The following text is excerpted from an ongoing discussion on the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group mailing list. The only changes made relate to an effort to anonymize the comments in respect of the Chatham House rule and separate issues related to logistics and internal procedures. The discussion took place between 1 - 30 November, 2010.
(Markus Kummer)
Dear colleagues,
We have now opened registration for the open consultations and the MAG meeting on 22 and 23 February. As usual, the link to the registration forms is on our home page.
As we have done on several occasions, we plan to have an informal dinner on a self-pay basis (formula MAG plus friends) on 22 November. Ayesha has kindly made a reservation in the usual restaurant near the station. Please let us know whether you are planning to attend, so that we can make sure there is room for everyone.
Lastly, you may have noted on the CSTD Web site that the CSTD Vice-Chair and MAG member Frederic Riehl is holding another consultation on the CSTD Working Group on the IGF. Of course, MAG member are all invited to attend the meeting. If you have any questions in this matter, please address them to the CSTD Secretariat, as we are not involved in the organization of that meeting.
Best regards
Markus
(Writer A)
February or November :-) ??????
(Writer A)
+1 for the dinner at November 22
(Writer B)
Dear colleagues,
We have now opened registration for the open consultations and the MAG meeting on 22 and 23 February. As usual, the link to the registration forms is on our home page.
As we have done on several occasions, we plan to have an informal dinner on a self-pay basis (formula MAG plus friends) on 22 November. Ayesha has kindly made a reservation in the usual restaurant near the station. Please let us know whether you are planning to attend, so that we can make sure there is room for everyone.
Count me in please.
Lastly, you may have noted on the CSTD Web site that the CSTD Vice-Chair and MAG member Frederic Riehl is holding another consultation on the CSTD Working Group on the IGF. Of course, MAG member are all invited to attend the meeting. If you have any questions in this matter, please address them to the CSTD Secretariat, as we are not involved in the organization of that meeting.
Thanks for this heads-up. I have looked at the CSTD site, and I still cannot find the questionnaire that was mentioned in Vilnius, nor any details on the meeting that I understand will be held in Geneva on November 24. I have written to the email address provided on the site, and will of course share any news I get with those of you on this list.
Best
(Writer B)
It appears that the mail address is not yet live on the UNCTAD/CSTD site.
(Writer C)
Dear Markus,
> We have now opened registration for the open consultations and the MAG
> meeting on 22 and 23 February. As usual, the link to the registration forms
> is on our home page.
Done and awaiting confirmation of registration!
> As we have done on several occasions, we plan to have an informal dinner on
> a self-pay basis (formula MAG plus friends) on 22 November. Ayesha has
> kindly made a reservation in the usual restaurant near the station. Please
> let us know whether you are planning to attend, so that we can make sure
> there is room for everyone.
Kindly add me to the list!
> Lastly, you may have noted on the CSTD Web site that the CSTD Vice-Chair and
> MAG member Frederic Riehl is holding another consultation on the CSTD
> Working Group on the IGF. Of course, MAG member are all invited to attend
> the meeting. If you have any questions in this matter, please address them
> to the CSTD Secretariat, as we are not involved in the organization of that
> meeting.
I would like to add to the pain being faced by everyone that there
seems to be no update on this issue even on the CSTD website of the
venue and registration. Is it possible to atleast coordinate a single
registration for us so that we can still enter the same building on
the same ID instead of passing through the registration processes
twice? Kindly do share any updates if the secretariat hears from the
CSTD on the IGF-WG please.
(Markus Kummer)
Dear colleagues,
My apologies: I presume you all guessed that I was referring to the meetings in November and not February in the email I had sent out yesterday.
The correct dates are:
22 November: Open consultations
23 November: MAG meeting
24 November: CSTD consultation
By mistake I had written February instead of November. I suppose the reason for this mix-up was due to the fact that I had been in the middle of checking dates for possible meetings in February. There were not many slots open and I have tentatively reserved 16 and 17 February 2011. Of course, this will depend on the final decision by the GA as well as our own discussions later this month.
Best regards
Markus
(Writer D)
Markus:
I will not be in Geneva for this meeting since I will be participating in the eLAC actvities in Lima. However, I hope to join you remotely at least on Tuesda, so I will wait for remote participation details.
(Writer E)
Markus,
I will not be able to attend as I will be in Johannesburg attending the Afrinic meeting. I plan to join remotely if the schedule works and look forward to joining in person in February, depending on the final decisions.
(Writer F)
Dear Markus,
I will not be able to go to Geneva in November due to other work and
personal committments, but I will gladly participate remotely so once
you have the details please send them.
Best regards
(Writer G)
Dear Markus, Ayesha - thank you for organizing the informal dinner. I plan to attend.
(Writer I)
Yes, I shall attend the dinner with pleasure...
Thank you for the kind invitation
(Writer J)
Dear Markus,
I will attend the dinner with pleasure, too!
