The APAC Space web conference was held on 17 October 2019 to introduce ICANN’s third Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT3). Larisa Gurnick (Vice President, Multistakeholder Strategy & Strategic Initiatives, ICANN) introduced the review. Cheryl-Langdon Orr was the APAC Space Community Facilitator. 9 community members attended the web conference.
APAC community members were encouraged to observe the ATRT3 face-to-face meetings in Singapore (20-22 October 2019) and in ICANN66 Montreal (2-7 November 2019).
Links to the meeting recording and presentation slides can be found at the APAC Space Community Wiki page here: https://community.icann.org/display/GSEAPAC/APAC+Space.
Details of the session are as follows:
Third Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT3)
Larisa introduced that ATRT3 is mandated by ICANN’s Bylaws. The review looks at whether ICANN has carried out its commitments to maintain and improve mechanisms for public input, accountability, and transparency to ensure that the outcomes of ICANN’s decision-making reflect the public interest and are accountable to the Internet community. Post-IANA stewardship transition, reviews are a way for ICANN to ensure good governance of its processes. The ATRT is the only ICANN review that must be completed within 12 months.
With regard to their work process, the ATRT3 Review Team studied the recommendations of ATRT2 and conducted a community feedback survey. The aim of the survey was to collect opinions on ICANN’s accountability and transparency, and to help the ATRT3 Review Team identify areas for improvement or which would benefit from a recommendation.
In addition, Cheryl introduced that the ATRT3 Review Team is broken into 4 work parties that cover the following:
- Board – assesses the Board’s effectiveness and efficiency, composition, transparency mechanisms and checks and balances, etc.
- Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) – examines the interaction between GAC and Board as well as other ICANN community groups, how GAC deals with technical aspects of the DNS, etc.
- Reviews – assesses the implementation of ATRT2 recommendations and analyses the effectiveness of other reviews
- Community – reviews issues impacting community such as strategic planning, NomCom selection, Policy Development Processes (PDPs), community access to information, and transparency processes within SO/ACs
Community Discussion
On whether there was a diversity requirement for membership in ICANN’s review teams, Cheryl noted that while there were no official guidelines on diversity requirements that could be used in the ATRT3, the ATRT membership is balanced according to the representation by the Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees. Larisa pointed out that the ICANN Bylaws mandate that membership must be balanced for diversity and skill.
Regarding whether the ATRT3 would interact with other existing Policy Development Processes (PDP), Cheryl responded positively that the ATRT3 recommendations and observations would be made that might have impact on the PDPs.
AOB
Joyce informed community to note the following sessions in ICANN66 Montreal:
- APAC Space face-to-face meeting
- Wed, 6 November 2019, 08:30 – 10:15 (local time) / 12:30 – 14:15 (UTC)
- Discussion Topic: “ICANN Strategic Plan for FY21-25 vis-à-vis the APAC region”
- Remote participation is available
- APAC Social
- Postscript: Note that this session has been cancelled due to schedule clash with the session “A Tribute to Tarek Kamel”
