Re: [Ext] Re: Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want
Thank you, Jimson and Nick. Hi all, Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration. Best, Carlos Carlos Reyes Senior Policy Director Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Washington, D.C. Engagement Center From: "Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM To: "Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> Cc: Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> Subject: [Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want Some good ideas. What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all. It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum. Nick Ashton-Hart APCO (m) +1 202 779 1072<tel:+12027791072> Book time to meet with me here [outlook.office.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a...> On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote: Hi Carlos, Yes. I subscribe to this. On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want": "*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs." As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund? Thoughts? Cheers, JO --- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kontemp... [kontemporary.net.ng]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kontemporary.net.ng/__;!!PtGJab4!6m8sw...> Cell: +234 816 5012368 This email is for the exclusive recipient/s and it may contain confidential materials. If you have received it and it is not meant for you, please alert me @ jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng or discard at once. Thank you. On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.icann.o... [go.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...>
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Thanks Carlos! At first glance I would say three things: 1. If you want stable funding, then you have to deal with the problem that the IGF isn’t part of the UN budget, as I said in my previous post. I don’t think it works to say, in effect, ‘everything is fine’ with the IGFs format and structure when it simply doesn’t deliver enough value for enough governments to become part of the formal UN budget through the Fifth Committee. That’s going to be really tough to do in the present climate but we need more states buying into the IGF’s value proposition. 2. I understand that the essential nature of the IGF is valued and should be maintained. However, it is now up against things like the AI Governance Dialogue which will absolutely become a focus of all stakeholders. I think you have to address this. Major issues like AI may need a special track of their own which is similar in many ways to the rest of the IGF, but which can, if those participating in it so choose, develop some kind of outcome – which doesn’t have to be normative – but which can be influential. 3. The biggest problem the IGF faces is quite frankly, in New York, only a relative handful of Western aligned member-states genuinely care about it and its future. That’s a problem, it isn’t going away, and the WSIS+20 review will make it worse if the criticisms the IGF faces from, particularly, developing aren’t addressed head on in a thoughtful way. There are states who raise issues with the IGF (like Russia) for simply political reasons, but that’s far from true of all who do. If this document is meant to do address that value proposition quesiton, it doesn’t. If it isn’t meant to do that, its hard to see what value it will have in New York, which is where the decisions on the IGF’s future will be made. Separately to the AI Governance Dialogue being negotiated right now, we are coming up to the SDG review. That is absolutely going to have far more of a focus on digital issues than the current SDGs do. How is the IGF to be relevant in that review and outcome? Any document about the future of the IGF absolutely should tackle this head-on. I hope the candour of my comments will be understood for what it is – plain speaking about real issues I believe we face that have to be confronted if we actually want the IGF to be relevant to the future of digital governance. Last but not least, who is to be the author/transmitter/etc of this document? A multistakeholder group? Does that include states as well? Best, Nick Nick Ashton-Hart APCO (m) +1 202 779 1072<tel:+12027791072> Book time to meet with me here<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a0f9fa543dd9459b3a1392da25e@...> On 5/19/25, 2:35 PM, "Carlos Reyes via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote: Thank you, Jimson and Nick. Hi all, Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration. Best, Carlos Carlos Reyes Senior Policy Director Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Washington, D.C. Engagement Center From: "Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM To: "Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> Cc: Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> Subject: [Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want Some good ideas. What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all. It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum. Nick Ashton-Hart APCO (m) +1 202 779 1072<tel:+12027791072> Book time to meet with me here [outlook.office.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a...> On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote: Hi Carlos, Yes. I subscribe to this. On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want": "*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs." As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund? Thoughts? Cheers, JO --- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering http://www.kontemporary.net.ng/ [kontemporary.net.ng]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kontemporary.net.ng/__;!!PtGJab4!6m8sw...> Cell: +234 816 5012368 This email is for the exclusive recipient/s and it may contain confidential materials. If you have received it and it is not meant for you, please alert me @ jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng or discard at once. Thank you. On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://go.icann.org/wsis20 [go.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...>
Read the public archives for this mailing list: https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/wsis20/<https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/wsis20/>
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Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://go.icann.org/wsis20 [go.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...> Read the public archives for this mailing list: https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/wsis20/<https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/wsis20/> _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy<https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy>) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos<https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos>). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on. ________________________________ DATA HANDLING For data handling questions, please view our Privacy Policy [apcoworldwide.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/apcoworldwide.com/privacy-policy/__;!!PtG...> or contact us at privacy@apcoworldwide.com [apcoworldwide.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/*20privacy@apcoworldwide.com/__;JQ!!PtGJa...> with any inquiries. CONFIDENTIALITY This email may contain material that is confidential, privileged and/or work product for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, reliance or distribution by others or forwarding without express permission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies. ________________________________ DATA HANDLING For data handling questions, please view our Privacy Policy<https://apcoworldwide.com/privacy-policy/> or contact us at privacy@apcoworldwide.com<https://%20privacy@apcoworldwide.com/> with any inquiries. CONFIDENTIALITY This email may contain material that is confidential, privileged and/or work product for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, reliance or distribution by others or forwarding without express permission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies.
