[WSIS CS-Plenary] Process Note on Meetings Today

[Rik Panganiban]

PROCESS NOTE ON PREPCOM III MEETINGS
September 23, 2003

By Rik Panganiban
Reports Coordinator, Prepcom.net
Representative, World Federalist Movement


Governments have moved into a very complicated phase of the 
negotiations, with parallel ad hoc groups, late night working group 
meetings, and regional consultations taking place all over the CICG, 
CCV and the ITU buildings.  It's enough to make any NGO or small 
government delegation dizzy.

Below is my understanding of the work schedule for the day:

8-9am   	ad hoc groups on Action Plan
9-10am   	regional consultations

11am-1pm 	Declaration Working Group

1-2pm   	ad hoc groups on Action Plan
2-3pm   	ad hoc groups on Action Plan
3-4pm   	regional consultations

4-6pm    		Declaration Working Group

6-8pm    	ad hoc groups on Action Plan
7-8pm   	regional consultations

8-10pm  		Declaration Working Group

Basically, there is a "working group of the whole" chaired by Ms. 
Lindall Shope-Mafole that is going through the Draft Declaration on a 
line-by-line, paragraph-by-paragraph basis.  As of this writing, they 
were on the contentious paragraph 19 of the declaration of principles.  
As you can see, they are meeting three times a day, in the morning, 
afternoon and evening.  This meeting is open to observers.

Meanwhile, the Finnish chair of the Sub-Committee Two is leading the 
re-drafting of the Action Plan.  Areas needing special attention in the 
Action Plan are being dealt with by nine ad hoc "small groups" 
including the following:

(existing ad hoc groups on Declaration now responsible for the Action 
Plan as well)
- Internet Security- Chaired by Italy (EU)
- Enabling Environment – Chaired by Brazil
- Cultural Identity, Linguistic Diversity, Local content – Chaired by 
Argentina
- Media, Ethical Dimension- Chaired by Switzerland
- Financing – Chaired by Sweden

(newer ad hoc groups)
- infrastructure – Chaired by Saudi Arabia
- Access to information – Chaired by Kenya
- Capacity building- Chaired by Costa Rica
- ICT Applications – Chaired by Egypt

These meetings are closed to observers, except for a narrow window for 
interventions at the beginning of their meetings, and for a report at 
the end.

In addition there are regional consultations taking place during three 
slots during the day.  Presumably these are closed meetings.

For up-to-the-minute information, please see the announcement screens 
on the main floor of the CICG.  I hope this is somewhat helpful.

[Please send corrections and additions to this to Rik Panganiban, 
rik.panganiban at ngocongo.org]


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Rik Panganiban
Reports Coordinator

Civil Society News Centre for the WSIS
web: 	http://www.prepcom.net/wsis
email: 	rik.panganiban at ngocongo.org
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