[WSIS CS-Plenary] Dynamic Coalition on IGF Fund, with focus on participation from developing parts of the world

[Izumi AIZU]

Friends,

I said the following in the morning open mike session this morning at
IGF, for the record, and invite you to join this, give advice, or take
on board and make it better.

Several person mostly engaged in ITC4D areas personally responded to join this.

I like to ask CS members of Advisory Committee to bring this to their
attention in an appropriate manner.

Please remind and push me in the near future.

izumi

A proposal for Dynamic Coalition on IGF Funding with a focus on
Participation and Development

Izumi Aizu, A member of ALAC, ICANN

Here is an ad hoc proposal:

One of the differences we observe between Tunis Summit and IGF here in
Athens I observe is less number of participants from the developing
countries. Even though the overarching single theme of this IGF is IG
for Development. So, I like to submit an Ad Hoc Proposal to form a
Dynamic Coalition on Funding of IGF, with a special focus on
supporting the participation of developing parts of the world. This
includes, of course,  developing countries, but perhaps also such
relatively marginalized people or those having higher barriers for
participation as persons with disabilities, youth and many NGOs and
Civil Society people mostly in developing countries, but sometimes to
those even in developed country, but in say rural areas etc.

I think that early effort should be made for this program.

We call on governments of the North, donor countries, international
organizations in charge of development, and IG related bodies such as
ICANN, ITU, WIPO or any others to provide adequate funding to bring
more people from developing countries – to next IGF meeting in Brazil.

A number of individuals mostly within the Civil Society group and IG
Caucus expressed their interest to act as conduit, or function as
facilitators to implement these funds into tangible programs, working
together with the IGF secretariat, host government of Brazil and IGF
Advisory Group members. Again, we appeal to those government and
international organizations who are interested in allocating some of
your small budget for the next year 2007 and onward, ITU, ICANN, World
Bank, or private sector bodies such as Keidanren, ICC or big or small
companies such as Microsoft, Siemens, Amazon or Google, France
Telecom, BT, NTT, T-Mobile, Orange… just to name a few – and we will
commit to make best use of the funding.