Internet Governance – Towards Rio de Janeiro

1. Internet Governance – Towards Rio de Janeiro By Waudo Siganga WITSA Public Policy Meeting 2007 Kuala Lumpur

2. Topics • Background • Outcomes from IGF Athens • IGF May Consultations • Rio Meeting Structure • Rio Meeting Issues

3. Background • IG Formed a contentious part of the WSIS debates 2002-2005 “IG must be multilateral, transparent and democratic, with the full involvement of governments, the private sector, civil society and international organizations.” • Geneva phase of WSIS failed to resolve IG and UN-SG formed WGIG ahead of Tunis phase • WGIG Report Defined IG, proposed IG Changes and formation of IGF • IGF & Enhanced Cooperation was adopted at Tunis phase

4. Outcomes from Athens -Format • broad issues were Openness, Security, Diversity and Access • Success of open, multi-stakeholder model (format) • Too much emphasis on “North-North” issues at the expense of IG for development? • Some reservations that the IGF is non-decision-making meeting

5. Outcomes form Athens -Content • Government, business and civil society, and academics seemed to reflect very different perspectives • Content not received from developing countries business due to non-attendance • IGF should address needs of SMEs • Business needs to ensure that strong activist groups do not control the IGF agenda

6. Outcomes from Athens – Recommendations -1 • Identify resources to help fund speakers, particularly business speakers from developing countries and SMEs. • Balance business speakers to include women and developing country representatives • Include business speakers from users e.g. financial services, as well as service providers • Business and human rights, freedom of expression, and free flow of information; corporate social responsibility issues should remain on the agenda.

7. Outcomes from Athens – Recommendations -2 • Business supports IPR and the links to access and openness issues to remain on the IGF agenda • Emerging issues should be an important component of improvements for the next IGF in Rio • Creation of an IGF or ICC/BASIS ‘recognition award’ for one, or one from each stakeholder group that acknowledges an effective initiative by that individual, company, government , technical expert, or civil society organization that has had positive impact on Internet development. This would be a message of encouragement to reinforce that if it is done right, it might convey or reinforce our message about how to get it done.

8. IGF Consultations May 23 • Cluster of WSIS related events is taking place in Geneva from 14 - 25 May 2007 including the IGF consultation on 23 May. • Purpose of IGF consultations is to address the agenda and the programme of the Rio de Janeiro meeting • Open to all stakeholders, including business (BASIS) • Possibility of 2nd round consultations

9. Rio Meeting Structure -1 • Informal, Interactive Multi-stakeholder format • Participation open to entities and persons with expertise/experience in IG • Main sessions and workshops – send worshop proposals • Four broad themes • Development and capacity blg are cross-cutting

10. Rio Meeting Structure -2 • All major organizations dealing with IG invited to hold open forums and report on their activities • Holding of best practice forums for govets & Other Stakeholders present/discuss success stories • Exhibition to be run on commercial basis • Free “meeting point” for showcasing activities

11. Remote Participation • All sessions and workshops will be video or audio cast • Video and audio streaming will be available on the IGF website

12. Access Issues • The role of governments as key stakeholders in ensuring an enabling environment to improve access. • Market structures and their relationship to competition and investment and in fostering innovation. • Regulatory frameworks tailored to local conditions, in particular towards improving access in rural areas. • International connectivity costs and competitive markets. • Gender and access.

13. Openness Issues • Freedom of expression and the role of governments to protect that right. • The relationship between national regulations on freedom of expression and the borderless Internet. • The relationship between market forces and human rights. • The balance between citizens’ rights to information and the rights of IPR holders. • The advantages and disadvantages of different business models dealing with digital content.

14. Security Issues • Authentication and identification. • The role of all stakeholders in the implementation of security measures. • The relationship between national implementation and international cooperation. • The definition of security threats and international cooperation. • The respective advantages of open and proprietary standards in shaping security solutions. • Identifying best practices for delivering security measures.

15. Diversity Issues • Expressing and protecting locally developed content, including content that is not commercially viable. • The role of audio-visual communication in promoting local content. • The role of the Internet to relieve illiteracy and provide accessible content for people with disabilities. • The role of software in developing local content. • The involvement of language communities in developing internationalized domain names (IDN).

16. Business coordination for Rio Ayesha Hassan International Chamber of Commerce Senior Policy Manager Electronic Business, IT, and Telecommunications Executive in charge of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Policy 38 Cours Albert 1er 75008 Paris, France tel: +33 1 49 53 30 13 fax: +33 1 49 53 28 59 Email: ayesha.hassan@iccwbo.org website: www.iccwbo.org IGF Website - http://www.intgovforum.org

17. Terima Kasih