Overview[]
The 2005 World Summit on the Information Society's Tunis Agenda mandated that the UN Secretary-General create the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as a multi-stakeholder venue to discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance. The IGF's broad membership and emphasis on information exchange enable it to serve as a uniquely important forum for foreign governments, the private sector, civil society organizations, and individuals to engage in open discussion without being preoccupied with advocating a particular policy outcome.
Although the annual meetings do not directly result in standards, recommendations, or binding agreements, the IGF serves as a platform for dialogue that can prepare decisions that are taken by organizations and institutions that have the ability to do so.
The forum has been held in
- Athens, Greece in 2006
- Rio de Janiero in 2007
- Hyderabad in 2008
- Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in 2009
- Vilnius in 2010
- Nairobi in 2011, and
- Baku in 2012.