(Writer K)
Dear Markus
Thank you for your mails, I plan to attend the dinner on 22 November.
Kind regards
(Writer L)
Dear Markus,
I am happy to say I am planning to participate at the dinner on the 22nd.
(Writer B)
All,
Unfortunately I couldn't make the deadline for the MAG questionnaire for our meeting later this month. However, I have now completed it with some suggestions I hope will be useful.
Looking forward to seeing you all
(Writer M)
Dear Markus,
Pls also count me in the dinner on 22 nd. Thanks.
(Writer N)
Dear Markus.
Thank you for this information.
And yes, I would also like to join the dinner on the 22nd. Thanks for organising it Ayesha!
Kind regards,
(Writer O)
Dear Markus,
Unfortunately, I will not be in Geneva due to some important work
commitment. I will be happy to participate remotely.
(Markus Kummer)
Dear colleagues,
At the request of Mr Mongi Hamdi, Head of the CSTD Secretariat, I am forwarding a message he had sent out with regard to the open consultations on 24 November on the CSTD Working Group on the IGF.
Best regards
Markus
-----Forwarded by Markus KUMMER/DIVERS/GVA/UNO on 11/11/10 10:21 -----
Subject: Open consultations on the WG of the Chair of the CSTD on IGF
I have the pleasure to transmit to you a letter addressed from Mr. Frederic Riehl, Vice Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), with a questionnaire for open and inclusive on-line consultations in relation to the Working Group of the Chair of the CSTD on the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). In addition to this questionnaire, Mr. Riehl plans to organize on 24 November 2010, back-to-back with the IGF consultations, scheduled to take place in Geneva from 22-23 November 2010, a second phase of face-to-face open consultations on the Working Group on IGF. As you may be aware, Mr. Riehl has been entrusted by the Chair of the CSTD, the Hon. Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology of Ghana, to establish the Working Group of the Chair of the CSTD on IGF improvements as requested by ECOSOC resolution 2010/2 on "Assessment of the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society " adopted on 19 July 2010 .
Please note that no decision has been taken yet by the Chair on the composition of the Working Group. Due to diverging opinions, consultations about this issue are still underway.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or Mr. Thomas Schneider ( [email protected] ), if you have any questions or need additional information.
With best regards, "
(Writer C)
Dear Markus,
Thank you for updating us with this message but I need your assistance
for understanding this issue as this is becoming very confusing and I
wouldn't have expected such from the CSTD.
The IGF2010 venue in Vilnius was used by the CSTD as a space to
discuss this upcoming open consultation that was to be done
face-2-face and in Geneva around IGF consultations/meetings, the
message from Mr. Mongi creates doubt in this process because it says
online consultations.
There are processes under-way in IGF related stakeholder groups to
propose names for this working group that was announced at IGF2010 and
people were both planning to participate in these consultations as
well as making travel arrangements. So this message makes, at least
myself, believe that the CSTD made a heads-up call without any
substance or planning to such a crucial issue and this makes all the
information issued by the CSTD as mis-leading information circulated
stimulating discussions, work and processes within stakeholder groups
that have no meaning so far?
It is kindly requested to give us a confirmed and accurate answer to
eliminate both doubts and inform our stakeholder groups that the CSTD
provided information that was just speculation of face-2-face open
consultations and these consultations in fact would be just online
consultations where stakeholders can send in their comments via
email????
If this was simply the case, I would say the IGF2010 venue was misused
to create this speculation and such things should be avoided that send
out the wrong messages to the IGF stakeholder groups and create undue
deliberations.
An early response is required for fixing our travel plans and updating
our stakeholder groups!!!!!
Very confusing indeed.
Regards
(Miguel Alcaine)
Dear friends and colleagues,
I am writing to you to let you know I am finishing today my current contract with the CSTD.
I am still looking for a new job. So if you see an opportunity where I can contribute, I will be grateful if you let me know. If you need it, please don't hesitate to grab my CV in pdf format at https://sites.google.com/site/maac65/curriculum-vitae/CVMAACInternetEng…
I am proud to have been part of a group of remarkable professionals like you, who are or have been part of the MAG. I have learned and have had fun working with you.
As I don’t know if I will continue to be related to these matters or not in the future, I don’t know if I should say good bye or see you soon.
Nevertheless and for the time being, let’s leave it at see you soon,
Yours,
(Writer P)
Dear Markus,
I also plan to be there. Thanks for the invitation,
(Markus Kummer)
Dear colleagues,
Please find below an email I received from the CSTD Secretariat with further information on the open consultations on the CSTD Working Group on the IGF,
Best regards
Markus
Dear colleagues and friends,
On behalf of Mr. Frederic Riehl, Vice Chair of the CSTD and Chair of the CSTD Working Group on IGF, I am sending you the following message regarding the open consultation of 24 Nov 2010:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have the pleasure to invite you to a consultation meeting on improvements to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) organized by the Vice Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) and Chairperson of the CSTD Working Group on improvements to the IGF, which will take place on 24 November 2010 in the Centre International de Conférences Genève, 17 rue de Varembé, Geneva , Switzerland.
