IANA Stewardship Transition & Evolution of ICANN Accountability

Moderator: Theresa Swinehart

Speaker: Larry Strickling, Asst. Secretary of Commerce, NTIA Adminstrator

Panelists:

• Leon Sanchez, co-chair, CCWG
• Thomas Rickert, co-chair, CCWG
• Samantha Eisner, ICANN
• Nii Quaynor, Evolution and Reform Committee (2002)
• Alejandro Pisanty, Evolution and Reform Committee (2002)
• Lyman Chapin, Evolution and Reform Committee (2002)

While the ICANN community focuses intently on ICANN's accountability in response to NTIA's desire to transition its stewardship of the IANA functions to the multistakeholder community, it is important to understand that "accountability" has always been a top priority of the ICANN community. But over ICANN's 17 years of existence, and as the organization has matured and expanded, have the accountability issues and concerns evolved? Are they different?

The Committee on Evolution and Reform, established by a Board resolution during the ICANN meeting in Accra, Ghana in 2002, took on issues of accountability which led to new reforms and mechanisms. Additional mechanisms are being developed by the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG). Chairs and members from both groups will participate in this panel discussion looking at how ICANN's accountability has evolved.

Before the discussion begins, NTIA Adminstrator Larry Strickling will be introduced to present his views on both the IANA Stewardship Transition and accountability proposals developed to date.