Hi Carlos et al, I think this is my first time posting on this list, so I want to express my appreciation for all of the useful information and opinions that are shared here. Re: the "IGF We Want" paper, I agree with Nick that more specific requests/suggestions re: funding would be useful. I also want to flag the detailed observations and recommendations related to the IGF that were agreed to by a broad, multistakeholder group in the NETMundial+10 outcome document <https://netmundial.br/pdf/NETmundial10-MultistakeholderStatement-2024.pdf> (disclosure: I was one of the civil society representatives on the NM HLEG, and I believe quite a few other members of that group populate this list). Specifically, it is worth pointing out that the outcome document: - Identifies the IGF as "the process in the UN system that is best positioned to address the gap between discussion and action by building closer ties with other organizations that are central to the functioning of the Internet, but also with multilateral institutions, through ongoing innovation and experimentation within the IGF framework." - Calls for the IGF to act as the caretaker of the "Guidelines for multistakeholder consensus-building and decision-making (São Paulo Multistakeholder Guidelines)," and "looks forward to the IGF considering its implementation in its own processes and its further discussion and evolution." - To Nick's other point about AI, calls the IGF "the appropriate venue to follow up and monitor implementation of the GDC’s commitments," which could be read to include the UN's ongoing work on the AI Scientific Panel and Global Dialogue. - Sets forth several recommendations consistent with those in the "IGF We Want" paper, but also highlights the following important points: - The importance of diversifying participation: "A strengthened IGF can provide cohesion and facilitate participation in the context of a distributed and growing digital governance ecosystem, ensuring more inclusive and diverse participation of under-represesented countries, communities, groups and sectors, in particular from the Global South" - That a strengthened IGF also "requires improved procedures to guarantee inclusive, transparent and accountable deliberation, to generate both legitimacy and effective outcomes." - Calls for "the process for selecting the host country should be further transparent and take into account human rights, inclusivity, accessibility, and equitable conditions for attendance. Free, safe and open participation should be available to all, especially historically excluded groups." Best, Jason On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 3:12 PM Ashton-Hart, Nick via wsis20 < wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Thanks Carlos!
At first glance I would say three things:
1. If you want stable funding, then you have to deal with the problem that the IGF isn’t part of the UN budget, as I said in my previous post. I don’t think it works to say, in effect, ‘everything is fine’ with the IGFs format and structure when it simply doesn’t deliver enough value for enough governments to become part of the formal UN budget through the Fifth Committee. That’s going to be really tough to do in the present climate but we need more states buying into the IGF’s value proposition. 2. I understand that the essential nature of the IGF is valued and should be maintained. However, it is now up against things like the AI Governance Dialogue which will absolutely become a focus of all stakeholders. I think you have to address this. Major issues like AI may need a special track of their own which is similar in many ways to the rest of the IGF, but which can, if those participating in it so choose, develop some kind of outcome – which doesn’t have to be normative – but which can be influential. 3. The biggest problem the IGF faces is quite frankly, in New York, only a relative handful of Western aligned member-states genuinely care about it and its future. That’s a problem, it isn’t going away, and the WSIS+20 review will make it worse if the criticisms the IGF faces from, particularly, developing aren’t addressed head on in a thoughtful way. There are states who raise issues with the IGF (like Russia) for simply political reasons, but that’s far from true of all who do. If this document is meant to do address that value proposition quesiton, it doesn’t. If it isn’t meant to do that, its hard to see what value it will have in New York, which is where the decisions on the IGF’s future will be made.
