+1 @ Flavio. Thank you for this information. I began to wonder if the NetMundial Initiative was an illusion !?!? +1 @ CGI.br and Brazil ! Cheers! -Olevie- 2014-11-19 0:51 GMT+00:00 Flávio Rech Wagner <[log in to unmask]>: > Robin > > I have been informed that the "transitional council" of the NMI - > NETmundial Initiative (which contains representatives from ICANN, CGI.br > and WEF and is provisory, until the 25 names of the permanent council have > been defined) is having an intense dialogue with CSCG (the Civil Society > Coordination Group) and, together, they shall come to a solution for > appointing names to the council by consensus and fully respecting > nominations from Civil Society. There is no intention whatsoever from the > transitional council to indicate names in a closed, top-down manner and > without full endorsement from CSCG. > > The transitional council also expects to achieve similar solutions for > appointing names that will represent other stakeholder groups. > > Please notice that CGI.br (the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee), > which is one of the entities proposing the NMI, would never agree with > top-down, closed decisions that would strongly undermine CGI's legitimacy > as a true bottom-up, multistakeholder body. CGI.br is completely committed > to preserve the NETmundial principles in the implementation of the NMI. > > Please remember also that, when NETmundial was proposed by the end of > 2013, all of us in the global Internet Governance (IG) community, because > of lack of information, were puzzled about its organization and possible > success and outcomes. But the global community faced the challenge and > transformed a vague idea into a successful event, with a true > multistakeholder organization, with very open and transparent processes, > and with a final document that was achieved by rough consensus and approved > governance principles that were praised by most of the stakeholders > (including human rights and other principles that are extremely valued by > Civil Society). > > So let's try to transform NMI, which is still also a vague idea, into > something that is concrete and useful for the advancement of IG and that > fully respects the principles enshrined in the NETmundial declaration. > > Flávio > (NCUC member and member of the Board of CGI.br) > > > > > 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