[NCSG-PC] About SSR2

Tue Oct 31 09:50:39 EET 2017

Hi Arsene

This was sent from the Board yesterday afternoon to the SO/AC leadership.

Matthew

________________________________
From: NCSG-PC <ncsg-pc-bounces at lists.ncsg.is> on behalf of Arsène Tungali <arsenebaguma at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 7:48:33 AM
To: Milan, Stefania
Cc: ncsg-pc; James Gannon
Subject: Re: [NCSG-PC] About SSR2

James,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings on this. I agree with Stephanie that there is a danger with regards to this seen as a precedent for future RTs. We need to understand what's really going on so we know how to respond. Since there is a Council meeting tomorrow where we will discuss this as well, please give us as many inputs as you can to help us understand better.

I would like to paste here this note (i believe a letter from the Board to whom?) that was shared by Farzi on a council skype chat. I bring it here so we have everything at the same place :

[Message starts here]

All,

On behalf of the Board, set out below is the background to the letter we sent to the SSR2 Review Team. We hope that this background is helpful.
The Stability, Security, and Resilience Review now underway (SSR2) is intended to provide critical input needed to evaluate ICANN’s progress in fulfilling its core mission. Under the ICANN Bylaws, the composition of the review team is to be determined by the community through its Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees.  The ICANN Board takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard the integrity of this process and the independence of the review as well as to ensure that ICANN resources are deployed efficiently and effectively.

In June, the ICANN Board wrote to the SSR2 team to express concern about the adequacy of the SSR2 work plan, terms of reference, and proposed scope.  We heard some of these same concerns from members of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee in late September, and the SSAC formally advised the Board about its concerns on October 4.  The Board’s Organizational Effectiveness Committee (OEC) forwarded this letter to SO/AC chairs on the same date, and indicated that it would be providing recommendations to the Board and discussing the concerns with SO/AC chairs in Abu Dhabi.

On October 3, the Board wrote once again to the SSR2 team concerning its Subgroup 2 audit plan, which proposed to audit ICANN’s internal security policies and procedures.  We acknowledged that a general understanding of internal security at ICANN was relevant to the work of SSR2, but considered that an audit exceeded the scope of the review. The SSR2 team responded on 6 October.

Throughout October, the Board considered the SSAC’s advice and received recommendations from the OEC.  On October 27, as we gathered here in Abu Dhabi, members of the Board again met with SO/AC Chairs to convey the Board’s view that the SSR2 Review should be paused until the SOs and ACs had an opportunity to consider, in light of the expressed concerns, whether adjustments are needed to achieve the purpose of the review.  We realise that our message to the gathered chairs may not have been clear.

The Board has not usurped the community’s authority with respect to this review. Rather, we are asking the SOs and ACs to consider the concerns we have heard and determine whether or not adjustments are needed.  We believe that a temporary pause in the SSR2 work while this consideration is under way is a sensible approach designed to ensure stakeholders can reach a common understanding on the appropriate scope and work plan, which will ensure the efficient use of ICANN’s resources as the review continues to fulfill its mission.

We stand ready to assist the SOs and ACs in any way so that stakeholders can resume the important work of the SSR review as soon as they are ready.

[Message ends here]

I would like to request you to comment on the above and give us your perspectives with regards to this "clarification" from the Board of their action, which will help us make up our mind. Please do this whenever you can.

Also, someone shared the following with me on Twitter when i was complaining about this issue. Looks like there has been some communication between the Board-SSAC-SSR2 since June. Here is the timeline he provided:

[Start]
Timeline
June: Board-> #SSR2<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSR2>
Late Sep #SSAC<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSAC>-> Board
10/3 Board-> #SSR2<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSR2>
10/4 SSAC ->Board
10/4 Board OEC->SO/AC
10/6 SSR2->Board
[End]

Can you also comment on the above? Has this happened? Also, if you can, please provide us with any substance from the communications between the Board and the SSR2.

Thank you very much,
Arsene (observer)

------------------------
*Arsène Tungali<http://about.me/ArseneTungali>*
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Rudi international<http://www.rudiinternational.org>,
CEO, Smart Services Sarl<http://www.smart-serv.info>, Mabingwa Forum<http://www.mabingwa-forum.com>
Tel: +243 993810967
GPG: 523644A0
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

2015 Mandela Washington Felllow<http://tungali.blogspot.com/2015/06/selected-for-2015-mandela-washington.html> (YALI) - ISOC Ambassador (IGF Brazil<http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/igf-ambassadors-programme/Past-Ambassadors> & Mexico<http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/Current-Ambassadors>) - AFRISIG 2016<http://afrisig.org/afrisig-2016/class-of-2016/> - Blogger<http://tungali.blogspot.com> - ICANN Fellow (Los Angeles<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-07-18-en> & Marrakech<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/marrakech55-attendees-2016-03-14-en>). AFRINIC Fellow (Mauritius<http://www.afrinic.net/en/library/news/1907-afrinic-25-fellowship-winners>) - IGFSA Member<http://www.igfsa.org/> - Internet Governance - Internet Freedom.

Check the 2016 State of Internet Freedom in DRC report (English<http://cipesa.org/?wpfb_dl=234>) and (French<http://cipesa.org/?wpfb_dl=242>)

2017-10-31 9:19 GMT+02:00 Milan, Stefania <Stefania.Milan at eui.eu<mailto:Stefania.Milan at eui.eu>>:
Dear James, thanks for sharing your notes on what is surely a painful process.

