Hi Michael 

Unfortunately, I do not have their consent to disclose their names. What I can say is that they are major enterprises in the APAC region with global or regional operations. Some are Internet platforms that should be stakeholders in certain Internet governance discussions, while others are technology companies that provide the infrastructure or device enabling access to the Internet. We have also spoken with additional companies across the region beyond those involved in the initial meeting organised with the IMSB.

It may be helpful to share more context, as it affects how the Internet governance community might think about encouraging their future participation and what safeguards may be needed. The absence of any official WSIS position from these companies stems from two main reasons:

1. These enterprises are internally complex and regionally diverse. On Internet governance issues, they often lack established internal communication channels to coordinate a unified position or identify who has the mandate to represent the company.
2. They suffer from the broader lack of awareness and limited capacity around Internet governance in the APAC region. Even when they have the resources to participate, most simply lack the knowledge base necessary to meaningfully engage in the discussions.

Realistically, it will take sustained effort over several years before we see public statements or direct engagement from many of these organisations.

I hope this at least offers some context behind my “non-answer.”

Alban Kwan