Hello all,

Haven followed the processing leading to this very initiative, The propose
revised  documents lack openness accountability and transparency. The
question is, is the mission and vision of this very suppose initiative
enure to the benefits of all stakeholders? the an answer to me is a BIG NO.
I think to save the interest of all stakeholders  the NMI should be taken
back to the drawing board for a thorough review.

Regards,

WISDOM DONKOR
Sosftware / Network Engineer
Web/Open Government Platform Portal Specialist
Post Office Box CT. 2439, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
Tel; +233 20 812881
Email: [log in to unmask]
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Skype: wisdom_dk
facebook: facebook@wisdom_dk
Website: www.nita.gov.gh / www.data.gov.gh
www.isoc.gh / www.itag.org.gh


On Tue, Nov 18, 2014 at 6:15 PM, Robin Gross <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Folks,
>
> Should NCSG participate in the NetMundial Initiative?   We are still
> waiting for confirmation from its secretariat as to whether or not civil
> society will be allowed to select all of its own representatives to the
> "coordination council" or if the secretariat will reserve the right to
> select some of civil society's representatives for us.  (The NMI
> secretariat have civil society orgs in mind who will be bring publicity and
> good PR to their project, but don't actually engage on these issues).
>
> In my mind this is a critical question, and since the secretariat has been
> unwilling to confirm this yet, I remain skeptical of the initiative and our
> "legitimization" of it; however if the response from the secretariat is
> that they will play a "hands off" role in terms of civil society
> representatives, I'll be happy to change my mind.
>
> It is important that this initiative, in practice, live up the Netmundial
> principles (including stakeholders select their own representatives).  If
> the NMI organizers cannot confirm that much, then it is just an
> appropriation of the NetMundial label without the principles that we worked
> very hard in Sao Paulo to achieve.
>
> At this point, while we wait for clarification from NMI's secretariat,
> each of the groups in the CSCG are asked to consider if they believe they
> should participate in the initiative.  So I ask this of NCSG.  JustNet
> Coalition has already decided against it.  Importantly, ISOC has said it
> will not participate in the initiative or its coordination council because
> it lacks openness, bottom-up orientation, accountability, and transparency
> in its structure and operations.
>
> We've heard that Fadi is touting CSCG's letter to the secretariat asking
> to select the civil society representatives as evidence of civil society's
> support for his initiative and as "legitimizing" the NMI.  What Fadi
> doesn't understand yet, however, is that our sending the letter requesting
> to be involved is not what "legitimizes" NMI.  It is whether NMI actually
> "walks the talk" and permits civil society to, in fact, make our own
> determinations for who should represent us - and *in practice* - not just
> words - live up the NetMundial principles of bottom-up governance,
> openness, transparency, accountability, etc.
>
> A few Pro & Con arguments below.  Please send your thoughts.  I'll update
> as soon as we have some news one way or the other from the NMI secretariat.
>
> Thanks,
> Robin
>
>
> FOR INVOLVEMENT
>
> With ITU a governments only forum and no real will to change, and IGF as a
> forum with no power to make recommendations or take decisions and again no
> will to change, there is no credible venue to initiate action on non
> technical issues or issues not within the remit of Istar organisations
> These would include surveillance issues, human rights issues, net
> neutrality issues, to name a few.
>
> The solid commitment to NetMundial principles promised, if carried out in
> practice, would create a credible and open initiative
>
> There is a need for a representative forum capable of moving us forward on
> a range of issues not covered by existing institutions
>
> Participation is strongly supported by some sections of civil society
>
>
>
> AGAINST INVOLVEMENT
>
> The last thing we need is a corporate takeover of internet governance and
> this could become that
>
> ISOC has withdrawn
>
> Participation is strongly opposed by some sections of civil society
>
> This initiative has a track record of poor communication
>
> Not bottom-up or transparent so far
>
>
>
> On Nov 17, 2014, at 3:22 PM, Robin Gross wrote:
>
> Statement from the Civil Society Coordination Group (CSCG) from today.   CSCG
> is comprised of the Internet Governance civil society networks of NCSG,
> APC, Best Bits, JustNet, Diplo Foundation, Internet Governance Caucus, and
> Civicus.  - Robin
>
> *UPDATE ON CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN NET MUNDIAL INITIATIVE.*
>
> Please note that Internet Governance Civil Society Coordination Group
> (CSCG) participation in the new Net Mundial initiative is still under
> consideration. CSCG has written to the NMI Secretariat and Transitional
> Council suggesting that it play a co-ordinating role in the selection of
> civil society representatives in a coordinated bottom up manner, rather
> than these decisions being made by the Transitional Council (which has no
> civil society representation). This is still under discussion; however, we
> do not yet have a proposal with sufficient clarity for member coalitions to
> be able to decide on participation or not. While Just Net Coalition (JNC)
> has already determined it will not participate, other members are waiting
> for clarity on our proposal for a bottom up and inclusive procedure for
> determining civil society representatives before making any final decisions
> on participation.
>
> Our letter to  the NMI Secretariat and Transitional Council in no way
> signifies that any or all CS organisations have made a final decision on
> whether to engage with the NMI in a formal selection process or to
> participate in the NMI process.
>
>
>
>