Separately to the AI Governance Dialogue being negotiated right now, we are coming up to the SDG review. That is absolutely going to have far more of a focus on digital issues than the current SDGs do. How is the IGF to be relevant in that review and outcome? Any document about the future of the IGF absolutely should tackle this head-on.
I hope the candour of my comments will be understood for what it is – plain speaking about real issues I believe we face that have to be confronted if we actually want the IGF to be relevant to the future of digital governance.
Last but not least, who is to be the author/transmitter/etc of this document? A multistakeholder group? Does that include states as well?
Best, Nick
*Nick Ashton-Hart* *APCO* (m) +1 202 779 1072 <+12027791072>
Book time to meet with me here <https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a0f9fa543dd9459b3a1392da25e@...>
On 5/19/25, 2:35 PM, "Carlos Reyes via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you, Jimson and Nick.
Hi all,
Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center
*From: *"Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> *Date: *Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM *To: *"Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> *Cc: *Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> *Subject: *[Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want
Some good ideas.
What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all.
It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum.
*Nick Ashton-Hart* *APCO* (m) +1 202 779 1072 <+12027791072>
Book time to meet with me here [outlook.office.com] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a...>
On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Hi Carlos,
Yes. I subscribe to this.
On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want":
"*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs."
As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund?
Thoughts?
Cheers,
JO
--- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kontemp... [kontemporary.net.ng] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kontemporary.net.ng/__;!!PtGJab4!6m8sw...> Cell: +234 816 5012368
This email is for the exclusive recipient/s and it may contain confidential materials. If you have received it and it is not meant for you, please alert me @ jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng or discard at once. Thank you.
On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.icann.o... [go.icann.org] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...>
Read the public archives for this mailing list:
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm.icann.o... <https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/wsis20/>
_______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (
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I'm keen on that too. And hello from a sunny winter in QLD, Australia! Dumb newbie question - Why not get rid of the 'eurovision' grand finale IGF and work on localised and regional outputs and merge into the annual WSIS forum? A bit late to the whiteboard, but I've only just realised WSIS still runs beyond 10 year reviews! Also I may have cut off the rest of the mailing list. Kiki On Tue, 20 May 2025, 4:35 am Carlos Reyes via wsis20, <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you, Jimson and Nick.
Hi all,
Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center
*From: *"Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> *Date: *Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM *To: *"Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> *Cc: *Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> *Subject: *[Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want
Some good ideas.
What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all.
It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum.
*Nick Ashton-Hart* *APCO* (m) +1 202 779 1072 <+12027791072>
Book time to meet with me here [outlook.office.com] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a...>
On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Hi Carlos,
Yes. I subscribe to this.
On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want":
"*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs."
As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund?
Thoughts?
Cheers,
JO
--- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kontemp... [kontemporary.net.ng] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kontemporary.net.ng/__;!!PtGJab4!6m8sw...> Cell: +234 816 5012368
This email is for the exclusive recipient/s and it may contain confidential materials. If you have received it and it is not meant for you, please alert me @ jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng or discard at once. Thank you.
On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.icann.o... [go.icann.org] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...>
Read the public archives for this mailing list:
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Hello everyone, Thank you, Carlos, for initiating this and to all for the valuable insights shared. Building on the draft’s emphasis on continuity and value, I believe it’s critical that the IGF evolves in response to today’s shifting geopolitical landscape. As Nick and Jason have noted, the IGF risks marginalization unless it delivers clearer value to a broader range of states—particularly beyond the Western-aligned community. While soft diplomacy may appear diminished in an era of rising digital sovereignty and geopolitical rivalry, the IGF remains a rare, neutral platform where dialogue across political divides is still possible. Its relevance now lies not only in consensus-building but also in its capacity to offer early insights, coordinate like-minded coalitions, and defend open Internet norms. To sustain this role, the IGF should strengthen institutional linkages with initiatives such as the Global Digital Compact and the SDG review, and explore outcome-oriented tracks that inform—but do not replace—normative processes. Echoing Jimson’s point on financial sustainability, we should actively pursue predictable, diversified funding models, potentially drawing on contributions from the technical community. Ultimately, the IGF must serve as a strategic bridge—from dialogue to action—within the broader digital governance and development ecosystem. For reference, Olivier and I discussed this theme at EuroDIG in our session *From Talk to Action*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1aahhpmNj4&t=943s Cheers, Pari On Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:26 AM Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
I'm keen on that too. And hello from a sunny winter in QLD, Australia!
