The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multistakeholder governance group for policy dialogue on issues of Internet governance. It brings together all stakeholders in the Internet governance debate, whether they represent governments, the private sector or civil society, including the technical and academic community, on an equal basis and through an open and inclusive process. The establishment of the IGF was formally announced by the United Nations secretary-general in July 2006. It was first convened in October–November 2006 and has held an annual meeting since then.
History and development
WSIS phase I, WGIG, and WSIS phase II The first phase of World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva in December 2003, failed to agree on the future of Internet governance, but did agree to continue the dialogue and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish a multi-stakeholder Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG)."Item 13(b)" , Plan of Action (WSIS-03/GENEVA/DOC/5-E), World Summit on the Information Society, United Nations, 12 December 2003. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
Following a series of open consultations in 2004 and 2005 and after reaching a clear consensus among its members the WGIG proposed the creation of the IGF as one of four proposals made in its final report."WGIG Report" , Working Group on Internet Governance, United Nations, 14 July 2005 The WGIG report was one of the inputs to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society held in Tunis in 2005.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. website, World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) - Tunis Agenda for the Information SocietyUN Digital Library website, Tunis Agenda for the Information Society The idea of the Forum was also proposed by Argentina, as stated in its proposal made during the last Prepcom 3 in Tunis."Argentina, Part 5 of the Chair's Paper" , World Summit on the Information Society, 30 September 2005
The second phase of WSIS, held in Tunis in November 2005, formally called for the creation of the IGF and set out its mandate. Paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda called on the UN Secretary-General to convene a meeting with regards to the new multi-stakeholder forum to be known as the IGF."Tunis Agenda for the Information Society" , paras 29-82, World Summit on the Information Society, United Nations, 18 November 2005 The Tunis WSIS meeting did not reach an agreement on any of the other WGIG proposals that generally focused on new oversight functions for the Internet that would reduce or eliminate the special role that the United States plays with respect to Internet governance through its contractual oversight of ICANN. The US Government's position during the lead-up to the Tunis WSIS meeting was flexible on the principle of global involvement, very strong on the principle of multi-stakeholder participation, but inflexible on the need for US control to remain for the foreseeable future in order to ensure the "security and stability of the Internet"."UN at odds over internet's future " , BBC News, 18 July 2005. Retrieved 22 June 2013
2005 mandate The mandate for the IGF is contained in the 2005 WSIS Tunis Agenda. The IGF was mandated to be principally a discussion forum for facilitating dialogue between the Forum's participants. The IGF may "identify emerging issues, bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and the general public, and, where appropriate, make recommendations," but does not have any direct decision-making authority."The Mandate of the IGF" , Paragraph 72 of the Tunis Agenda, Internet Governance Forum. Retrieved 10 June 2013 In this mandate, different stakeholders are encouraged to strengthen engagement, particularly those from developing countries. In paragraph 72(h), the mandate focused on capacity-building for developing countries and the drawing out of local resources. This particular effort, for instance, has been reinforced through DiploFoundation's Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme (IGCBP) that allowed participants from different regions to benefit from valuable resources with the help of regional experts in Internet governance.
Formation The United Nations published its endorsement of a five-year mandate for the IGF in April 2006.Resolution adopted by the General Assembly: 60/252, World Summit on the Information Society , United Nations, 27 April 2006 There were two rounds of consultations with regards to the convening of the first IGF, in February and May 2006."Transcript of Afternoon Session" and "Transcript of Morning Session" , Consultations on the Convening of the Internet Governance Forum (Geneva), 16 February 2006"Summary of the discussions and contributions" , The substantive agenda of the first meeting of the Internet Governance Forum. Retrieved 10 June 2013 The convening of the IGF was announced on 18 July 2006, with the inaugural meeting of the forum held in Athens, Greece from 30 October to 2 November 2006.
