How does IGF meetings work?

The closed meetings are very much like the open meetings. With the difference that the smaller UN rooms do have power outlets at every seat. This implies I only needed my 12 metre long extension cord one of the days in Geneva. That day it was pretty popular though! The meetings are actively lead by the chair, Nitin Desai, and we this time had sort of one topic per 3 hour session. UN sessions are always 10-13 and 15-18 by the way. Regardless of where the meeting is. Due to agreement with interpretors I understand. That rigid timing for meetings make it hard though to do other things, like have lunch, as all meetings have lunch break at the same time.

The meeting itself go back and forth between the chair stating what he think the agreed state is at the moment on the topic being discussed, and people flagging (letting their name tag stand on the side) and make comments to what either the chair said, or what other commented on. Sometimes the discussion is pretty heated of course…

One interesting important thing is that we in the MAG have agreed to use Chatham House Rules. This so that the discussion can flow better than if only formal statements where made. That is also the reason why I will never say who said what at the meeting.

When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.