NRIs Virtual Meeting II 26 February 2020

NATIONAL, (SUB)REGIONAL AND YOUTH IGF INITIATIVES
- Virtual Meeting II, 26 February 2020, 15:00 p.m. UTC -

SUMMARY REPORT

About 

1. The 2^nd virtual meeting of the National, Sub-regional, Regional and Youth IGF Initiatives (NRIs) of the IGF 2020 preparatory cycle, took place on 26 February 2020 at 15:00 p.m. UTC.
    
2. The meeting was hosted by the IGF Secretariat’s NRIs Focal Point. The final, adopted version of the Agenda is attached to this document as Annex A1 and a list of meeting Participants as Annex A2. The list of shared documents is attached to this report as Annex A3.

Summary of key points

3. The Host opened the meeting with a reminder that the core meeting’s objective is to identify the topics for the main session and up to six collaborative sessions and to agree on the planning timeline for the collaborative sessions. It was reminded that the NRIs advised during the 2019, that all sessions should be issue-focused and attractive to auditorium.
    
4. The IGF Secretariat presented the findings (Annex A3) from the research analyses of the:
   1. Discussion topics from 80 NRIs annual meetings in 2019
   2. NRIs responses to the IGF 2020 Cal for validation of thematic tracks
   3. Discussion topics of the so far scheduled NRIs meetings in 2020
       
5. Based on the findings, the Host concluded that the policy priority for the NRIs in 2019 was clearly around security, access and inclusion, digital rights and new and emerging technologies; while in 2020, the NRIs respondents to the Call for Validation of Issues gave an undoubtable support to all four thematic tracks[1] the MAG proposed.
    
6. The Host opened the discussion and invited the NRIs focal points to advise on the possible topics for the main session and up to six collaborative sessions. The Host reminded that the outcomes of this meetings will be a subject for final rounds of consultations with all NRIs through the NRIs mailing list, before the final decision is made.
    
7. There was a broad support for the NRIs main session to focus on the role of the Internet in emergence situations, following the initial proposal suggested by the Ecuador IGF. A few participants also supported as a possible topic for the main session the economic issues and sustainably.  Additional few comments focused on the main session discussing the role of disruptive technologies; and Internet’s utility on global health emergency and disasters.
    
8. The Host confirmed the consensus that the two proposed topics 1) Internet in the World ‎of Emergency ‎Situations and 2) Economic issues and ‎sustainability will be a subject for the broader NRIs consultations for reaching a final decision on which one will be the subject of the NRIs main session at the 15^th annual IGF meeting in Poland.
    
9. Participants continued to discuss the topics for the collaborative sessions. There was a strong support for the NRIs to focus on the future of jobs in the digital age. Also, participants gave support to the topic related to data localisation and utilisation. Some were in favour of the data utilisation session to focus on impacts on digital economy, while others prioritised the concept of digital sovereignty as a central subject of this topic. The Host suggested that a possible consensus could be that two sessions are organized; one on the topic of data consumption and utilisation for sustainability, and another one of topics of digital economy: ‎trans-territorial ‎regulations and the ‎impact on digital ‎sovereignty.
    
10.  A few participants noted the importance of technical aspects of the Internet and suggested that one session could focus on technical aspects of content regulation and platform liability, explaining that this topic is actual in many countries having different views on it, such as USA and India, and further said that the topic could look at where the content regulation should happen, noting as an example the encryption’s role for content regulation and DNS abuse. The Bolivian IGF added that the session could also look at the differences in Terms of Use between the global north and global south. Participants supported to have one session focused on the technical aspects of content regulation.
     
11. The Host suggested that the two remaining topics could focus on cybersecurity policy at the local levels, and another one on access and inclusion, as the highest priority in 2019 across all NRIs discussions. A few comments were shared on the importance of discussing digital rights and freedoms and the host invited these NRIs to consult other NRIs through the list and respond by 13 March to the call for consolations on the topics as outcomes of this meetings.
     
12. From EuroDIG, it was advised that the terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘governance’ are reflected in the main session, to have it streamlined and more focused. The Gambian IGF also advised for the sessions to look at the SDGs, given the 10-year long future commitment on achieving them.
     