2011 mandate renewal and improvements process In the lead-up to the completion of the first five-year mandate of the IGF in 2010, the UN initiated a process of evaluating the continuation of the IGF, resulting in a United Nations General Assembly resolution to continue the IGF for a further five years (2011–2015)."Resolution adopted by the General Assembly, 65/141, Information and communications technologies for development" , United Nations, 2 February 2011 In addition to the renewed mandate, another UN body, the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), established a Working Group on Improvements to the IGF (CSTDWG),"Draft resolution: Assessment of the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society" , Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 23 to 27 May 2011 which issued a report to the commission for consideration during its 15th session held 21–25 May 2012, in Geneva."Working Group on Improvements to the IGF" , Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), United Nations. Retrieved 10 June 2013 The Working Group report made recommendations with regard to shaping of the outcomes of IGF meetings, working modalities, funding, broadening participation and capacity-building, and linking the IGF to other Internet governance-related entities.Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Internet Governance Forum" , Economic and Social Council, United Nations, 16 March 2012
At its meeting held from 21 to 25 May 2012 the CSTD made recommendations to the Economic and Social Council regarding Internet governance and the Internet Governance Forum,"Resolution on Assessment of the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society" , Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Economic and Social Council, United Nations, 25 May 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012"Report on the fifteenth session" , Economic and Social Council, United Nations, 25 May 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012 which the Council accepted at its meeting on 24 July 2012."Resolution 2012/5: Assessment of the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society" , Economic and Social Council, United Nations, 24 July 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013 The recommendations included urging the Secretary-General to ensure the continued functioning of the IGF and its structures in preparation for the seventh meeting of the Internet Governance Forum, to be held from 6 to 9 November 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan and future meetings of the Internet Governance Forum.
2015 mandate renewal
The second five-year mandate of the IGF ended in 2015. On 16 December 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the outcome document on the 10-year review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society."WSIS+10 Outcome Document" , Agenda item 17, United Nations General Assembly, 13 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015. Among other things the outcome document urges the need to promote greater participation and engagement in Internet governance discussions that should involve governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, the technical and academic communities, and all other relevant stakeholders. It acknowledges the role the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has played as a multistakeholder platform for discussion of Internet governance issues. And it extends the existing mandate of the IGF as set out in paragraphs 72 to 78 of the Tunis Agenda for a third period of ten years. During the ten-year period, the IGF should continue to show progress on working modalities, and participation of relevant stakeholders from developing countries."Message from Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, on the adoption of the WSIS+10 outcome document by the United Nations General Assembly" , United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs, 16 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
IGF Retreat, July 2016
After the UN General Assembly extended the IGF's mandate for ten additional years in December 2015, but before the December 2016 IGF meeting in Mexico, an IGF Retreat was held on 14–16 July 2016 in Glen Cove, New York to focus on "Advancing the 10-Year Mandate of the Internet Governance Forum"."IGF Retreat: Advancing the 10-Year Mandate of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)" , Internet Governance Forum, Glen Cove, New York, 14–16 July 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016. At the time that the IGF mandate was extended, the UN General Assembly called for "progress on working modalities and the participation of relevant stakeholders from developing countries" and "accelerated implementation of recommendations in the report of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) Working Group on Improvements to the IGF."
Thus the retreat was framed by the mandates of the Tunis Agenda and WSIS+10 review. It also aimed to build on the report of the CSTD Working Group on improvements to the IGF and the many years of reflection of the MAG and the IGF community on improving the working methods of the IGF. The retreat was to focus on "how" the IGF could best work to deliver its role and how it could be best supported. As it focused on the "how", it would not try to carry out the substantive discussions that are to happen in the IGF itself.
The retreat reached the following understandings: In addition to its renewal of the IGF's mandate in December 2015, the UN General Assembly expressed expectations, specifically the need to show progress on working modalities and the participation of relevant stakeholders from developing countries, as well as for the accelerated implementation of the recommendations of the CSTD Working Group on improvements to the IGF. There was also recognition that improvements have been and continue to be made on an ongoing basis. The relevance of the IGF in the future is not assured, being dependent inter alia on increased voluntary funding to the multi-donor extra-budgetary IGF Trust Fund Project of the UN that funds the IGF Secretariat and on increased participation from a balanced and diverse set of stakeholders. Other fora are emerging for those wishing to engage in discussions about Internet governance. This suggested that the IGF's distinctiveness and value within this range of alternatives would need to remain sufficient to maintain participation levels from governments and the private sector in particular. A few participants felt that the MAG does not engage all parts of the community who want to take part in the discussion on Internet governance, and the IGF itself as well as the various intersessional activities could address this.