Dumb newbie question - Why not get rid of the 'eurovision' grand finale IGF and work on localised and regional outputs and merge into the annual WSIS forum? A bit late to the whiteboard, but I've only just realised WSIS still runs beyond 10 year reviews!
Also I may have cut off the rest of the mailing list.
Kiki
On Tue, 20 May 2025, 4:35 am Carlos Reyes via wsis20, <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you, Jimson and Nick.
Hi all,
Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center
*From: *"Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> *Date: *Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM *To: *"Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> *Cc: *Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> *Subject: *[Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want
Some good ideas.
What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all.
It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum.
*Nick Ashton-Hart* *APCO* (m) +1 202 779 1072 <+12027791072>
Book time to meet with me here [outlook.office.com] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/ce911a...>
On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Hi Carlos,
Yes. I subscribe to this.
On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want":
"*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs."
As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund?
Thoughts?
Cheers,
JO
--- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kontemp... [kontemporary.net.ng] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kontemporary.net.ng/__;!!PtGJab4!6m8sw...> Cell: +234 816 5012368
This email is for the exclusive recipient/s and it may contain confidential materials. If you have received it and it is not meant for you, please alert me @ jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng or discard at once. Thank you.
On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.icann.o... [go.icann.org] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...>
Read the public archives for this mailing list:
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm.icann.o... <https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/wsis20/>
_______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (
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( https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.icann.... <https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos>). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.icann.o... [go.icann.org] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/go.icann.org/wsis20__;!!PtGJab4!6m8swpDc8...>
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-- Pari Esfandiari President *Global TechnoPolitics Forum <http://www.technopolitics.org> * *Pario <http://www.parioconsultants.com>- Architects of Ideas* info@TechnoPolitics.org <info@technopolitics.org> *Linkedin Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariesfandiari/>* Tel: +1-202*-735-1415* (Office) : +1-310-435-0888 (Cell) : +44-731-210-4049 (Cell)
Interesting idea, Kiki! Making all the NRIs dovetail into the annual WSIS review is interesting and may cut off the "grand redundancy" - the global IGF:) This may make the case for IGF to just be renewed for another 10 years and not made permanent until the National and Regional IGF Initiatives mature. Nick, As much as I can recall, the UN General Assembly, which includes Russia, approved the "Pact for the Future" last September in New York, and IGF is recognised in the GDC (para 70) as IMPORTANT to the implementation of the GDC. So, I don't see IGF becoming insignificant anytime soon. TO your point on AI dialogue displacing it, I also adjudge this to be much of a hype. AI/genAI are E-applications and they fall into the WSIS Action Line C7 (eApplications). On the WSIS+20 Review, I consider the only change desirable is to add "Artificial Intelligence" as one of the Applications under AL C7. This does not mean that there is no need to focus on it as recommended in the GDC. In April this year, CSTD further underscored the important role of IGF in Internet Governance and digital policy discussions, and this sentiment will extend to ECOSOC and finally to the GA when a decision on WSIS will be made later this year. Pari, I was in the CSTD WG on IGF Improvement in 2011 and retreat in 2016 on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the IGF. Indeed, the IGF has come a long way. Improvement today can come in the use of AI to synthesize its output documents. But as you know, IGF is not a resolution-making body, it is designed to be for capacity development, networking, and fostering best practices that can translate to local or regional initiatives and feed into other discussion fora as you mentioned. The CSTD is for resolution-making, and as I indicated in my recent article (https://circleid.com/posts/wsis20-igf-ec-gdc-and-the-future-of-digital), it is already fulfilling the Tunis Agenda (para 68) mandate on Enhanced Cooperation on public policy matters pertaining to the Internet with Russia as a member. Irrespective of whether IGF is incorporated into the UN system, we (in ICANN) must take the lead to provide predictable annual funding for the IGF through, say, a certain percentage of the accruing interest in the Auction Proceeds, as I mentioned before. It is in our interest to do so. The concern about some governments against IGF is simply to setup another UN entity to take over the work of ICANN. The move had failed in the past, and we should NOT let that happen!? Not now or anytime in the future. So, Jason, the scope of the article, the "IGF we want," is ok from my perspective. If you wish to do another one on WSIS; it may be plausible to recognise that Enhanced Cooperation per para 68 is operational in CSTD, ICANN GAC, and in other fora so that countries concerned by it can have closure. Jimson On 2025-05-20 04:55, Kiki Fong Lim wrote:
I'm keen on that too. And hello from a sunny winter in QLD, Australia!
