[council] ICANN Strategic Plan consultations

[Grant Forsyth <Grant.Forsyth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Paul
Thank you for taking the time to join the gNSO Council call last
Thursday/Friday  for the debrief/update segment on the Amsterdam
Consultation . Those of us concerned with the ongoing success for ICANN
appreciate your and your staff's effort in developing the Strategic Plan and
again taking ICANN to a new organisational height. The wide depth of
interest and concern to  contribute and  improve the current Strategic Plan
and its imbedded annual operational plan was obvious at the Amsterdam
Consultation.  That considered input continues with continuing consultations
in other forums, with all of us working to provide input by 28 February.
 
The way forward on refining the Strategic Plan was discussed and agreed in
consultation with those staff in attendance in Amsterdam and is recorded in
the draft Meeting Report of the Amsterdam Consultation .
In summary it was noted that
1. consultation on the current version of the Strategic Plan would continue
to around 28 February
2. priority focus on the current consultation would be on those aspects of
the Strategic Plan that had aspects that might be considered for the
2005/2006 annual operational plan
3. the staff would produce a next version of the Strategic Plan before the
April Mar del Plata ICANN in-person meeting, in time for it to be reviewed
and consultation developed for bringing to Mar del Plata. 
4. the next version of the Strategic Plan would be in two parts - a current
and forward looking Strategic Plan and an 2005/2006 annual operational plan
5. a  cross SO/ALAC/other advisory groups public forum/consultation will be
held in Mar del Plata to take consultation on the next version of the
Strategic Plan
 
I spell out the process of consultation planned for the next few months as I
am not sure if you have had the opportunity to review the draft Amsterdam
Consultation Meeting Report in which the agreed way forward is recorded. A
couple of comments made during the gNSO Council call suggested that the
above agreed steps and process may, by some, now not be considered to be
entirely practicable  or necessary . 
 
The need and desire for constructive consultation on the Strategic Plan was
evident in Amsterdam.  We are now heading into a short window for developing
input ready for Mar del Plata including the review of the next version of
the Strategic Plan.   I believe it is critical to maintain the high degree
of good will evidenced in Amsterdam so, for the avoidance of doubt,  it
would be highly desirable if you and your senior staff would  simply
reconfirm that your understanding of the agreed way forward is as detailed
above and that the ICANN community should expect to see a segmented next
version of the Strategic Plan and 2005/2006 annual operational plan some
time in March.
 
I look forward to receiving the assurance that we are all on the same page
and working to a common goal of improving ICANN's ability to meet is narrow
but crucial mission.
 
Kind regards
Grant Forsyth
CBUC Representative on the gNSO Council