Internet Governance in Latin America and Caribbean IG Mechanisms and Their Implications for a Development Agenda

The relevance of technology in development has been long discussed during the WSIS1 process and it has also been included regional plans and initiatives, like the Latin American Plan of Action for the Information Society, eLAC 20072. Internet Governance, as a more specific but not less important issue, also has a close relationship with development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The region is unique because it is the most inequitable region in the World3. This inequity is related with a highly uneven distribution of assets (land, capital, education and technology) and unequal access to them4. During the last decade many changes in regulations shaped the telecommunications and Internet industries in ways that not always benefited the developing countries of the region, broadening this social and economic gap. This gap is also present in the access of the society to the services and networks that provide Internet connectivity. There are also facts that influence this situation related with geography, distances in between north and south and availability of infrastructure in rural areas. In this context, there are several initiatives and activities done in existing global Internet Governance mechanisms, that may have an impact in global and regional development. In ICANN there are several examples that can be evaluated from this perspective. The Governmental Advisor Committee is growing in the number of active participants and is reviewing relevant subjects for development as IDNs, security and IPV6 implementation. Other constituencies of ICANN are also involved in Internet public policies definitions that will have an impact in the Internet space, like the GNSO which is involved in the definition of the “whois” and “new gTLDs” rules. All countries also work close together at the ccNSO focusing their efforts in those rules that will have a direct impact in the local country codes registries, like IDNs. Internet users have their space at the At Large Advisor Committee, where every year more organizations from developing countries make hear their voices. Also ICANN has launched an interesting Fellowship program to promoting participation from developing countries, specially in the GAC and the ccNSO. This document explores these activities and programs in relation with the positive or negative impacts that they may have on development, from a global and a regional perspective.