+1 @Ed Cheers ! -Olevie- 2014-11-18 19:28 GMT+00:00 Edward Morris <[log in to unmask]>: > Great summary, Robin. > > This isn't a black and white issue. From a philosophical standpoint I > doubt many of us are comfortable with participation in an institution > created by the nice folks who run the WEF. I also question what ICANN is > doing pushing this project, one that goes far beyond ICANN's responsibility > for names and numbers. We all are aware of Fadi's love of all things > Davos, but raising his profile there should not be done at the expense of > maintaining ICANN's limited remit. > > That said, if it is going to happen anyway it's probably best to be > involved (while, conversely, opposing ICANN's role in creating the NMI) > provided CS is allowed to select its own representatives. In no way should > we participate if the NMI secretariat is involved in the selection of > specific stakeholders. Bottom up is something the WEF will have trouble > with. If they can cut against their elitist instincts and accept a more > egalitarian selection process for CS reps that we can accept then I'd be > inclined to participate. It would be a good chance to push our agenda to > elites who may, in fact, be receptive to our ideas but are only now > involved in IG due to the nature of those who are organising the forum. > > Ed > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Robin Gross <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 10:15:29 -0800 > Subject: Re: UPDATE ON CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN NET MUNDIAL > INITIATIVE > > 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. > > > > -- Olévié Ayaovi Agbenyo KOUAMI Responsable du projet CERGI-EDUCATON à CERGI Banking Services Directeur Général de GiDa-OKtetS (Représentations commerciales et négoces) Directeur Exécutif et CEO de l'INTIC4DEV (Institut des TIC pour le développement) SG de ESTETIC - Association Togolaise des professionnels des TIC ( http://www.estetic.tg) ICANN-NPOC Communications Committee Chair (http://www.icann.org/ et http://www.npoc.org/) Membre du FOSSFA (www.fossfa.net) et Membre de de Internet Society ( www.isoc.org) BP : 851 - Tél.: (228) 90 98 86 50 / (228) 98 43 27 72 Skype : olevie1 FB : @olivier.kouami.3 Twitter : #oleviek Lomé - Togo