John Curran UN speech on behalf of NRO
Statement by John Curran
President and CEO
American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)
On Behalf of
The Number Resource Organization
Before
The Open Consultations on Enhanced Cooperation on International Public Policy Issues Pertaining to the Internet
UNITED NATIONS
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
New York
14 December 2010
As Prepared for Delivery
Honorable Chairman, distinguished guests
Thank you for this opportunity to speak at this important consultation.
My name is John Curran, and I am the President and CEO of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). Today I am here to speak on behalf of the Number Resource Organization, the NRO, which represents the five Regional Internet Registries (AFRINIC, APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC and RIPE)
WSIS brought about many changes to the way we deal with various Internet issues. One key change was the formal recognition of a governance model based on the concept of “Enhanced Cooperation” when dealing with International Internet Public Policy issues.
This model reflects the true multi-stakeholder nature of the Internet and has been embraced by governments, civil society, business and technical communities throughout the world. This approach has resulted in better-informed decision makers and better-informed decisions for the benefit of all.
I would like to take a moment to note a few of the many enhanced cooperation success stories that we, as the Regional Internet Registries, have facilitated.
The RIR community has expanded its relationship with government(s) both through roundtable discussions and the formation of working groups focused on government issues. In many cases the working groups provide training or briefings on an issue specifically requested by one of the participating governments. For example, it soon became apparent that the existing working groups did not address the specific needs of the law enforcement community.
Recognizing the importance of working together, the Regional Registries and Law Enforcement Agencies have formed relationships to address this need. LEAs attend RIR meetings and participate in the policy making process, and the RIRs are participating in various law enforcement meetings, such as the E-Crime Congress held in London last year. This cooperation identified the need for more efficient information sharing, which in turn has resulted in the creation of new fora such as the Cyber Crime Working Party launched earlier this year. In the past, many governments attended RIR meetings but it was usually with an eye towards the technical issues rather than policy development. Today, many of the governments are active participants in RIR meetings, and this is extremely important as we transition to IPv6.
Expanding on regional efforts, the RIRs continue growing their involvement in intergovernmental organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union, the OECD, the Council of Europe, APEC in the Pacific, CITEL in the Americas and CANTO in the Caribbean. This effort has enabled these groups to provide the best advice and direction to their members when developing International Internet public policy because they are better informed. At the same time, we have continued to broaden our range of activities to encourage development, working closely with organizations such as the Regional Fund for Digital Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean (FRIDA), the Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF), the Association of African Universities and numerous regional network operator’s groups and meetings.
The RIRs have not limited their enhanced cooperation efforts to governments. We continue to build on our close ties with the business community, working with industry groups including the International Chamber of Commerce and Internet Service Provider associations around the world. Additionally, all RIRs provide facilities for remote participation to their meetings so as to broaden the community involved in number resource policy development even further.
Enhanced cooperation has facilitated the kind of cross-sector dialogue that enables the development of better public policy. Given the complexity of the Internet and the fact that public policies and legislation can have an affect on technical operations, it is clearly in the interests of all stakeholders that we continue to maintain and develop the kind of open communication and enhanced cooperation we have seen flourish over the past decade. We respect the role of governments in making public policy and appreciate the opportunity to work with them when developing policies that affect the Internet.
As the Internet continues to grow in complexity, likewise the public policy issues continue to grow more complex. No single entity whether it be a member state, civil society, the business or technical community has all of the answers. Now is not the time to limit or discourage the flow of information between all stakeholders. Therefore it is vitally important that we continue growing and expanding our enhanced cooperation efforts in order to maintain the stability and security of the Internet.
Thank you for providing the Number Resource Organization an opportunity to speak, and ask that DESA keep in mind the considerable progress that has been made via the “Enhanced Cooperation” model as it considers appropriate next steps.
Last modified on 16/12/2010