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III. Upcoming events on Internet Governance
Two events related to the WSIS follow-up on Internet Governance have been scheduled. ICC
is planning to be present at these meetings.
The first is an ITU Workshop on Internet Governance scheduled for 26 and 27 February 2004
in Geneva. The purpose of this Workshop is to initiate a process to prepare ITU’s inputs and
position vis-à-vis the Working Group to be established by the UN Secretary General on
Internet Governance. It will provide a forum for exchanging views on definitions, viewpoints, visions and analytical studies on Internet Governance. We understand that the output of the Workshop will be submitted to the appropriate ITU decision-making bodies for their further consideration.
The second is a multi-stakeholder Open Global Forum being convened by the UN Information Communication Technology Task Force (UN ICT TF) scheduled for 25 and 26 March 2004 in New York. The purpose of the Global Forum is to discuss the various contributions submitted in advance of the Forum and suggest criteria on the form and operation of the “Internet Governance Working Group” to be organized by the UN Secretary General.
In addition, the UN ICT TF Bureau agreed to create an Internet Governance Advisory
Committee. This Committee will be chaired by Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, who also serves as
the Vice-Chair of the UN ICT TF and Chair of the ICC Commission on E-Business, IT &
Telecoms.
IV. ICC future work on recommendations and policy positions
ICC has conveyed to the UN Secretary General that it has created a special work program
under its Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms to parallel the UN Working Group on
Internet Governance. In this regard, we hope to build upon the existing ICC policy positions
on these issues, provide information to and raise awareness among governments of the
priorities and interests of business worldwide on these issues. This would include identifying
and prioritizing ICC work on the three components identified above, namely: technical
engineering; coordination of the names and numbers system; and relevant public policy
matters.
The ICC policy positions will be evolved through its consensus process by the Secretariat and
the commission structure.
We are privileged that Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh, given his leadership both within the ICC and the
UN ICT TF, will serve as a liaison between the ICC and the UN work going forward.