1. The Role and Opportunities for Governments in ICANN: Post-IANA Transition
Prof. em. Wolfgang Kleinwächter
Global Commission on Stability in Cyberspace
ICANN 63: High Level Governmental Meeting
Barcelona, October, 22, 2018
University of Aarhus

2. 1998: The Making of ICANN
1990s: Globalisation, De-Regulation, Powershift
The Dot-Com Boom
The Institutionalization of the DNS Management
The new Triangular Governance Model (NewCo)

3. 2005: The WSIS Tunis Agenda The Conflict: The Compromise
Role of Governments in the Management of Critical Internet Resources (CIR)
US Oversight over ICANN
The Compromise
Multistakeholder Approach (in their respective roles), p.34
Policy authority for Internet-related public policy issues is the sovereign right of States; p.35
existing arrangements for Internet governance have worked effectively … with the private sector taking the lead in day-to-day operations, and with innovation and value creation at the edges; p.55
Enhanced cooperation…to enable governments, on an equal footing, to carry out their roles and responsibilities, in international public policy issues pertaining to the Internet; p.69

4. 2016: The IANA Transition
End of US Stewardship Role has led to an „Equal Footing“ among Governments within ICANN
New ICANN Bylaws and the Formation of the „Empowered Community“ have strengthened Accountability of the ICANN Board and the role of Governments within ICANNs Multistakeholder Policy Development Processes (PDPs)

5. Looking Ahaed: The new Internet Governance Complexity
Inside ICANN:
Clarification of the „respective roles“ of stakeholders and enhancement of cross-constituency/ACSO collaboration (de-siloing, liaisons and early engagement)
Stresstest for the “Empowered Comnmunity“ how to manage technical issues with political implications (Whois/GDPR, new gTLDs)
Outside ICANN:
Powershift in the global Internet Governance Ecosystem and unintended side effects from national/international regulations
ICANNs limited technical mandate and its interlinkage to Internet related Public Policy issues as Cybersecurity, Digital Economy and Human Rights

6. Thank you