Dumb newbie question - Why not get rid of the 'eurovision' grand finale IGF and work on localised and regional outputs and merge into the annual WSIS forum? A bit late to the whiteboard, but I've only just realised WSIS still runs beyond 10 year reviews!
Also I may have cut off the rest of the mailing list.
Kiki
On Tue, 20 May 2025, 4:35 am Carlos Reyes via wsis20, <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you, Jimson and Nick.
Hi all,
Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center
From: "Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM To: "Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> Cc: Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> Subject: [Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want
Some good ideas.
What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all.
It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum.
Nick Ashton-Hart APCO (m) +1 202 779 1072 [1]
Book time to meet with me here [outlook.office.com] [2]
On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Hi Carlos,
Yes. I subscribe to this.
On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want":
"*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs."
As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund?
Thoughts?
Cheers,
JO
--- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kontemp...
[kontemporary.net.ng] [3] Cell: +234 816 5012368
This email is for the exclusive recipient/s and it may contain confidential materials. If you have received it and it is not meant for you, please alert me @ jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng or discard at once. Thank you.
On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
Learn more about the WSIS+20 Outreach Network and review relevant resources:
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.icann.o...
[go.icann.org] [4]
Read the public archives for this mailing list:
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm.icann.o...
[5]
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Dear all, Thank you, Jimson, for your insightful reflections and for contextualizing the IGF’s evolution. I completely agree that the IGF has come a long way since its inception. Your point about AI being part of WSIS Action Line C7 is well taken—it's important to ensure we're not letting policy hype obscure the layered and ongoing relevance of existing governance frameworks. At the same time, I believe we must balance this continuity with a pragmatic look forward. The geopolitical landscape has undeniably shifted. While IGF's value as a non-normative, capacity-building space remains core, its future relevance will hinge on whether it can inform real policy influence, particularly for actors not traditionally central to Internet governance. That’s why I see the IGF’s role increasingly as a strategic bridge—yes, still grounded in dialogue and best practice sharing, but also more actively feeding into instruments like the GDC, SDG review, and even national digital strategies. As you noted, improvements could include leveraging AI to synthesize and elevate outputs—but also perhaps to identify underrepresented policy patterns across NRIs and other forums. On funding, I strongly support your call. I remain hopeful that this conversation can help shape an IGF that’s not only preserved but meaningfully evolved. Warm regards, *Pari* On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 12:03 AM Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20 < wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Interesting idea, Kiki! Making all the NRIs dovetail into the annual WSIS review is interesting and may cut off the "grand redundancy" - the global IGF:) This may make the case for IGF to just be renewed for another 10 years and not made permanent until the National and Regional IGF Initiatives mature.
Nick,
As much as I can recall, the UN General Assembly, which includes Russia, approved the "Pact for the Future" last September in New York, and IGF is recognised in the GDC (para 70) as IMPORTANT to the implementation of the GDC. So, I don't see IGF becoming insignificant anytime soon. TO your point on AI dialogue displacing it, I also adjudge this to be much of a hype. AI/genAI are E-applications and they fall into the WSIS Action Line C7 (eApplications). On the WSIS+20 Review, I consider the only change desirable is to add "Artificial Intelligence" as one of the Applications under AL C7. This does not mean that there is no need to focus on it as recommended in the GDC.
In April this year, CSTD further underscored the important role of IGF in Internet Governance and digital policy discussions, and this sentiment will extend to ECOSOC and finally to the GA when a decision on WSIS will be made later this year.
Pari,
I was in the CSTD WG on IGF Improvement in 2011 and retreat in 2016 on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the IGF. Indeed, the IGF has come a long way. Improvement today can come in the use of AI to synthesize its output documents. But as you know, IGF is not a resolution-making body, it is designed to be for capacity development, networking, and fostering best practices that can translate to local or regional initiatives and feed into other discussion fora as you mentioned. The CSTD is for resolution-making, and as I indicated in my recent article (https://circleid.com/posts/wsis20-igf-ec-gdc-and-the-future-of-digital), it is already fulfilling the Tunis Agenda (para 68) mandate on Enhanced Cooperation on public policy matters pertaining to the Internet with Russia as a member.
