NPOC Trip Assessment 2

I participated in the following WISIS Forum events:

Thursday 28th May 2015

1. High level Dialogue Empowering Women to Innovate Through Technologies

2. E-Business and the SDGs: The way forward by UNCTAD, ITC & UPU

3. Building Trust – The technical Challenges, ITU and Partners

4. IANA Stewardship Transition - A Live Example of a Multistakeholder Process. –

Friday 29th May 2015

1. The Role of Broadcasters in the Digital Era

2. Implementing WSIS OUTCOMES: A Ten Year Review, CSTD Secretariat and UNCTAD

General Observations:

The quality and level of the presentations and events at the WSIS Forum where with some notable exceptions low. Nearly all presentations where either presentations of specific past or ongoing projects and initiatives. And it seems to be the case that the WSIS Forum is used as a platform by governments with dubious international reputations to voice positions that normally are not able to do so in an international context. For example one representative from the Iran in a presentation talked about that the multi stakeholder process in Internet Governance should and are informed by Iran’s regional governments in order to ensure grassroots participation.

I would also like to mention that all speakers during the "The Role of Broadcasters in the Digital Era" failed to talk about the advertised theme but they all concentrated on IP rights protection for Broadcasters.

The event of "Implementing WSIS OUTCOMES: A Ten Year Review, CSTD Secretariat and UNCTAD" was interesting from the point of view that the message from the speakers was that there was no real concept for the Future of the WSIS, that it should continue somehow but that it depends if partners and ideas can be found. The event could been summarized with: "It's you that has to keep things going, not us!

A notable exception from the disappointing events was the "IANA Stewardship Transition – A Live Example of a Multistakeholder Process". – The quality of the representations was high and one could only have wished that there was more time available for further discussion and dialogue.

I had a number of discussion with WSIS Forum participants; The main topic besides the IANA transition was the upcoming review of the Millennium Development goals by the UN in general and the lack of a specific ICT related goal in the draft document in particular. There seemed to be a general disappointment about the lack of engagement of ICANN and other IG organizations in the ongoing processes to develop the goal. The consensus seems to be that participating in Millennium goal related event of the UN from time to time is just not good enough to show results. Representatives of IG organizations need to be engaged and present on a day to day basis with the process. This might seem to be an excessive effort and cost that is not justified by the means, but the reality is also that just one ICT millennium goal over the years will spark thousands of related activities and mobilize substantial funds. It is not too late, but very very late. Can ICANN afford not to appoint a short time permanent representative for this task. The UN related ICANN staff in place is good but they simply can not do this justice as they are expected to do many other things.

Exhibition area deserted

Meeting with Cyril Ritchie, President, Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations.

It was very important for me to meet up with Cyril Ritchie as CoNGO is one of the ways how ICANN Civil Society stakeholders can engage not only with a number of CS organizations but also create a new place of engagement and dialogue with the UN Apparatus. During the meeting it has been agreed that NPOC/through GKPF Pathfinder will do specific awareness and capacity building activities to CoNGO members because Internet Operational concerns are real concerns of many CoNGO members. CoNGO will also gain from this engagement as these activities will increase the attractive of CoNGO to its members.

Summary Assessment of the trip: Many of the WSIS Forum events where disappointing, but it was important to see first hand the generally bad state of the WSIS process. This is a problem and at the same time an opportunity. The problem is that WSIS does not work well today the opportunity is that with some input from the multi stakeholder based IG community the process could be revitalized and further developed.

ICANN needs to engage in a serious way with the Millennium goals review if it wants to see results.

CoNGO offers multi stakeholder based IG an opportunity to engage with a large number of Civil Society organizations and the UN.

The WSIS Forum was a good platform to have important engagements on the sideline of the event, and these talks alone would have justified the effort of the trip in time and resources.