[governance] Should the IGF be reformed?

Tue Mar 20 17:04:37 EDT 2018

Thank you for the thoughtful comment, Anriette.

The other spaces which I was referring to may be multiple stakeholder but not necessarily multistakeholder. They are places where civil society has no or little voice.

Personally, I am very skeptical as to whether multistakeholder governance frameworks work (or have ever worked), but I do see the value in an open, multistakeholder forum as sketched out in the Tunis Agenda.

If the IGF can be saved and improved in the process, that would be great and certainly something valuable. I just wouldn't bet money on it happening. Hopefully I live to regret that!

Best wishes, Ayden

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On 20 March 2018 1:40 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>](mailto: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=filedepot_download/5916/1057
>>>>
>>>> The synthesis paper on submissions prepared by the secretariat is here:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/index.php?q=filedepot_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](tel:+243%20993%20810%20967)
>>>>>> GPG: 523644A0
>>>>>> Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone (excuse typos)
>>>>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Akinremi Peter Taiwo
>>> [ West Africa Coordinator ]
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>>>
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