Advisory Group – 4-5/9/2007

Paper submitted by Mr. Everton Lucero, special adviser to the Host Country Co-chair

Elements to be considered for structuring the IGF

This set of elements is presented as a starting point for preparing the session entitled “Stock taking and the way forward” at the 2^nd IGF in Rio de Janeiro. Advisory Group members are invited to present comments on these ideas, to be incorporated by the secretariat in a synthesis paper, as an input for that session.

1. The role of the Advisory Group (AG):

• The AG should act as a supporting mechanism to the organization, procedure and conduct of business at the IGF;

• To fulfill its tasks, the AG should have the possibility of making decisions on procedural and organizational matters before and during the IGF, as needed.

2. Criteria for nomination of members of the AG:

• The AG should be multistakeholder;

• The AG should observe balanced regional representation;

• The AG should reflect the diversity of opinions on Internet governance;

• The AG should have no more than _____ members;

• AG members should be appointed by and are accountable to their respective stakeholder group;

• Each stakeholder group shall appoint their representatives to the AG according to its own procedure, which should be transparent, democratic and inclusive;

• Stakeholder groups are governments, private sector, civil society and the scientific community;

• AG members should have a mandate of _____ years; their term should begin and end at IGF meetings;

• Rotation is desirable, but each stakeholder group should have flexibility to rotate its members according to its own criteria;

• Balanced regional representation should be observed by each stakeholder group, when rotating its representatives;

• Gender balance should be sought.

3. Procedures of the AG

• The AG should establish its own rules of procedure, taking into account the elements outlined in this paper;

• The AG should work on a consensual basis;

• The AG should be co-chaired by one representative appointed by the UN Secretary-General and one representative appointed by the host country;

• At the invitation of the AG, non-members should participate at AG meetings as observers;

• The AG should work on an intersessional basis, as deemed necessary;

• The AG should publish its proceedings and decisions.