What I think should be our main concern is, besides the specific case of this RT, twofold: this might set a dangerous precedent for the future of other RTs or ad hoc entities of this kind, and it might jeopardize the independence of RTs (if you scared the Board calls you off you might want to be more cautious bla bla bla, self-censorship sort to speak)

________________________________________
Da: NCSG-PC <ncsg-pc-bounces at lists.ncsg.is<mailto:ncsg-pc-bounces at lists.ncsg.is>> per conto di James Gannon <james at cyberinvasion.net<mailto:james at cyberinvasion.net>>
Inviato: lunedì 30 ottobre 2017 19:14:12
A: Arsène Tungali
Cc: ncsg-pc
Oggetto: Re: [NCSG-PC] About SSR2

Hi All,
Yes this has all happened without any consultation with the review team.
What appears to have happened is that some concerns were raised in SSAC (We have no details on by whom) and instead of engaging with the review team through its 2 SSAC members on the RT the SSAC wrote to the board with a set of in my opinion (And this is shared by most of the review team) unfounded concerns about the skillset and ability to execute there review.

The board then again without consultation with the review team took the unnatural action to suspend the review. The first the RT heard about this was the letter from the board liason yesterday.

In my opinion the RT had a slow start but has been making good progress against the agreed consensus terms of reference and work plan and that this suspension is totally unwarranted and without merit.

On 30 Oct 2017, at 10:27, Arsène Tungali <arsenebaguma at gmail.com<mailto:arsenebaguma at gmail.com><mailto:arsenebaguma at gmail.com<mailto:arsenebaguma at gmail.com>>> wrote:

(observer)

Hi Rafik,

Thanks for your email which states the issue. Please consider my comments bellow as personal reflections and i stand to be corrected on my judgements.

The question is being discussed now at the joint ccNSO/GNSO meeting and there are, imo, multiple views with regards to this question. GNSO Chair is one of the people who are surprised about the decision that came in (like only 24hours) from a meeting between the Board and ASO/AC leaders (that happened on Friday). ccNSO Chair seems to say that they were aware of a possible decision by the Board which was presented during Friday's meeting but Heather (who was serving as proxy for James) seemed not to have heard the same.

James, we would like to hear from you (as our rep there) on what you think were the issues that the review team were facing, mostly on the scope of work as it appears to be one of the main reasons that led the Board to act that way. I asked on Twitter and someone replied with the following: "According to SSAC, #SSR2<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SSR2> realized they needed a scoping document before finding reviewers", can you tell us more about this if it is true? It appears that you were not consulted and only were informed of the decision to pause your work? What can you share with us on that note? What is the feeling of your collegues in that group about this? What are you planning to do?

I have tried to put here all ideas i have though i have limited knowledge about this specific review work and would appreciate to hear your thoughts on this. Please do share anything you think the NCSG can help with.

Thank you,
Arsene

------------------------
*Arsène Tungali<http://about.me/ArseneTungali>*
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Rudi international<http://www.rudiinternational.org/>,
CEO, Smart Services Sarl<http://www.smart-serv.info/>, Mabingwa Forum<http://www.mabingwa-forum.com/>
Tel: +243 993810967<tel:%2B243%20993810967>
GPG: 523644A0
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

2015 Mandela Washington Felllow<http://tungali.blogspot.com/2015/06/selected-for-2015-mandela-washington.html> (YALI) - ISOC Ambassador (IGF Brazil<http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/igf-ambassadors-programme/Past-Ambassadors> & Mexico<http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/education-and-leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders/Current-Ambassadors>) - AFRISIG 2016<http://afrisig.org/afrisig-2016/class-of-2016/> - Blogger<http://tungali.blogspot.com/> - ICANN Fellow (Los Angeles<https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2014-07-18-en> & Marrakech<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/marrakech55-attendees-2016-03-14-en>). AFRINIC Fellow (Mauritius<http://www.afrinic.net/en/library/news/1907-afrinic-25-fellowship-winners>) - IGFSA Member<http://www.igfsa.org/> - Internet Governance - Internet Freedom.

Check the 2016 State of Internet Freedom in DRC report (English<http://cipesa.org/?wpfb_dl=234>) and (French<http://cipesa.org/?wpfb_dl=242>)

2017-10-30 11:09 GMT+02:00 Rafik Dammak <rafik.dammak at gmail.com<mailto:rafik.dammak at gmail.com><mailto:rafik.dammak at gmail.com<mailto:rafik.dammak at gmail.com>>>:
Hi James,

(PC list in cc)

I am reaching you because we had yesterday discussion at GNSO working session and then NCSG Policy meeting about the board letter regarding suspending SSR2.

there was a consensus that we should reach you as you are the representative to the review team to get more information from you on the status of work there and what kind of issues there.

as we only found out about the letter and SSAC advice in the last 2 days, we have little idea about the current state. any update from you will be really helpful. it is clear that there is concern about the process and the possible involvement of board but we are trying to get the full picture to work on common NCSG position on the matter.

Best,

Rafik

_______________________________________________
NCSG-PC mailing list
NCSG-PC at lists.ncsg.is<mailto:NCSG-PC at lists.ncsg.is><mailto:NCSG-PC at lists.ncsg.is<mailto:NCSG-PC at lists.ncsg.is>>
https://lists.ncsg.is/mailman/listinfo/ncsg-pc

The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, forwarding, or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited without the express permission of the sender. If you received this communication in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ncsg.is/pipermail/ncsg-pc/attachments/20171031/9d2a5ea0/attachment.htm>