governance] Should the IGF be reformed?

Tue Mar 20 12:25:48 EDT 2018

Arsene,

Be informed that Hosts of 2019 to 2022 are confirmed and within a couple of
day, the Host for 2018 IGF will be announced.

*Michael L. Ilishebo,*

*Kitwe, Zambia*

*Social Media Handles*

*Twitter: @ilishebo*

*Skype: michael.ilishebo*

*"walk a mile,for a while,with a smile"*

On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 4:44 PM, Wisdom Donkor <wisdom.dk at gmail.com> wrote:

> I cant also agree more with your statement.
>
> Regards,
>
> *WISDOM DONKOR (S/N Eng.)*
> *Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation*
> E-government, Internet Governance & Open Government Data and platforms
> Specialist
> ICANN Fellow / UN IGF MAG Member, ISOC Member,
> Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) Member, Diplo Foundation Member,
> OGP Open Data WG Member, GODAN Member.
> National SDG's data Roadmaps Advisory Board Member, Ghana
> Ghana Energy Data Task-force Member
> Ghana OGP Advisory Committee Member
> Email: wisdom.dk at gmail.com
> Skype: wisdom_dk
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> Linkdin: Kwasi Wisdom
>
> On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 2:20 PM, Michael ILISHEBO <
> governance at lists.riseup.net> wrote:
>
>> Anriette,
>>
>> I can't agree more with your statement.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Michael L. Ilishebo,*
>>
>> *Kitwe, Zambia*
>>
>> *Social Media Handles*
>>
>> *Twitter: @ilishebo*
>>
>> *Skype: michael.ilishebo*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *"walk a mile,for a while,with a smile"*
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 3:40 PM, Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear Ayden
>>>
>>> I attach the oral statement deliver by Julian Casasbuenas this morning
>>> on behalf of the APC. In it we say that the IGF should not be taken for
>>> granted. It is not perfect, but it is much better than anything else we had
>>> before and at this point I don't see a substitute. We need to challenge it
>>> and improve it.
>>>
>>> What are the spaces you refer to when you say important, consequential
>>> discussions are happening elsewhere? And how inclusive are these
>>> conversations? And how cross-issue (e.g. linking rights, with development,
>>> trade, education, etc.).
>>>
>>> There are other important events, e.g. RightsCon.. but it has its own
>>> important role to play and is not a substitute for the IGF.
>>>
>>> The IGF's link to the UN system and UN resolutions (at the Human Rights
>>> Council, the General Assembly and so on) remains valuable to those of us
>>> who try and work with our governments, as well as challenge them. Through
>>> this link we can make connections with  the SDGs...  you might be skeptical
>>> about all of these spaces and processes - I am often skeptical myself.. but
>>> ultimately I think that policy and agreed goals, and the accountability
>>> they can link to, make a difference.
>>>
>>> There is a kind of paradox around the IGF. Who is the  IGF? Is it the
>>> MAG, a rotating body with a limited mandate, focused on the programme? The
>>> Secretariat, a small team with a huge operational load and unclear
>>> political support? Is it UNDESA, the official "home" for the IGF but a body
>>> that is not actively involved in internet governance?
>>>
>>> When you talk about self-awareness, who is the self ? Everyone who
>>> participates, organise sessions, etc. are also part of the IGF.
>>>
>>> One of the IGF's innovations is that it does not have a top down
>>> institutional structure, but that is also a weakness when it comes to
>>> changing it.
>>>
>>> Nevertheless, I still think that it is a very powerful space, and if we
>>> lose it (and I am referring to specifically to civil society, with emphasis
>>> to those of us from the global South) it would leave a gap that will not be
>>> filled very easily. And considering how many other spaces for civil society
>>> are closing, I think we should work hard to keep this one open.
>>>
>>> I agree with Raul. We still need the IGF.
>>>
>>> Best
>>>
>>> Anriette
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 20/03/2018 11:49, Ayden Férdeline wrote:
>>>
>>> I take no pleasure entering into this conversation and painting a purely
>>> negative picture, but I do think the time for saving the IGF has passed.
>>> I'm not convinced that it can be reformed, though I hope I am wrong,
>>> because there is definitely a need for an institutional home for
>>> stakeholders to effectively collaborate upon the development of global
>>> public policy for the Internet. Civil society aside - I know we engage in
>>> the IGF - I think other stakeholders have moved on. It is my perception
>>> that important, consequential discussions are happening elsewhere and
>>> unlikely to return to the IGF.
>>>
>>> I have only attended two IGFs, in Guadalajara and in Geneva, but it has
>>> been my perception that the IGF has never recognised its own shortcomings
>>> nor taken steps to address and overcome them. This lack of self-awareness,
>>> I believe, has hindered its own legitimacy.
>>>
>>> If the IGF can be reformed that would be wonderful. We need a venue
>>> which can credibly generate and communicate policy recommendations. I'm
>>> just not convinced the IGF is up to the job, be that because of a lack of
>>> funding, a lack of agility, or another reason altogether.
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>>
>>> Ayden Férdeline
>>> linkedin.com/in/ferdeline <http://www.linkedin.com/in/ferdeline>
>>>
>>>
>>> ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
>>> On 20 March 2018 9:39 AM, Akinremi Peter Taiwo
>>> <governance at lists.riseup.net> <governance at lists.riseup.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Thanks for Sharing Arsene. The Internet Governance Forum actually needs
>>> to be an avenue for concrete outcomes that feed into policies. I think
>>> those points raised by Raul was part of MAG discussions yesterday at the
>>> WSIS which I was privileged to attend. But though it goes beyond
>>> discussion to implementation.
>>>
>>> Regards.
>>> Peter
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 8:39 AM, Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks for posting Raul's blog, Arsene. It is very good.
>>>>
>>>> Also posting here, in case we forgot to earlier  this year, the link to
>>>> APC's submission to the  stock taking. We will be reading a short version
>>>> today.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/index.php?q=filedepo
>>>> t_download/5916/1057
>>>> The synthesis paper on submissions prepared by the secretariat is here:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/index.php?q=filedepo
>>>> t_download/5915/1068
>>>>
>>>> Anriette Esterhuysen
>>>>
>>>> APC.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 20/03/2018 00:12, Raoul Plommer (via governance Mailing List) wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I was asking him this as well and I think we'll know the result in the
>>>> next week. Let's keep each other posted on this. :)
>>>>
>>>> -Raoul
>>>>
>>>> On 19 March 2018 at 15:37, Arsène Tungali <governance at lists.riseup.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2018/03/lets-reform-igf
>>>>> -ensure-healthy-future/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> A blog from Raul (ISOC) about the need to reform the IGF. I know this
>>>>> is what so many other people believe we should do. Let’s talk about it!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Can we discuss what are the changes that we would like to see happen
>>>>> to make the IGF as strong and powerful as it used to be? As of now, no one
>>>>> know where the IGF 2018 will take place and we are in March! All i know and
>>>>> heard from Chengetai is that they have 3 countries in mind but are yet to
>>>>> decide!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Now that the new MAG was announced, what are our expectations of its
>>>>> members? What do you think of new and past members? What can we expect from
>>>>> our CS representatives there?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> Arsene
>>>>> -----------------
>>>>> Arsène Tungali,
>>>>> about.me/ArseneTungali
>>>>> +243 993810967 <+243%20993%20810%20967>
>>>>> GPG: 523644A0
>>>>> Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone (excuse typos)
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *Akinremi Peter Taiwo*
>>> [ West Africa Coordinator ]
>>> African Civil Society on Information Society (*ACSIS*)
>>> *Website: *www.acsis-scasi.org
>>>
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