NRIs Meeting III, 3 March 2017

IGF 2017 Open Consultations and MAG Meeting

Informal Gathering of the National and Regional IGF Initiatives:

Meeting III, 3 March 2017
 United Nations Offices in Geneva, Switzerland

About 

1. During the IGF 2017 First Open Consultations and MAG Meeting, an informal meeting for members of the National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs) was held on 3 March 2017, from 13:00 p.m. to 14:30 p.m. CET.
    
2. The main purpose of the meeting was for the 2017 MAG members and the representatives of the NRIs to meet in person and exchange their views on the NRIs 2017 activities in conjunction with the IGF’s preparations for the IGF 2017.
    
3. The Informal Meeting was hosted by the IGF Secretariat’s Focal Pont for the NRIs, Ms. Anja Gengo. The 2017 MAG Chair, as well as the Programme and Technology Manager of the IGF Secretariat, attended the meeting as well.
    
4. Tools for online participation were available. The agreed meeting Agenda attached to this summary report as Annex A1 and the list of meeting participants as Annex A2.

SUMMARY REPORT

Introductions and Agenda adoption

5. Participants introduced themselves stating which NRI they are affiliated with, and were asked to share any updates on their Initiative’s activities and future plans.  
    
6. From the sub-regional IGF for South Eastern Europe (SEEDIG) it was informed that the preparatory process for the 2017 annual meeting of this respectful initiative is underway. The meeting is scheduled to be on 24 and 25 May 2017 in Ohrid, FYR Macedonia. It was noted that there will be a set of activities dedicated to Youth. Everyone were invited to join the organizing teams for six main sessions. More details available on the SEEDIG’s website.
    
7. On behalf of the national IGF of Netherlands, it was said that in February, a debrief meeting was organized by the delegation that attended the IGF 2016 annual meeting in Mexico. The meeting was focused on discussing the way forward, with the community proposing new topics (e.g. fake news, IOT, cybersecurity and ethics etc.). This initiative is focusing on engaging the underrepresented stakeholder groups more into their national IGF.
    
8. On behalf of EuroDIG, it was noted that this IGF is scheduled to be in Tallinn, Estonia from 6 to 7 June. Related information are available on their website, including the agenda and a set of wiki pages. It was reminded that the registration is pen, as well as the call for formation of session organizing teams.
    
9. The UK-IGF had a kick of session for this year’s annual meeting, tentatively schedule to be in September. The organizing team is focused on improving the multistakeholderism, where the EuroDIG’s practice is taken into consideration.
    
10. The 2017 Latin American and Caribbean IGF (LACIGF) is tentatively scheduled to be in August. It was informed that the structure of the Programme Committee has changed, as well as the Secretariat’s point of contact (now to be: Mr. Cesar Diaz). The public call for topics is still open. Given the recommendations from last year, the website has been improved. Within the region, two national IGF are emerging: Panama and Guatemala IGF.
     
11. The national IGF of Mexico has had a first planning meeting for this year’s annual meeting, intended to be hosted during the first half of the year.
     
12. From the IGF-USA, it was said that the 2017 annual meeting will be hosted in the week of 21 July, after the ECOSOC high level meeting. The meeting will be taking into account the global perspectives, as well as the national ones. Activities on engaging Youth are underway, where a cooperation with the Elon University is established. A set of guiding principles is developed and the discussion on potential adoption is underway. The principles will be shared through the NRIs mailing list.
     
13. It was announced that the stakeholders in Lebanon will be engaging, through a national call for forming the organizing team soon.
     
14. The Asia Pacific regional IGF will be hosting its eighth annual meeting from 26 to 29 July in Bangkok. The related Youth IGF initiative will be hosting set of dedicated sessions, integrated into the overall programme. The main theme of this year’s IGF is: Ensuring an inclusive and sustainable development in Asia-Pacific. The Call for fellowships (for region based applicants) is open until 8 March and the Call for  workshop proposals until 15 March. The Steering Committee and the Programme Committee are open to everyone, and currently are deciding on workshop and fellowship submissions.
     
15. From Colombia IGF it was announced that most probably they will host their forth annual meeting in between the end of September and begging of October time period. It was noted that the national Ministry of ICTs is more involved in proposing action plans for the Colombian IGF.  Efforts are put into finding way to involve more stakeholders into the processes, as well as young people. There is a commitment from this national IGF in this year as well, to continue actively engaging into the NRIs network and regional and global IGF processes.
     
16. On behalf of the German IGF, it was said that the Call for participants to attend onsite and online the meeting is launched. Twenty-eight (28) members of the Steering Committee are working on developing a Memorandum of Understanding   for this year’s German IGF organization. The Committee works toward having  pre-day event organized for Youth as well as the academia pre-event. The media constituency will have its symposium in coordination with this national IGF.
     
17. The bids for hosting the 2017 annual IGF of Africa are published, with several offers received so far.
     
18. The 2017 West African IGF hosted its planning meeting in February, and decide that the 2017 annual IGF meeting will be on 27 and 28 July in Benin.
     
