AGIP?s Membership in IGF?s Multistakeholder Advisory Group Renewed

AMMAN, August 26, 2008 The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon renewed on August 22, 2008 the membership of Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) in the Internet Governance Forum?s (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG).

Expressing his contentment with this renewal, AGIP Regional Office Executive Director Charles Sha?ban said, ?This renewal signifies AGIP?s keenness to continue supporting the MAG?s agenda and participating actively in the Group?s work and mission.?

The MAG consists of 50 members, 17 of whom are new; which represents the renewal of one third of its membership. The MAG members are from all stakeholder groups, such as governments, private sector and civil society, including the academic and technical communities, representing all regions.

?AGIP is extremely enthusiastic to work hand in hand with the former and new members to fulfill the Group?s mission,? Sha?ban pointed out.

Since the renewed composition of the MAG was the result of broad-based consultations, Sha?ban pointed out that such composition represents a balance in terms of geographical diversity, gender and experience in Internet governance issues.

As part of its mandate, the MAG has been asked to continue exerting its efforts to enhance the transparency of the Forum?s preparatory process by ensuring a continuous flow of information between its members and the various interested groups.

The MAG will provide advice on the preparations of the next IGF meeting to be held in Hyderabad, India December 3 - 6, 2008.

Meanwhile, the Special Advisor for Internet Governance to the UN Secretary-General, Nitin Desai, has been asked to continue as the Chairman of the Advisory Group. The Chairman may select special advisors to assist him. Representatives of relevant intergovernmental organizations and the European Commission are also invited to attend the MAG meetings.

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is the outcome of the Tunis phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which took place in 2005. In the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, governments asked the UN Secretary-General to convene a ?new forum for policy dialogue? to discuss issues related to key elements of Internet governance and set out the Forums mandate.

The Forum?s first two meetings took place in Athens in November 2006 and in Rio de Janeiro in November 2007.

For further information, please visit www.intgovforum.org