An NCSG colleague has suggested that my posting on India’s Document 98 was a bit too dense in terms of its recommendations for action. Here is what I see as necessary here. The activity is quite apart from ICANN, but will have an impact on the effectiveness of ICANN’s multistakeholder process. At the level of civil of the and their respective national governments there is a need to come to a common understanding, if not an agreement, on how non-commercial/civil society stakeholders will be represented, and interact, in the processes of the articulation of internet policies, whenever and wherever.

This needs dialogue to take place outside ICANN, probably at the IGF. There is need for a focused dialogue between governments (as significant stakeholders) and non-commercial/civil society stakeholders The need for a policy framework (terms of reference) for these specific discussions goes far beyond India and could be a recurrent dialogue track at the IGF. Brazil’s history in the area might contain useful lessons learned.

Sam Lanfranco (NPOC, Policy Committee Chair)