Technical Community Coalition on Multistakeholderism (TCCM) members participated in the recently concluded Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and WSIS High Level Forum. This participation highlighted both the reach of TCCM’s membership, and also the thought leadership this community is providing within the broader Internet governance community.
Both the IGF and the WSIS High Level Forum allowed TCCM members to engage with partners, colleagues, government representatives, and other stakeholders in the development of positions for the technical community, while also advocating for key policy principles. Below are some key highlights from both events.
TCCM at the Internet Governance Forum:
TCCM members came together for a pre-IGF half-day event where we discussed and finalized key positions on WSIS+20 for the Coalition. We have published these positions on our website, and they can be briefly summarized as follows:
- Retaining the WSIS Action Lines: recognising that the Action Lines are broad, technology-neutral statements that remain suitable for their purpose of guiding the actions of all stakeholders in achieving the WSIS vision, TCCM does not support reopening the existing lines, or adding new ones. However, we are working on suggested language and potential changes in case they are eventually reopened.
- Strengthening the IGF: the IGF should be improved and made more sustainable to better realise its purpose as set out in the Tunis Agenda. We advocate for the IGF to have a stronger agenda-setting role, and for enhancing its value by adapting the working methods of both its global forum and the NRIs. Additionally, we advocate for a permanent mandate for the IGF, including a community-led cyclical review. We believe the WSIS+20 Review should avoid duplicating the IGF’s purpose and scope, and we call for increased IGF funding from stakeholders of all types. We also co-organized an IGF Panel addressing technical community perspective on the role of the IGF.
- Implementing GDC commitments through the WSIS Architecture: We embrace the primacy of WSIS and believe that implementation of the Global Digital Compact will most effectively be achieved through the WSIS structures, including the IGF and the annual WSIS Forum.
- Ongoing cooperation: we believe that ongoing cooperation between governments and other stakeholders remains the best way to support the Internet and digital technologies which are critical to building inclusive, resilient societies. Multistakeholder processes will best support the WSIS vision, and technical expertise is a critical element for strengthening both multistakeholder and multilateral digital policy processes.
Additionally, TCCM members also engaged with government representatives from several states to promote awareness about the role of the technical community, the role of the IGF in facilitating cooperation on Internet governance and to advance TCCM positions on specific issues.
TCCM at the WSIS High-Level Forum:
TCCM members were also present at the WSIS High-Level Forum, which took place alongside the AI for Good Summit in Geneva. The programme for the WSIS Forum went beyond Internet governance to reflect the wider digital development agenda, with a diverse range of sessions and speakers.
A number of TCCM members, as well as representatives from ICANN and RIPE NCC, spoke at a panel convened by CIRA entitled Strengthening multistakeholder Internet governance: how the technical community can help. Panellists discussed the need for sustainable funding for the IGF, how different stakeholder groups could better coordinate among themselves, and the ongoing challenge of explaining technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
TCCM also secured a bilateral with the WSIS Co-facilitators, briefing them on the role of the technical community in ensuring the Internet works as it should, and sharing our key policy positions, including on areas such as sustainable funding for the IGF and how it could play more of an agenda-setting role.
TCCM has since made a submission on the co-facilitators’ recently-published WSIS+20 Elements Paper, based on the policy positions outlined above. In addition, two TCCM members made interventions on behalf of the coalition at the recently concluded WSIS+20 Stakeholder Consultations on 29 July. These interventions sought to reiterate the role of the multistakeholder internet governance model in ensuring an open and secure internet, as well as reiterating TCCM positions on the Action Lines and strengthening the IGF.
Looking ahead
TCCM’s WSIS+20 policy positions have now been finalized (see above, plus the more in-depth summary on our website). We hope they prove to be a valuable resource for our members and a solid foundation for TCCM’s ongoing engagement with the WSIS+20 process, and with other stakeholder groups including governments and industry.
Last, but far from least, we’re delighted to announce that KeNIC (Kenya Network Information Centre) has now joined TCCM’s Secretariat. Expanding the Secretariat lets us build on our progress by incorporating additional expertise and perspectives to decisions about our long-term plans and daily work. We sincerely appreciate KeNIC’s willingness to come forward.
As per the WSIS+20 Review roadmap, the next key milestone is the publication of the Zero Draft, which is expected by the end of August. We look forward to continuing to coordinate and collaborate with stakeholders and coalitions across the technical community and the wider Internet governance community.