A draft programme of the meeting is attached.
The Chairperson of the Working Group has been mandated to work in an open and inclusive manner. This consultation meeting therefore aims to provide a platform for all interested stakeholders to express and exchange their opinions on the subject. The discussions will also, but not exclusively, focus on the results of a questionnaire on the same issue published by the Chair on 8 November. (For more information on the questionnaire and the Working Group in general, please visit www.unctad.info/en/cstdwg )
Should you wish to take part in the meeting, I would kindly request you to send the attached registration form to: [email protected] .
Yours sincerely,
Frédéric Riehl
Vice Chair of the CSTD
(Writer Q)
Dear Writer C (and all others)
There are so many things going on at the same time in and around the WSIS process in Geneva, New York and at other places,
that it is indeed difficult - especially for those who have other work to do in their daily jobs in addition to the WSIS-follow-up - to follow and understand all the parallel processes, consultations, etc.
So in order to bring a little more clarity in one of these processes - the Chair of the CSTD's working group on IGF improvements - let me say a few words about the work of this group.
In August 2010, Frederic Riehl, Vice Chair of the CSTD, was mandated by the current Chair of the CSTD to establish this Working group and develop a process leading up to the next CSTD meeting of May 2011.
He took advantage of the fact that a large number of people interested were present at the IGF in Vilnius in September 2010 to have a first exchange of views on the working methods, the timeline and also the composition of the group. The Chair of the Working Group made it clear that the process should be open and inclusive, as requested by the ECOSOC resolution which gave the mandate to create this WG.
Regarding the COMPOSITION of the group, there were different views expressed in Vilnius whether or not the group should be of a limited size or not. Many stakeholders expressed their wish to follow an approach taken by the establishment of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) in 2004. Others had different ideas.
Regarding the SCHEDULE of work, the proposal of the Chair of the Working Group presented in Vilnius, and which was welcomed by governments and stakeholders who took the floor in that session, was to organize online consultations during the month of October and to undertake informal consultations with different stakeholders in the hope to be able to proceed with the composition of the group in a way that the group could have its first meeting on 24 November 2010.
However, after the meeting in Vilnius, we received signals that - in addition to the issue of how to compose the group - there is also disagreement among some governments about when and under what level of formality the group should start its work.
So, the Chair of the Working Group decided to spend some more time for informal discussions and exchange of views concerning the composition of the group and the proposed timeline.
The Result of this is the following:
- There has been no decision taken yet about how to compose the group.
- Early November a tentative roadmap on the activities of the Working Group of the Chair of the CSTD has been posted under "just published" on the CSTD website (www.unctad.org/CSTD)
- Further the Chair has decided to use the meeting of 24 November in Geneva for face-to-face consultations. This has also been announced on the CSTD website.
- Further: a questionnaire has been published which can be used for online consultation until Nov 19, as an input to the face-to-face consultation meeting of November 24.
Last but not least, the Chair will give some further information on how he plans to proceed with the composition of the group on November 24.
I hope that this helps to get things a little clearer.
For further information, do not hesitate to contact me or Mongi Hamdi from the CSTD secretariat.
Thank you and best regards
(Markus Kummer)
Dear colleagues,
The MAG plus friends dinner next Monday will take place at 1930 in the Restaurant Bagatelle, near the main railway station (Gare Cornavin).
Please let us know whether you wish to attend, should you not already have done so, by sending an email to our generic Secretariat address.
The exact address and the map are listed below.
Best regards
Markus
(Writer R)
I will be attending, thanks for the invitation.
(Writer D)
Dear Markus:
I have not seen the details for remote participation in tomorrow's
meeting.
I know that you are very busy today, but if possible I would
appreciate if you could send them today (or resend them if details
have been already sent to the list).
Thanks
(Chengetai Masango)
Dear All,
Please find below instructions for remote participating in tomorrow's MAG meeting (morning session)
I will send the afternoon session links shortly.
Best regards
(Chengetai Masango)
Dear All,
For the afternoon session,
Chengetai Masango invites you to attend this online meeting.
(Chengetai Masango)
Dear All,
Here are the links for the scribes text :
URL of event: www.streamtext.net/text.aspx?event=MAG23Nov2010Morning
URL of event: www.streamtext.net/text.aspx?event=MAG23Nov2010Afternoon
Best reagrds
Chengetai
(Chengetai Masango)
Hello ,
Please join my meeting that is currently in progress.
(Writer P)
Dear all,
I'd like to share with you all a copy of the APC´s IGF assessment and
recommendation. APC (and Nupef, as an APC member) is using it for
shaping our participation and inputs in the MAG meeting today. APC will
disseminate it broadly in the upcoming days.
(Chengetai Masango)
Dear All,
Please find attached the final unedited copy of the summary report of the 23 November MAG meeting.
Best regards