The Internet Governance Forum 2013
2014-2015
Markus Kummer
13 December 2013
www.internetsociety.org
Key characteristics of the 2013 meeting
– Theme:
“Building Bridges – enhancing multistakeholder
cooperation from growth and sustainable
development”
– Positive reactions (“The best IGF ever”)
– Emerging sense of community
– IGF tackled the challenges
– Widespread government surveillance was the
“Elephant in the room” in Bali
2
IG Update| December 2013
Events at IGF 2013
91 Workshops
18 Pre events
18 Open forums
10 Dynamic coalitions
4 Orientation sessions
9 Main sessions
12 Capacity building track events
17 Other events
101 Bilateral meetings
Courtesy
of IGF
Secretariat
IG Update|
December
2013
A total of
268
events
Attendance at IGF 2013
Participants
Registration total: 1954
Badges issued: 1473
Media
Registration total: 73
Badges issued: 57
Remote participation
•162 sessions were wired for remote participantion
•131 sessions had at least one remote participant
•30 remote hubs were present (Australia,
Colombia, Argentina, Bangladesh, Egypt, Japan,
Uganda, the United States, Papua New Guinea,
Thailand, …)
Courtesy
of IGF
Secretariat
IG Update|
December
2013
Transcripts/Webcasts
All the sessions were webcasted. They are available
on the IGF Youtube Channel, at
http://www.youtube.com/user/igf/videos?shelf_ind
ex=0&view=0&sort=dd
All the transcripts of the sessions are available on
the IGF website, at
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/igf-2013transcripts
IG Update| December 2013
Stakeholder groups at IGF 2013
Participants Breakdown by Stakeholder Group at IGF 2013
Media
4%
Internet Community
7%
Government
17%
IGO
5%
Private Sector
21%
Civil Sociey
46%
IG Update| December 2013
Courtesy of IGF Secretariat
Regions at IGF 2013
Participants Breakdown by Region at IGF 2013
Western Europe and
Others Groups
33%
Asia-Pacific
21%
Host Country
29%
Latin America and
Caribbean
7%
Africa
7%
Eastern Europe
3%
110 nationalities
IG Update| December 2013
Courtesy of IGF Secretariat
Gender at IGF 2013
Female: 535
Male: 910
IG Update| December 2013
Courtesy of IGF Secretariat
Key events driving the 2013 IGF Agenda
World Conference on International Telecom Regulations
(WCIT)
– Divisive and contentious conference
– Need to build bridges between the two camps
– > “Building Bridges – enhancing multistakeholder cooperation fro
growth and sustainable development”
World Telecommunications Policy Forum (WTPF)
– Positive meeting – first step towards “building bridges”
– Open issue: “operationalizing role of governments”
Disclosures about widespread government surveillance
– Tectonic shift in Internet governance landscape
– “Elephant in the room” in Bali
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IG Update| December 2013
“WCIT leftovers”
• Spam was identified as a problem in Dubai.
• IGF 2014 took up the issue in depth
• Solutions are available to address these problems.
• Proposal to have technical training workshops at the IGF
2014.
IG Update| December 2013
Role of governments
• Role of governments is a key issue in Internet
governance debate.
• WSIS: Internet governance should involve all
stakeholders “in their respective roles”.
• Bali discussions revealed broad agreement that
governments have a role to play:
• regulatory environment,
• building of infrastructure,
• enforcing human rights,
• fostering multistakeholder cooperation.
IG Update| December 2013
Government surveillance
General agreement on the need to rebuild trust.
IGF provided space for open discussions on a delicate issue.
Emerging consensus on the need for developing high level
principles.
Agreement on the importance to continue multistakeholder
discussions.
IG Update| December 2013
Sense of emerging community spirit
Hyderabad 2008: Mumbai terrorist attacks – solidarity with
India.
Bali 2013:
•Surveillance seen as a threat to the Internet itself.
•Need to rebuild trust.
•Feeling that the IGF is the privileged place to pursue these
discussions.
IG Update| December 2013
Value of the IGF
IGF as a one-stop-shop for inter-stakeholder
dialogue
Platform for an open and frank dialogue to discuss
difficult issues.
Place for ‘soft governance’ - for exchanging
information and sharing best current practices.
Sharing best practices on how to deal with spam is
more efficient than a treaty article!
IG Update| December 2013
Need to strengthen the IGF
IGF Secretariat operates on a shoestring – understaffed and
underfunded.
Financial problems of this year’s host managed to catalyze
broad support.
Urgent need to strengthen capacity of IGF Secretariat and
put it on a stable and sustainable financial basis.
The IGF is an “indispensable part of the Internet ecosystem”
(ISOC Board of Trustees).
A healthy IGF is necessary for a healthy Internet!
IG Update| December 2013
IGF 2014
The planning for the 2014 meeting has begun.
Stocktaking – “what worked well, what worked less well
in Bail?”
Questionnaire available on the IGF website.
Location for the 2014 meeting: Istanbul, Turkey.
Proposed dates: 1st week of September.
Next Open Consultations and MAG Meeting:
19-20 February 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
IG Update| December 2013
Markus Kummer
The Internet Society
Thank you.
13 December 2013
www.internetsociety.org