- The first day of RIPE 90 in Lisbon welcomes newcomers with engaging sessions and networking opportunities.
- Key sessions included a BOF about the ICP-2 revisal draft.
What happened: ICP-2 discussions get fraught at RIPE 90 in Lisbon
The first day of RIPE 90 in Lisbon kicked off on May 12, and immediately the foremost topic was the update of the ICP-2 document, governing Regional Internet Registry (RIR) creation and operation.
BTW Media attended the session, and was present to see and hear the feedback members had for the workforce team.
While all who spoke praised the team for their work and efforts – “Thank you for taking on this huge important task – it’s not something I would have volunteered for,” said one audience member – significant criticism was also levelled at the state of the document.
Randy Bush, an icon of the early internet and among the inaugural inductees into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012, was the first to stand up to name several areas he thinks the document falls short. “There’s a lot of loose language, and where are the goals? There are no goals on page one, so how do we know what we’re aiming for?” he said
Another area of contention was the need to have unanimity of voting to register or deregister an RIR. As one member pointed out, this leaves an easy loophole that could be exploited, and so several comments recommended the ability to move to majority votes if needed.
Daniel Karrenberg, RIPE’s first employee and a pioneer of the European internet, also voiced concerns. “This document is not ready. There are various places where the language could be misused and abused. I’m getting really worried.”
Hervé Clement, Constanze Buerger and Andrei Robachevsky, the team managing the document update and feedback, were at pains to explain that this document was intended to provide high-level principles, and not detailed operational prescriptions. But the vibe in the room was definitely one of concern, as well as a mounting sense of urgency that significant improvements were needed.
On its website, the Number Resourse Organisation says: “The RIR communities are now invited to share their input on the draft “RIR Governance Document” via regional mailing lists until Tuesday, 27 May 2025. The NRO NC will also share updates and information at various online sessions and upcoming meetings. An ICANN Public Comment proceeding will take place during the same period.”
Other highlights
In other sessions, participants learned about the RIPE NCC and the significance of RIPE Meetings. Following this, an informal Newcomers’ Lunch allowed first-time attendees to engage with RIPE Working Group Chairs and community members, enhancing networking opportunities. This welcoming approach set the tone for an inclusive and collaborative event.
Also Read: RIPE NCC launches transparency portal for member accountability
Also Read: RIPE 90: Lisbon hosts global internet infrastructure dialogue
Why it is important
The significance of the ICP-2 document update cannot be overstated. Having been created in June 2001, all agree that a major overhaul is required, not least because of what has been happening in the African RIR, AFRINIC, where corruption, inefficiency and other operational issues mean the CEO and board has been disbanded.
Read more: AFRINIC elections set, voters urged to ‘Reclaim Your Power’
And the fact that so many important and influential people still have major concerns about the quality of the document so far suggests it could be some time yet before any real changes are made and seen.
Karrenberg perhaps had the most solid advice of the BOF, when he said: “Don’t think that just because you have a deadline it is god-given”. The suggestion being that if this takes longer than a few more weeks to fix, let’s take that time and do it right.
