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The need for capacity development is voiced substantively and regularly in official speeches and documents. Experienced facilitators and consultants are active in this area. However, supply and demand do not always match. Quality capacity development requires resources, and very often those most qualified in education cannot devote the time and effort required for fundraising. Who should pay for capacity development activities? Those most in need, such as those from least developed countries (LDCs), find it difficult to pay. Several pioneer countries (e.g. Switzerland, with the Geneva Internet Platform project) have gone beyond their own capacity development needs and expanded their provision to the global community. Going further, should the responsibility for funding lie with developed country governments, with the private sector, or with the numerous foundations or NGOs? What, if any, is the responsibility of participants to self-fund?
The Internet industry in the Bay Area is of vital importance for countries worldwide. The Bay Area tech sector provides services for, and collects data of, citizens worldwide. It plays a key role, not only in the governance of data, but also in the implementation of voluntary data standards. Some Internet companies provide platforms for communication and democratic dialogue and are seen as key partners in the efforts to curb fake news or fight extremist propaganda online. The significant impact of Internet companies on society is not matched by the existence of clear frameworks for dialogue with other stakeholders. This discussion is very timely, as governments are under increasing pressure to take up more regulatory responsibilities and contribute to the public good.
In her blog post, Andrijana Gavrilovic summarises the key points of Diplo's recent WebDebate on the question Can we teach and learn negotiation skills online? The speakers, Ambassadors Kishan S. Rana and Stefano Baldi, and Dr Katharina E. Höne, agreed that simulation exercises are crucial for teaching negotiations and looked at how this can be accomplished online. They pointed to opportunities and limits of teaching negotiations online while emphasising that there is greater need for teaching negotiation skills, both in situ and online.