NCUC Trip Assessment 2 DRAFT

I have applied and was selected to represent the NCUC during the WSIS Forum meeting held in Geneva on 19-23 March 2018. NCUC had sent in a workshop proposal for the event on new gTLDs and geographic names led by Renata Aquino Ribeiro, NCUC Chair. The workshop, originally scheduled for Friday, March 23rd was rescheduled to Thursday and the theme was changed with support from NCSG and NCUC Chair and PC NCSG Chair and organization by Bill Drake to the title of “Multistakeholder Decision Making in Global Internet Governance” (session 212, https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2018/Pages/Agenda/Session/212#intro). It included statements from Bill Drake (as moderator), Markus Kummer, Larry Strickling (participating remotely) and myself. The panelists discussed the consequences of the rapid growth of multistakeholder decision making plateaued and ways in which the levels of multistakeholder input and engagement currently allowed by some intergovernmental organizations can be meaningfully enriched (please see the workshop website for more details). My contribution focused on analogies between IG and other areas of international law, such as environmental protection or international trade, that have been able to successfully accommodated private parties participation in international standard setting and law making. Lessons learned from those areas can be used to better adapt to the challenges posed to the IG multistakeholder community by new data privacy (GDPR) and cybersecurity (EU NIS Directive) laws and regulations. The outcomes of the session can be found here: https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2018/Content/Uploads/DOC/7627a7f9f6f94975b31e79deb8d1522e/session-212_summary.pdf.

Renata Aquino Ribeiro had been selected as High Level Meeting Facilitator representing Civil Society. As per her request and agreement with WSIS organizers, I could represent the NCUC in that role for the Facilitation Meeting for Action Lines C1, C7 eGov, C11, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, focused on “Aligning ICT and E-Government Strategies with National Development Strategies” (session 145, https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2018/Pages/Agenda/Session/145#intro). The session focused on how governments could “better incorporate ICT and e-government strategies within their National Development Strategies to reap the benefits of these technologies in building resilience and sustainable development” (see the session page for more details). Examples form Europe, Asia and South America were presented to showcase successful national ICT strategies. In the questions round I addressed the need to ensure human rights protection in general and privacy and freedom of expression concerns in particular in all comprehensive IT strategies, especially those that are operated and enforced by national authorities, which I felt could have been more addressed by the panelists. I emphasized that the NCUC strongly stands for human right protection within the ICANN environment and is willing to share its IG expertise with other stakeholders if needed. 

I was also invited to another speaking opportunity in the ICANN session on “A Dialogue on different cooperation models for approaches to Internet Public Policy development” (session 196, https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2018/Pages/Agenda/Session/196#intro). The session, organized by the ICANN Cross Community Working Group on Internet Governance (CCWG IG) focused on “varying patterns and examples of multi stakeholder engagement across a number of different fora, contrasting their effectiveness and potential lessons to be learned” (for more details please see the session website). Since I was physically not able to participate in the session (I was in mid-air at the time, on my way to Geneva), I provided the organizers with a comprehensive presentation accompanied by a prerecorded commentary, which was summarized by the moderator.  Within it I focused on different venues for IG policy making, including the IGF, NetMundial and ICANN, discussing their individual virtues and vices. I concluded by emphasizing ICANN’s comprehensive multistakeholder model as likely best suited to attend to the needs of the global IG community and its decision making processes. 

Once on site, I also participated in the final ICANN session on GDPR compliance “ICANN, Data Protection and the GDPR” (session 197, https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2018/Pages/Agenda/Session/197). I intervened with questions on Microsoft’s GDPR compliance procedures and policies as well as offered NCUC’s Bill Drake the opportunity to share details on the community’s recommendations for ICANN’s GDPR compliance, in particular on the much debated accreditation mechanism. 

Throughout the event I closely followed and contributed to the IGF Open Consultations and MAG Meeting and provided social media outreach for NCUC and ICANN.

I believe I have been able to meet the goals set out for me during this meeting to the best of my capabilites. I wish my travel arrangements had enabled me to participate in the Monday session in person. I am particularly hopeful of the initial interaction made with UNDESA, looking forward to a more active NCUC/UN cooperation in the IGF spaces. I have also used this experience to get a better understanding of ICANN's role in the IGF Open Consultations and MAG Meeting and look forward to becoming a more active participant in the ICANN/IGF dialogue.