Hi colleagues, I am taking this opportunity to contribute to this draft as submitted by our colleagues. I would like to thank the small group for coming up with these answers. Please see bellow my comments and suggested edits. As much as I see value for us, as a Council, to respond but I also think it would be difficult for us to agree on this as it would be difficult within the GNSO itself. But I will personally be okay with this draft after consideration has been taken of my bellow small comments. - I don’t support the HL comments. I would suggest we delete that section and keep our responses based on the questions as requested by the call. - On Q1: I think we are too demanding here. Though this looks good but I think we are going too far in terms of what we ask fellows to be able to do. I would like to suggest that the spirit of this paragraph be to mean that this is the ideal that we would like to see. I am sure many of us agree that “active and meaningful” participation in PDPs is not easy and it is a challenge, that even some of those who have been to ICANN for very long are failing to be “active and meaningful” participants? I don’t have the proper wording here but that’s what I would like to see reflected here. - On Q4, I have the following comment: Not having fellowship alumni active in GNSO doesn’t mean they are not active elsewhere within ICANN. I believe if we check other SO/ACs, we will find maybe many of them active there. If we don’t have them active in the GNSO, maybe it is because we are failing in terms of outreach? Or we should review available learning materials (ICANN Learn, etc) and see whether they provide enough information for someone to decide to join the GNSO. Just thinking outloud here. I would like to suggest an additional text: We have to note however that some members of the Council started as fellows and many other alumni are active in our different SG/Cs but more work needs to be done to have many more active in our core business. - On Q7, I don’t know what exactly we request on the last paragraph and would suggest we remove it: “It may also be advisable to interview candidates to ascertain their suitability for a fellowship”. - On Q10: I don’t agree with this but would suggest the way around. Keep the fellowship as it is and push for an evaluation (on KPI) that will provide metrics. And only after that assessment, we can make an informed decision. The budget issue should not be put forward here because as we know, the Fellowship program does not cost that much to the organization, as said in many public comments on FY19. - Q12: I don’t support this paragraph and would suggest the following: “Many first time fellows we interact with are not enough knowledgeable regarding ICANN-related issues and in particular GNSO topics. This is understandable because it is their first participation at an ICANN meeting. Many of them are interested in important Internet governance issues that fall outside of ICANN’s remit. “ I would suggest we emphasize on the fact that what we find abnormal is when the same applies to returning fellows not to first time fellows. - On Q13, I would like to suggest we add the text in bold: We are not aware of any Fellows actively attending in GNSO Council meetings *but we have seen some attending SG/C meetings and ask questions, which is encouraging.* - On Q14: Not sure on the basis of what we said YES. Are we able as the Council to meet with the fellows? I think we should be clear on what we mean here. Happy to provide clarification if needed. Regards, Arsene ------------------------ **Arsène Tungali* <http://about.me/ArseneTungali>* Co-Founder & Executive Director, *Rudi international <http://www.rudiinternational.org>*, CEO,* Smart Services Sarl <http://www.smart-serv.info>*, *Mabingwa Forum <http://www.mabingwa-forum.com>* Tel: +243 993810967 GPG: 523644A0 *Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo* 2015 Mandela Washington Felllow <http://tungali.blogspot.com/2015/06/selected-for-2015-mandela-washington.htm...> (YALI) - ISOC Ambassador (IGF Brazil <http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programme...> & Mexico <http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programme...>) - AFRISIG 2016 <http://afrisig.org/afrisig-2016/class-of-2016/> - Blogger <http://tungali.blogspot.com> - ICANN's GNSO Council <https://gnso.icann.org/en/about/gnso-council.htm> Member. AFRINIC Fellow ( Mauritius <http://www.afrinic.net/en/library/news/1907-afrinic-25-fellowship-winners>)* - *IGFSA Member <http://www.igfsa.org/> - Internet Governance - Internet Freedom. Check the *2016 State of Internet Freedom in DRC* report (English <http://cipesa.org/?wpfb_dl=234>) and (French <http://cipesa.org/?wpfb_dl=242>)