Participation in various forums - and challenges --- Alan, this is a very good question: how inclusive are different forums? On the UN level, we have seen that the UN GGE was not for everyone - though not for the reasons of avoiding some actors, but rather for gaining space for more direct conversation among the leading powers plus few others. Those few others were, however, chosen to represent geographical diversity, and based on the interests expressed by states to participate. The fully inclusive OEWG now involves all the states, regardless of their capacities and level of tech development.

Some other, non-UN, fora gather like-minded countries or political or regional blocks. Other, like GFCE, accept anyone who expresses interests and commit to contribute - though members keep the right to block the access of some countries (it rarely happens, however).

There are several important questions related to inclusive participation:

• How can small and developing countries, with limited human resources and finances, follow ever-growing number and diversity of fora? Should they prioritise, and how? What are the trade-offs for this?

• How to develop capacities of states to meaningfully participate? Is participation in fact the capacity building at the same time (common argument for the inclusive OEWG)?

• Could participation of states that don't have sufficient capacities to meaningfully contribute possibly slow-down - or move backwards - certain fora (it was a common argument for GGE - there would have been no acquis if all the countries were involved from the beginning)?

Source author: Vladimir Radunovic vladar@diplomacy.edu