[WSIS CS-Plenary] WGIG ProgressReport

Wed Dec 29 14:54:27 GMT 2004

Dear list,

here is a progress report from the ongoing activities of the WGIG.

1. The initiative of  WGIG Secretary Kummer, to ask members of the group to indicate their preferences from the 50+ issues list produced a very constructive reply. The majority of members of the group selected three to six subjects where they indicated that they will be ready to write an issue paper or to contribute to the writing of an issue paper. The "issue paper" is not yet a "position paper". It is a "fact sheet" which describes the problem, collects the relevant facts, and maps the subject into the existing mechanism of governing bodies. Probably, if members of the group can agree, it adds a SWOT analysis to indicate already, where problems exists and controveries can emerge. The "issue paper" will be not longer than 3 - 5 pages. The plan is to have the papers ready for internal distribution until January, 25 or so so that after a inner consultation process  they can constitute a basis for the first part of the forthcoming report which will be also descriptive by nature and include next to the "Map" also a brief history, based mainly of existing contributions from ISOC and others. 

2. While some issues of the 50+ list got low priority, other got high. Highest priorities got issues like Root Server, Names and Numbers (not a surprise). For a number of issues, voluneers have started to coordinate the work and to invite all members of the group who have indicated their willingness to make contributions to a special issue to join special sub-working groups. The sub working groups are at this stage for fact finding only. There is no discussion on the political, economic, cultural, legal and other "controversial" aspects of a problem. It is jst a correct factual overview about the issue with the aim to enable an informed discussion among group members at a later stage. The sub working groups are open for all WGIG members. Contributions are welcome. If somebody feels, an issue is not covered she/he can initiatie another sub-group. One member of the sub-group of "Names and Numbers" has already proposed to seperate the issues and to  create two sub-groups because number allocation is different from name space enlargement and name registration. But the debate has just started. No substantial discussion so far. 

3. The whole process is a member driven bottom up process, very closer to traditional listserv discussion than to intergovernmental diplomatic negotiations.  WGIG members who are silent or position themselves as "observers" risk to become sidelined. It will be difficult, to articulate dissend voices if you have missed the train. But so far the general climate in the e-mail discussion is very constructive. Each message is driven by the will of the members, to make a constructive contribution and to move foreward. But again, this is only the beginning. No hot potatoes has been on the table so far. 

4. The time table has been reorganised. Some members of the group disagreed with the idea, to have the 3rd meeting of the group as a follow up the the ICANN Mar del Plata Meting in Sao Paulo. The Brazilain government did invite the group. Some members saw this as a good idea to enable WGIG members to have a look into the ICANN practice and then to move to Brazil for the WGIG meeting. Others had a different approach. First point was timing. The planned dates were  in conflict with the dates of the already fixed  8th meeting of the UNICTTF in Dublin (which coincides with another meeting of the TFFM). Members of the group gave this meeting a higher priority and wanted to have a date which would enable them to go to Dublin. The new dates of the 3rd WGIG meeting are now April 18 - 20, 2005 in Geneva. Only a small number of members had problems with the Brazilian invitation (fearing that this will undermine the neutrality of the group) . Another proposal to go to New York has been also watered down, in particular with regard to the Visa Probkems members of the group could have if they want to enter the US. 

5. Concerning the 2nd meeting  a more detailed programme was discussed. There will be a closed meeting on Monday morning (14.2.) followd by an open closed meeting at the same day. (Opne C.osed means that the meeting is closed in principle, but so-called onlookers will have a right to sit in the room without speaking rights). Tuesday, 15th, will be open ended for everybody. The Wednesday meeting (16.2.) will be again partly "open closed" or "full closed". On Thursday and Friday, probably a drafting group will work on the formulation of the Interim Report, which has to be tabled to PrepCom2 on Monday, 21st, in the morning. There will be a full day during PrepCom2, where the delegates (and observers) will discuss the Interim Report in Plenary (probably Wednesday, 23rd).  The Interim Report will - like the Issue Papers - avoid to formulate already "positions". It will be  procedural and factual and will, probably, invite input from broader constituencies. So the hard work will be done between April and June. 

Hope this brings some light into the process. Feel free to contact me if you have any idea how to improve the interaction among WGIG members and the broader public. And please, come with concrete, innovative but short papers. 

So far so good. 

I wish everybody a  nice "Silvester Party" and to all uf us a great 2005 with a succesfull  WSIS II.

Best

wolfgang