13. Participants also reviewed the first version of the work timeline for the collaborative sessions and agreed to extend the consultation time on the finalisation of topics until the 13 March. The IGF Secretariat was asked to reflect the changes in the timeline and communicate an updated version of the timeline to the NRIs list. 
     
14. The meeting further focused on the NRIs discussing their possible contribution to the public consultations the European Commission’s High-Level Group on Internet Governance (HLIG) runs on the Report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation (HLPDC). The HLIG member shared the guiding questions for consultations and agreed that interested NRIs should continue discussing this subject matter on a separate virtual call. The IGF Secretariat committed to support the discussions with providing platform for discussion and drafting the minutes and other needed documents, should the interested group of the NRIs request.

Next Steps

1. A full summary report will be sent to the NRIs mailing list.
2. IGF Secretariat will communicate the updated timeline and a put a list of proposed topics for the NRIs main session and collaborative session for consultations until 13 March.
3. Next meeting: Next meeting will be hosted within four week-time. A doodle poll will be sent one week before the proposed meeting options.
4.  For any suggestions or questions regarding the Report, kindly contact the IGF Secretariat, NRIs Focal Point at: anja.gengo@un.org.

ANNEX A1
AGENDA: Virtual Meeting II

1. Abdeldjalil Bachar Bong, IGF Chad
2. Adam Ahmat Doungous
3. Adama Jallow, Gambia IGF
4. Aleksandar Ichokjaev, N. Macedonia IGF
5. Alexei Marciuc, Moldova IGF
6. Amine Hacha
7. Ani Dallakian, Youth Armenian IGF
8. Anja Gengo, IGF Secretariat
9. Anna Carbone, Italian IGF
10. Barrack Otieno, Kenya IGF
11. Benedict Sagoe
12. Caleb Ogundele, Nigeria IGF
13. Canada IGF (Luisa)
14. Carlos Vera, Ecuador IGF
15. Concettina Cassa, Italian IGF
16. Cristina Morales Angulo, Nicaragua IGF
17. Dustin Loup, IGF-USA
18. Elaaha Noorzad, Youth Afghanistan IGF
19. Emmanuel Mfitumukiza
20. Eun Chang Choi, Korea IGF
21. Eva Christina Andersson
22. Fanny Salyou, IGF Côte D'Ivoire
23. Francis Amaning, Ghana IGF
24. Hamdan
25. Hisham Aboulyazed, Arab IGF
26. Jennifer Chung, APrIGF
27. Joseph Mensah
28. Julián Casasbuenas G., Colombia IGF
29. June Parris, Barbados IGF
30. Khouzeifi Issakha, Youth Chad IGF
31. Kwadwo Boadu JR
32. Lianna Galstyan, Armenian IGF, SEEDIG
33. Lima Madomi, IGF Secretariat
34. Linda Asamoah
35. Lucien Castex, IGF France
36. Mahamat Silim, African Youth IGF
37. Makane Faye, African IGF
38. Maria Paz Canales, LACIGF
39. Mary Uduma, Nigeria IGF, West African IGF
40. Michel Tchonang, Cameroon IGF
41. Muriel Alapini, Benin IGF
42. Nigeria IGF Secretariat
43. Oksana Prykhodko, Ukraine IGF
44. Paul Rowney, Namibia IGF
45. Peterking Quaye, Libya
46. Poncelet Ileleji, Gambia IGF
47. Predrag Tasevski, N. Macedonia IGF
48. Priyatosh Jana, India Youth IGF
49. Roberto Zambrana, Bolivia IGF
50. Roxanne- Jonnes, St. Vincent and the Grenadines IGF
51. Sandra Hoferichter, EuroDIG
52. Shadrach Ankrah
53. Sorina Teleanu, SEEDIG
54. Tracy Hackshaw, Trinidad and Tobago IGF
55. Vivien Assangbe Wotto, Benin IGF
56. Wai Min Kwok, UN DESA​

ANNEX A3 
LIST OF SHARED INPUTS

Analyses of:

1. NRIs Policy Discussion Areas from 2019 
2. NRIs responses to the IGF 2020 Call for Validation of Thematic Tracks 
3. NRIs 2020 programme focus (January-February) 
   [See here an overview of clustered received results]