[Governance] FYI: ITCG's submission regarding the creation and membership of the IGF Leadership Panel

[Arsène Tungali]

Thanks for sharing this with this group, George!

On Tue, Nov 30, 2021, 8:41 PM George Sadowsky via Governance <
governance at lists.igcaucus.org> wrote:

> On 27 November 2021, the Internet Technical Collaboration Group , or ITCG,
> (https://www.internetcollaboration.org) sent the message below to the
> Office of the United Nations Secretary-General   We reproduce the letter
> below, omitting the *curriculum vitae* of the candidates recommended.
>
> The Internet Technical Collaboration Group, or ITCG (
> https://www.internetcollaboration.org) brings together the technical and
> policy expertise of individuals and organizations involved in the technical
> evolution and administration of specific Internet resources in a
> decentralized network approach to policy formulation for the Internet.
>
> The ITCG is dedicated to sharing information within the technical
> community, and ensuring effective and appropriate technical representation
> in the formulation and implementation of multi-stakeholder Internet
> governance. Its technical contributors cooperate and coordinate to
> facilitate constructive contributions to Internet governance fora such as
> national and international Internet governance meetings.
>
> The ITCG is not endorsed by any organization within the Internet
> ecosystem.  Members of the ITCG participate as individuals. Any output of
> the ITCG is the result of consensus amongst these individuals, and is not
> officially endorsed by their employers or any Internet technical
> organisation.  The views and opinions expressed in any output of the ITCG
> are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official policies
> or positions of their respective institutions.
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Office of the Secretary-General
> The United Nations
> New York, NY    USA
>
> Dear Mr. Secretary-General,
>
> The Internet Technical Collaboration Group (ITCG) has noted the Call for
> Nominations to an IGF Leadership Panel, issued by the IGF Secretariat at
> the invitation of the UN Secretary-General on 8 November 2021. We also note
> the Terms of Reference for the IGF Leadership Panel published on the IGF
> website.
>
> As a group of individuals and organizations involved in the technical
> evolution and administration of specific Internet resources, the ITCG has
> regularly provided recommendations to the UN Secretary-General on
> nominations to the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (IGF-MAG) on behalf
> of the Internet technical community stakeholder group. We believe that this
> group plays a useful role, ensuring that the technical community can be
> represented by individuals with relevant expertise, trust, and the support
> of the global technical community. We feel that this model of ensuring
> effective representation extends to all multistakeholder structures within
> the IGF.
>
> In making these nominations, however, the ITCG joins other stakeholder
> groups in expressing serious reservations about the formation process,
> timeline, and role of the proposed IGF Leadership Panel, as outlined in the
> Terms of Reference and the Call for Nominations.  With these serious
> reservations, detailed below, we provide the following nominations to the
> seats reserved for the Internet technical community stakeholder group on
> the proposed IGF Leadership Panel.  Their professional qualifications are
> attached below:
>
>
> *•  Maria Häll •  Toomas Hendrik Ilves*
> * •  Nii Narku Quaynor*
>
> The ITCG has concluded that each of these individuals possess extensive,
> relevant experience and an understanding of the Internet's technical
> operations adequate to bring those perspectives to this panel and discuss
> them with others.  They would therefore be able to contribute significant
> value to the work of this panel and the quality of its conclusions.   The
> ITCG collectively supports these candidates without reservation. Pertinent
> biographical information in included below.
>
> With regard to our reservations, we start by noting that  that various
> organisations and individuals in the global Internet technical community
> responded to the earlier call for comment regarding the formation of a
> multi-stakeholder high-level body (the ‘Consultation on Paragraph 93(a) of
> the Roadmap for Digital Cooperation’, held in March 2021:
> https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/93a-questionnaire-template).
> The points made in the responses from organisations including APNIC, the
> RIPE NCC, the Internet Society and others clearly resonate with the
> concerns that we now have in relation to the proposed IGF Leadership
> Panel.  Our two key concerns are as follows:
>
> 1. We deplore that the the Terms of Reference for this IGF Leadership
> Panel have been produced with minimal multistakeholder community
> engagement. It is not evident that the engagement carried out earlier in
> 2021 has been incorporated in the final Terms of Reference. Strong concerns
> have been raised that the role of the Leadership Panel, particularly in
> relation to the MAG, and the way in which the Leadership Panel is expected
> to, “complement and support similar and ongoing efforts by the MAG.”
>
> A "Leadership Panel", by its name alone, is inconsistent with the
> multistakeholder approach of the IGF, and the current proposal has drawn
> strong criticism from all of the stakeholder groups of whom we are aware
> and whhave statements (or expressed opinions) on the matter.  A more
> inclusive, multistakeholder approach to defining this body may have helped
> to address this, and any process going forward must prioritise openness,
> transparency, and a commitment to the IGF's multistakeholder approach.
>
> We would therefore strongly suggest that the formation process itself be
> now paused to allow for substantial community input and feedback during the
> upcoming IGF 2021.
>
> 2. The process in relation to the formation of the Leadership Panel is
> very short, with less than a month to collect nominations. Numerous
> stakeholders groups have noted this lack of time, and it does not suggest a
> good-faith effort to find the most effective representatives of each
> stakeholder group. This is particularly important given that this proposal
> would inject a new and potentially highly influential function within the
> IGF ecosystem.
>
> We welcome this opportunity to put  these concerns on record, and we ask
> that the Office of the Secretary-General now reflect on them and take steps
> to address them with stakeholders directly.
>
> We trust that if the formation of the IGF Leadership Panel proceeds as
> outlined, due consideration will be given to the individuals nominated by
> the ITCG on behalf of the global Internet technical community, and there
> will be transparent communication regarding the final selection process.
>
> Best regards,
>
> George Sadowsky, Chair
> The Internet Technical Collaboration Group (ITCG)
>
>
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