19. The Afghanistan IGF will be hosting its first annual IGF meeting on 28 – 31 March, in Kabul. The Day Zero will be focused on a dedicated track to women in technologies, while other days will have several substantive workshops. The organizing team is composed of national and international experts. Internal and external stakeholders supported the organization, financially and in-kind (like the: IGFSA, the IGF Secretariat, national companies etc.). Simultaneous translation in Pashto, Dari, and English would be provided during the whole programme.
     
20. The national IGF of Nigeria organized a retreat to look into the work done during the 2016 year. In particular, it was agreed that the communication strategy, as well as the youth focused activities should be improved. The Government has engaged more and looks into better integration of the ICT sector. It is proposed for the 2016 annual IGF meeting to be hosted on 6 July.
     
21. From the national IGF of Indonesia it was noted that the annual meeting is planned to be before the regional Asia Pacific IGF. The programme will be focused on the country’s capacity development.
     
22. During the 2016, the Arab IGF was focused on reviewing the existing working modalities. Experts from the League of Arab States and the UN Economic and

Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), are engaged in this process. The experts group meets three times over the nine month period. It was confirmed that there will be a Bid launched for hosting the 2017 Arab IGF.

Advancing the IGF website/NRIS webpages

23. Some noted that it would be useful to have a dedicated place on the IGF website, where relevant NRIs news and updates could be posted. It was advise that this should not have a report form, but a form if flash, up to date updates.
     
24. In line with supporting this idea, concerns were raised regarding the NRIs available capacity to facilitate this process.
     
25. It was advised to do a pilot on the NRIs news section, and consult the NRIs network for feedback.
     
26. It was reminded that the IGF Secretariat spoke with the European Commission representatives about the observatory tool called GIPO that also could be explored as a resource for the NRIs to share their updates. The information related to the GIPO webinar will be shared through the NRIs mailing list.

Reflections to the MAG meeting

27. The participants agreed that the NRIs need to reach a broad consensus on matters related to their representation in the IGF annual meeting, in light of the discussion on this MAG meetings, as well as taking into account the NRIs joint submission and other submissions to the IGF 2016 Taking Stock process.
     
28. It was suggested to summarize the key points from this meeting, and post a set of concrete questions to the NRIs list, in order to explore what do the NRIs want in terms of their representation on the IGF annual meeting.
     
29. Some noted that the NRIs as bottom up and multistakeholder initiatives, are important contributors to the IGF work, and their inputs will be very useful to the overall IGF programme.
     
30. It was noted that in general, the NRIs enjoy a lot of support. However, the MAG especially, needs to be able to understand how they can collaborate with the NRIs. This is why a concrete proposal would be needed, with a description of the NRIs integration into the IGF programme, and estimation of needed facilities.

AoB

31. From the IGFSA, it was announced that an information session will be hosted during the ICANN 58 meeting in Copenhagen, to which all NRIs are invited.

Next Steps

32. The Secretariat will summarize the key suggestions raised during this informal meeting and will distribute the summary through the NRIs mailing list.
     
33. The Secretariat will develop a set of concrete questions, in regards to the NRIs related raised points, and taking into account previously received inputs, to consult the NRIs on defining the way forward and their potential integration into the IGF meeting.  
     
34. Next meeting: The Secretariat will distribute the Doodle poll for the members of the NRIs to cast the votes for the best time slots for the next virtual meeting.
     
35. For any suggestions or questions regarding the Report, kindly contact the Secretariat at: [email protected] or [email protected]

ANNEX A1: 

AGENDA 

1. Welcome and introductions

2. NRIs updates 

3. Improvement of the NRIs webpages at the IGF website

3. How to make the NRIs individual work be more visible to the wider IGF community?

4. Quick reflection to the MAG meeting discussion on the NRIs

5. AoB

ANNEX A2:  

MEETING PARTICIPANTS 

1. Abdel Bachar Bong Brahim, IGF Chad
2. Aida Mahmutovic, SEEDIG, MAG member
3. Anja Gengo, IGF Secretariat 
4. Arnold van Rhijn, Dutch IGF
5. Chengetai Masango, IGF Secretariat
6. Eleonora Anna Mazzucchi, IGF Secretariat 
7. Hisham Aboulyazed, Arab IGF
8. Israel Rosas, Mexico IGF
9. Jennifer Chung, APrIGF
10. Julian Casasbuenas, Colombia IGF, MAG member
11. Laura Watkins, UK IGF
12. Lorena Jaume Palasi, German IGF
13. Lynn St. Amour, MAG Chair 
14. Makane Faye, African IGF
15. Makane Faye, African IGF
16. Marilyn Cade, IGF-USA, IGFSA
17. Marilyn Cade, MAG member; IGF USA
18. Mary Uduma, Nigeria IGF and West Africa IGF
19. Omar Mansoor Ansari, Afganistan IGF, MAG member
20. Raquel Gatto, LACIGF
21. Sandra Hoferichter, EuroDIG
22. Sindy Nur, IGF Indonesia
23. Slobodan Markovic, SEEDIG, MAG member
24. Susan Chalmers, IGF-USA, NTIA
25. Zeina Bou Harb, MAG member