Cooperative Approach Continues to Meet the Challenge of Internet Development
Mauritius, 26 November 2008
The Number Resource Organization (NRO) calls upon participants at IGF 2008 next week in Hyderabad to support the collaborative multi-stakeholder approach adopted by the Internet Governance Forum.
The NRO encourages all stakeholders to continue working together in the open and cooperative participation model that has proven to be the most dependable method to ensure the success and continued development of the Internet. The NRO sees the multi-stakeholder model as a vital component in ensuring that the Internet meets its future challenges, including safety and security, equitable access and development, the management of IPv4 address space exhaustion, and the transition to IPv6.
The NRO supports the Internet Governance Forum as a space to facilitate discussion and provide an open forum for emerging issues, and stresses that all stakeholders must work together to ensure the continued growth, security, and stability of the Internet.
The Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) that make up the NRO bring considerable expertise in the management of multi-stakeholder processes to the IGF. As broad membership organisations, the RIRs have a strong appreciation of the range of issues facing governments, private enterprises, and civil society.
The RIR model of open and transparent participation has proven successful at responding to the rapidly changing Internet environment. Each RIR holds one to two open meetings per year, as well as facilitating online discussion by the community, to allow the open exchange of ideas from the technical community, the business sector, civil society, and government regulators.
“The Internet has been fundamentally shaped by the open, transparent, multi-stakeholder processes used by the many organizations that helped to create and develop the Internet” said Mr Paul Wilson, Chair of the NRO.
“The open, participatory approach has facilitated the growth of the Internet into a robust global platform that allows for constant innovation from anyone or any organization that has a good idea. This is because everyone has an equal say and anyone can join in discussions of Internet policy. Participation does not require membership or the payment of fees; nor does it require the permission any authority, not least a governmental one” said Mr Wilson.
That the Internet has grown so quickly and proved so adaptable is a direct result of its many stakeholders being able to contribute meaningfully to the dynamic processes of Internet policy creation and discussion. It is vital to the ongoing growth and innovation in the Internet community that these opportunities for participation continue to form the basis for the processes and structures of Internet governance.
NRO representatives will be organising and speaking in several sessions at IGF 2008 in Hyderabad:
| 3 Dec 2008 | 9:30 – 11:00 | Understanding Internet infrastructure: an overview of technology and terminology |
| 4 Dec 2008 | 11:30 – 13:00 | Challenges facing Internet operators in developing countries |
| 14:30 – 16:00 | Towards a code of good practice on public participation in Internet governance | |
| 16:00 – 17:30 | Evolution of the root server system | |
| 5 Dec 2008 | 9:30 – 11:00 | Critical Internet resources: global, regional, and national arrangements |
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Critical Internet resources: transition from IPv4 to IPv6 |
About the Number Resource Organization (NRO)
The NRO exists to protect the pool of unallocated Internet numbers (IP addresses and AS numbers) and serves as a coordinating mechanism for the five RIRs to act collectively on matters relating to the interests of RIRs.
About the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are independent, not-for-profit membership organisations that support the infrastructure of the Internet through technical coordination. There are five RIRs in the world today. Currently, the Internet Assigned Numbers Association (IANA) allocates blocks of IP addresses and ASNs, known collectively as Internet number resources, to the RIRs, who then distribute them to their members within their own specific service regions. RIR members include Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunications organisations, large corporations, governments, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders, including end users.
The five RIRs are:
- AFRINIC – Africa region
- APNIC – Asia and Pacific region
- ARIN – Canada, many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands, and the United States
- LACNIC – Latin America and parts of the Caribbean RIPE NCC – Europe, Parts of Asia and the Middle East
Each RIR performs a range of critical functions including:
- The reliable and stable allocation of Internet number resources (IPv4, IPv6 and AS Number resources)
- The responsible storage and maintenance of this registration data
- The provision of an open, publicly accessible database where this data can be accessed
- RIRs also provide a range of technical and coordination services for the Internet community.
Contact:
Paul Wilson, Chair
Number Resource Organization
Last modified on 27/10/2015