By Sally Wentworth Vice President of Global Policy Development, Internet Society

1. www.internetsociety.org
African Union Ministerial 2015
Update on Internet Governance
Sally Wentworth
Vice President of Global Policy Development
The Internet Society

2. Key Internet governance topics
2
• Access and addressing the digital divide => Connecting
the next billion
• Sustainable development and capacity building => Using
ICTs to empower people and drive economic growth
• Human Rights => Building a people-centered information
Society
• Security, privacy and surveillance => building trust for the
future
• Inclusiveness => ensuring that IG institutions are global

3. But what is Internet Governance?
The 2005 United Nations World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) defined “Internet Governance” as:
[…] the development and application by governments, the
private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of
shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making
procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and
use of the Internet.
- Article 34, Tunis Agenda
=> In brief: Cooperation and collaboration in a
decentralized system
3
12 January 2015

4. The Internet Ecosystem: A cooperative model
Characteristics:
• Involvement
of a broad range
of actors
• Open, transparent,
and collaborative
processes
• Use of products
and infrastructure
with dispersed
ownership and control
4
12 January 2015

5. 5
2014 2015 2016
SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Q1 Q2 Q3
Global Conference on Cyberspace 2015
The Netherlands
UNESCO Internet Conference
Access, free expression, privacy & ethics
Paris
WSIS Forum 2015
Geneva
CSTD 18th Session
10-year review WSIS report finalised
and sent to UNGA though ECOSOC
ITU Plenipotentiary
Busan
Geneva Internet Conference
Geneva
CSTD Inter-sessional Panel
Incl. panel on the CSTD’s 10 year WSIS Review
Geneva
WEF 2015
Incl. WEF’s NetMundial Initiative
Davos
IANA
Deadline for proposals to ICG
ICANN 52
Singapore
ICANN 53
Buenos Aires
UNGA WSIS outcome process starts
Note: intergov negotiation process towards Dec 2015
WSIS Outcome
ECOSOC 2015 Session
Incl. consideration of CSTD 10 year WSIS
report for submission to UNGA
New York
MDGs Summit
Adoption of post-2015 development agenda
New York
World Internet Conference
China
IANA
Expiry of the NTIA contract
regarding IANA functions
ICANN 54
Dublin
UNGA High-level Meeting
on Overall WSIS+10 Review
Intergovernmental meeting
with participation from non-
governmental WSIS stakeholders
New York
OECD Ministerial
Mexico
IANA Transition
WSIS Review Process
Ongoing National and Regional IGFs
69th UNGA Session 70th UNGA Session until Sept. 2016
IGF 2015 João Pessoa, BrazilIGF 2014 Istanbul
KEY
United Nations
Governmental
Technical Community
Other
World Radio Conference
Geneva
IETF 92
Dallas
IETF 93
Prague
IETF 94
Yokohama

6. Internet Governance in 2015
6
2015 could well shape the future of the Internet
through a series of key developments:
 WSIS+10 Review
 IGF 2015
 IANA Transition
Africa’s Voice MUST be heard!

7. www.internetsociety.org
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
What is the community’s vision beyond 2015?

8. WSIS+10 Review: 2005  2015
8
High-level U.N. event in New York, December 2015
 Governments will set the agenda for WSIS beyond 2015
 Consultative process (stakeholders, regional input)
What are the key issues for discussion?
 Development: synergies with new Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), digital divide, local content, affordability
 Security: surveillance, cyberthreats, collaboration
 IG: future of IGF, role of the UN, value of the multistakeholder
approach in reaching the WSIS targets, need a new summit?

9. To Find out more about WSIS:
9
UN Website: http://unpan3.un.org/wsis10/en-us/
ISOC info on WSIS: http://www.internetsociety.org/wsis
Timeline of WSIS & IG events:
http://www.internetsociety.org/igtimeline

10. www.internetsociety.org
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
Evolving towards tangible outcomes

11. The Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
11
• A key WSIS outcome: a platform to discuss and identify
solutions and best practices for Internet policy issues
• Regional and national IGF initiatives have been
launched in at least 9 regions and 19 countries
• African IGF next week!
• IGF 2015: João Pessoa, Brazil, 10-13 November 2015
• Characteristics: Neutral for all stakeholders => working
towards best practices and policy options
• The IGF’s five-year mandate is up for renewal in 2015 (to
be discussed in context WSIS Review)

12. Info on the IGF
12
All about the IGF: http://www.internetsociety.org/igf
IGF Toolkit: http://www.internetsociety.org/igtoolkit
Connecting the Next Billion:
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/policy-options-for-
connection-the-next-billion

13. www.internetsociety.org
IANA Stewardship Transition
Can the community reach consensus?

14. Key Issues in the Transition
14
• The IANA Stewardship Transition Principles (cf.NTIA) :
a. Enhance and support the multistakeholder model
b. Maintain the security, stability and resiliency of the
Internet DNS
c. Meet the needs and expectations of the global
customers and partners of IANA
d. Maintain the openness of the Internet
• Accountability: Key for the robust and predictable
operation of the IANA functions.
• Where we stand now (3 Aug. – 12 Sept.): Public comment
period on proposed enhancements to ICANN's
accountability framework, identified as essential to be
committed to before the transition takes place

15. IANA Transition
15
March 2014: United States Government announced that it
will transition its role to the global multistakeholder Internet
Community
March 2014 – August 2015: Debate and discussion over
transition details
September 2015: Comment period for proposals
September 2016: U.S. government contract ENDS
Find more Info:
https://www.icann.org/en/stewardship/resources