[WSIS CS-Plenary] Draft Statement on Internet Governance in Arabic

[carlos a. afonso]

I guess we should be more flexible here. There is a third option (and
maybe others :)), which is to go for a reasonably sized group and to
maintain online colaboration mechanisms which include all nominees from
the different cauci, so that a regular dialogue is established between
the "core" group and the rest of the nominees' list.

Thus all nominated reps would be allowed to provide their input and
critiques, while a "core" group would try and meet in face-to-face
meetings (besides being involved in the online colaborative work with
the rest of the group), and be as open as possible regarding reaching of
a wide consensus.

As to the "reasonably sized" group, let us also take into account that
most of the nominees do not have guaranteed funds to be present in the
face-to-face meetings, and some will even have difficulty in paying for
international phone conferencing.

--c.a.
Carlos A. Afonso
Rits
http://www.rits.org.br

-----Original Message-----
From: "Nabil El-Khodari" <webmaster at nilebasin.com>
To: <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2004 15:02:50 -0400
Subject: RE: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Draft Statement on Internet Governance in
Arabic

> Dear all:
> 
> I have read the second draft of the WGIG (in Arabic). I note that it
> is
> contradicting or at least not helpful in deciding the appropriate
> size of
> the Working Group. It states:
> - The WG should be of wide membership so that every member can bring
> the
> experience and the diversity needed, but not so big so as to slow the
> work!!!
> 
> - The scope of action of the workgroup and the starting time have not
> been
> decided yet, but the current discussions reveal that the workgroup
> will
> discuss a wide array of issues and that it has to finish its work in
> a
> relatively short time. So, the WG will need many experts so as to
> conduct
> regional consultations in an effective manner and has the 'subject',
> linguistic and cultural balance.
> 
> - The need to conclude that huge effort in this short period hence
> requires that the WG membership should be relatively restricted.
> 
> I find that this indecisiveness not helpful in making any decisions.
> The
> group should have recommended the best way of action, as both are
> obviously contradictory, either:
> 
> 1. Have a small group so as to conduct the business in the available
> period of time with the risk of missing essential input from certain
> groups, or
> 
> 2. Have a big group conducting the business with the risk that the
> output
> of that group would not be available at the right time.
> 
> These are the two choices and I would have liked to see a specific
> recommendation depending on what is the desired outcome, in-time
> outcome
> or a representative one. Then we have to stick with the results of
> our
> choice.
> 
> Dancing around the issues with indecisiveness does not help any one.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Nabil El-Khodari
> Founder/Treasurer
> Nile Basin Society
> Tel.: +1 (647) 722-3256
> Fax: +1 (647) 722-3273
> 
> http://nilebasin.com
> http://nilebasin.net
> http://nile.ca
> 108 Waterbury Dr.
> Toronto, Ontario, M9R 3Y3
> Canada
> 
> "If the people will lead, the leaders will follow." Dr. David Suzuki
>