Irrespective of whether IGF is incorporated into the UN system, we (in ICANN) must take the lead to provide predictable annual funding for the IGF through, say, a certain percentage of the accruing interest in the Auction Proceeds, as I mentioned before. It is in our interest to do so. The concern about some governments against IGF is simply to setup another UN entity to take over the work of ICANN. The move had failed in the past, and we should NOT let that happen!? Not now or anytime in the future.
So, Jason, the scope of the article, the "IGF we want," is ok from my perspective. If you wish to do another one on WSIS; it may be plausible to recognise that Enhanced Cooperation per para 68 is operational in CSTD, ICANN GAC, and in other fora so that countries concerned by it can have closure.
Jimson
On 2025-05-20 04:55, Kiki Fong Lim wrote:
I'm keen on that too. And hello from a sunny winter in QLD, Australia!
Dumb newbie question - Why not get rid of the 'eurovision' grand finale IGF and work on localised and regional outputs and merge into the annual WSIS forum? A bit late to the whiteboard, but I've only just realised WSIS still runs beyond 10 year reviews!
Also I may have cut off the rest of the mailing list.
Kiki
On Tue, 20 May 2025, 4:35 am Carlos Reyes via wsis20, <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Thank you, Jimson and Nick.
Hi all,
Following up on this discussion, please let us know if there are any comments or suggestions to build out in “The IGF We Want” paper, so that we can incorporate it into a next iteration.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center
From: "Ashton-Hart, Nick" <nashtonhart@apcoworldwide.com> Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM To: "Jimson Olufuye, PhD." <jolufuye@kontemporary.net.ng>, Carlos Reyes <carlos.reyes@icann.org> Cc: Kiki Fong Lim via wsis20 <wsis20@icann.org> Subject: [Ext] Re: [wsis20] Re: Share Your Thoughts: The IGF We Want
Some good ideas.
What I would put to you all though is we really need governments to add the IGF into the UN budget. That hasn’t happened because too many of them still don’t see enough of a value-add to going. Some of that is because the IGF is in the way of their political objectives vis a vis control of the Internet, but that doesn’t cover them all.
It seems to me this year is a good moment to ask ourselves – and some of them – what a more valuable IGF would consist of for them other than making it a negotiating forum.
Nick Ashton-Hart APCO (m) +1 202 779 1072 [1]
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On 5/8/25, 5:30 PM, "Jimson Olufuye, PhD. via wsis20" <wsis20@icann.org> wrote:
Hi Carlos,
Yes. I subscribe to this.
On the point of Financial Stability of "The IGF We Want":
"*Develop a clear budget proposal for funding that is adequate to ensure the stability and continuity of the IGF. Seek diverse funding from businesses, civil society, governments, and technical community, with a targeted annual budget. ▪ Encourage long-term (e.g. five year) contributing commitments for long-term planning to pilot areas of need, and afford the opportunity to assess longer-term budgetary and strategic needs."
As a frontline Technical Community member, can we (ICANN) lead the way in providing some predictable funding mechanism for the IGF? How about appropriating a small percentage of the annual interest accruing from the Auction Proceeds to the IGF Stabilization Fund?
Thoughts?
Cheers,
JO
--- Jimson Olufuye PhD (fncs, ficma, c.ITP, PRINCE2, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PhD) Chairman, Advisory Council, AfICTA.africa Chairman, Kontemporary® Konsulting Ltd Consulting | Outsourcing | Cybersecurity Systems Integration | Software Engineering
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On 2025-05-08 20:40, Carlos Reyes via wsis20 wrote:
Hello, WSIS+20 Outreach Network.
ICANN has developed a working draft of _The IGF We Want. _See PDF attached. The document reflects what ICANN has heard in the past several months.
Please review it and share your thoughts and suggestions on this mailing list. We welcome your input and look forward to the discussion.
Best, Carlos
Carlos Reyes
Senior Policy Director
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
Washington, D.C. Engagement Center _______________________________________________
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participants (6)
-
Ashton-Hart, Nick -
Carlos Reyes -
Jason Pielemeier -
Jimson Olufuye, PhD. -
Kiki Fong Lim -
Pari Esfandiari