[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: Informal notes on WSIS Briefing July 24 in Washington DC

[Meryem Marzouki]

FYI. These notes are from Manon Ress, representative of CPTech to the 
Human Rights Caucus. Meryem/

Début du message réexpédié :

> De: Manon Anne Ress <manon.ress at cptech.org>
> Date: Ven 25 juil 2003  19:09:37 Europe/Paris
> À: ecommerce <ecommerce at lists.essential.org>, Meryem Marzouki 
> <marzouki at ras.eu.org>
> Objet: Informal notes on WSIS Briefing July 24 in Washington DC
>
> Dear colleagues,
> These are my informal notes taken at the WSIS briefing yesterday.
>
> To summarize:  the meeting at the National Academy of Sciences 
> Building was chaired by Ambassador Gross who introduced the speakers, 
> Mr. Adama Samassekou, the President of PrepCom, and 3 Swiss 
> representatives. Maybe 30 people attended, mostly industry people.
>
> The speakers shared their “vision” of what the World Summit on the 
> Information Society (the Summit) was about and stressed the importance 
> of having “all stakeholders” included in the “dialogue”.  The 
> importance or success of the Summit will be measured by how many head 
> of States attend and the “implementation of ideas”.
>
> Paul Uhlir, (NAS) the host, asked about the issue of recognition of 
> the role of science, and specifically public science in the 
> Declaration.
>
> Dana Bullen (World Press Freedom Committee) asked why there was no 
> clear statement in the current draft about freedom of the Press, "a 
> major problem."
>
> Manon
>
> Contact info for speakers:
> Paul Uhlir" <PUhlir at nas.edu>
> Dana Bullen Ph. 703 715 9811
> Adama Samassekou
> +41 22 730 6360
> adama.samassekou at ties.itu.int
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Informal notes: On July 24, 2003, I attended the WSIS briefing given 
> by Mr. Adama Samassekou, Chair of the Prep Committee and by 
> representatives of the Swiss Government at the National Academy of 
> Sciences.  The meeting was short and sweet, (only 1 hour) because the 
> speakers (who had had breakfast with US private sector) were on their 
> way to the White House.  Today they have a few other meetings (not 
> open to the public) organized by associations etc.
>
> Ambassador Gross introduced Adama Samassekou, President of PrepCom, 
> Former Minister of Education (of Mali I think) and 3 other speakers  
> who were representatives from Switzerland.
>
> Mr. Samassekou praised the organizers of the briefing because he wants 
> “all the stakeholders to be on board.”  He talked about the issues 
> we’re facing such as “disease, poverty, hunger” and highlighted that 
> we have the means to end these terrible problems.  “The WSIS is not”, 
> he said, a “new UN Conference”, is not a “Summit on new technologies” 
> it is an “historical opportunity for what could be called a 
> shared-knowledge society that would allow all citizens to use ICTs.”
>
> Mr. Samassekou repeated figures he likes to mention “91% of users are 
> from the North where only 19% of the population lives”.  A “digital 
> revolution” is the first issue of this Summit and the second issue is 
> “why the poor are getting poorer and the rich richer.”
> The development goals are a way to improve the Summit in the time 
> frame (2005).  The third issue is how to let the “majority use 
> Internet to develop identity, culture etc.”  He also asks “how to make 
> them real actors in democracy building in their countries and how to 
> share knowledge in the Internet.”
>
> For Mr. Samassekou, in order to be successful, the Summit must, by 
> 2005, change "attitudes and mentalities" with all stakeholders working 
> together.
>
> The following speakers shared the “same vision” but highlighted the 
> task of “doing a good Summit in Switzerland”.    Mr. F.(?) explained 
> why this Summit is not “just a lot of talk” and that what is needed is 
> a new kind of Summit.  For him the subject (Information Society) is 
> new, as well as the architecture, the openness and the tripartite 
> aspect.  His measure of success depends on the participation of heads 
> of States, the quality of the dialogue and sustainability in 2d phase 
> [Tunis] that will be based on “principles and action plans done in 
> Geneva”
>
> The next speaker explained what ICT4D is about:  “a platform 
> showcasing about 200 to 300 Projects implemented in some 50 countries 
> within the framework of development aid”  The Palexpo is already 80% 
> booked and invited people to participate.
>
> Paul Uhlir made a statement urging for more clarity regarding the 
> “role for the Science community”, mentioned the instrumental role of 
> public science  for ex. satellites, internet, search engine, all 
> developed in the public sector and commercialized by the private 
> sector in the last decades.  He described briefly the work the 
> National Academies of Sciences with other international organization 
> such as UNESCO.  While there has been recognition of the role of 
> sciences in Paris, Mr. Uhlir hopes that there will be “linkage in the 
> Summit and implementation”.
>
> Dana Bullen (World Press Freedom Committee) stated that his 
> organization is still “concerned that the text fails to provide clear 
> language regarding freedom of the Press”.
> If this is an oversight, he said, it should be corrected quickly, if 
> not “we have a major problem”.
>
> Ellen Shaw (sp?) US Chamber of Commerce and ICC referred to an earlier 
> conversation with the speakers (“As I was saying this morning...”) and 
> repeated that the focus should be “on creating a competitive 
> environment for business to invest with firm commitment by leaders”.  
> She was pleased that “high level businesses were encouraged to 
> participate”.
>
> Regarding the comments by the World Press Freedom, the Swiss 
> Representative stated that this is “controversial” and “in bracket”, 
> “we’ll do it” he said “but in a proper way, we have to be sensitive to 
> culture, for example having pornographic materials on satellites is a 
> problem in Arab countries.”
>
> For Mr. Samassekou, thanking Mr. Bullen, it’s all about “a better 
> society, poverty is caused also by ignorance, building knowledge is 
> fighting poverty.”  He stated that in Mali any citizen can develop a 
> newspaper...and that this matter needs to be address within the 
> process even if controversial.
>
> David Gross asked if Microsoft wanted to add anything and mentioned 
> the upcoming “interactive breakfast” for industries and the speakers.
>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Manon Anne Ress
> Consumer Project on Technology
> www.cptech.org
> PO Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
> manon.ress at cptech.org, voice: 1.202.387.8030, fax: 1.202.234.5176
>
>