<font color="#996633"><font size="2"><font face="verdana,sans-serif">Hello Bill Graham<br><br>These are the times that tries the the soul of the Internet. The review process for the Internet Governance Forum is moving forward from its transparent phase of gathering stakeholder inputs to a non-so-transparent phase of actual review, and the Civil Society is anxious about the outcome. There was some discussion about the role of CSTD at the recent Open Consultations that pointed to the possibility that CSTD may be 'bypassed'. The immediate concern of the Civil Society groups is to ensure that the review process goes through the CSTD where non-governmental groups are in a better position to participate. The larger concern is to ensure the continuation of the IGF with an extended UN mandate. At the same time, the WSIS process also needs to be reviewed for a balance between its organizers: ITU as a business union might require help from other International Organizations, responsible private sector corporations, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations to organize the next phase of WSIS. <br>
<br>In these times, ISOC needs to step in and reach out to Civil Society, Private Sector and International Organizations and find ways of ensuring that the Secretary General takes note of the concerns of the Civil Society about the review process. If necessary ISOC, under its enhanced cooperation program, could organize/ co-sponsor a specific Open Consultation meeting in Geneva with invitations sent to the UN, European Commission and other regional and national governments to observe this meeting where Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations would express their concerns. <br>
<br>That is the need of the hour under ISOC's Enhanced Cooperation program. The important areas to be addressed are:<br><br>1) Civil Society 'participation' in the review debates and the transparency of the review process.<br>
<br>2) Continuation of the Internet Governance Forum with an extended UN mandate. Funds and other resources required for the IGF over the next five years; improvements to the IGF process.<br><br>3) Review of WSIS and the multi-stakholderisation of the IGF (as brought up by Wolfgang Kleinwaechter recently in a public list). This is a very important debate that could happen at the WSIS meeting in May organized by the ITU or ISOC could facilitate a debate on this topic of multi-stakeholderization of WSIS by including this topic along with 1) and 2) and facilitate an extensive debate with good participation from all non-governmental, civil society groups as also by responsible governments that understand the significance of the Internet remaining free and open.<br>
<br>ISOC could also consider assuring the stakeholders of enhanced support in the form of financial and non-financial inputs to the continuation of the IGF with an extended UN mandate.<br><br><br clear="all"></font></font></font>Sivasubramanian Muthusamy<br>
<a href="http://www.isocmadras.com">http://www.isocmadras.com</a><br><br><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 1:26 AM, Bill Graham <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:graham@isoc.org">graham@isoc.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
Dear Chapter delegates,<br>
<br>
We received an email late Friday from the United Nations requesting an update to the 2008 report on the steps ISOC has taken towards enhanced cooperation on public policy issues pertaining to the Internet. The deadline for the response is 15 March. I know that other organizations have received the same request. I am writing to ask you to contribute to our response.<br>
<br>
I have attached the ISOC response to the last consultation. As you will see, it explains the Internet model in some detail, and then focuses on three specific areas where we particularly cooperate with other stakeholders: in public policy, standards, and education/capacity building. I propose to update those comments in shorter form. This time, I would really appreciate hearing from you about areas where the Chapters and Members of ISOC work with the private sector, civil society, governments and international organizations in those areas and other areas of Internet governance.<br>
<br>
Unfortunately, the deadline set by the UN is quite short -- we have only 3 weeks to prepare a response, and the ICANN meeting is in the middle of that. I apologize, but would ask if you can please send me your responses by the end of your day Wednesday, 10 March.<br>
<br>
best regards,<br>
<br>
Bill<br>
<br>
========================<br><font color="#888888">
Bill Graham<br>
Global Strategic Engagement<br>
The Internet Society<br>
<a href="mailto:graham@isoc.org" target="_blank">graham@isoc.org</a><br>
tel +1.613.231.8543 or<br>
+1.703.439.2157<br>
<br>
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