[WSIS CS-Plenary] UPDATE: Declaration and Action Plan

[karen banks]

dear all,

Let me see if I can explain the current process regards the Action Plan as 
explained to us by one of the 'Adhoc Friend of the Chair working group' at 
8pm sep 24th.

** KEY POINTS **
- inputs to the action plan through working groups is now closed
- the CS group working on the intro (A,B,C) did manage to make an 
intervention tonight to the adhoc group
- the document governments worked on is one which very few of us have seen 
(and will only be reproduced tonight at 11pm)
- the adhoc working group may still take **written** contributions, but we 
don't know how or via what mechanism
- all focal points should consult with those who have contributed content 
and prepare a 1min 20sec intervention for tomorrow, in reaction to the 
action plan (possibly 10AM but unconfirmed) - when plenary will go through 
the action plan section by section
- i suggest that this be the first agenda item at tomorrow's CS plenary

** more details **

(1) The group was mandated to work through the Action Plan, building 
concensus around the paragraphs for which there were **no separate working 
groups**.  It should be noted, that the group worked with a version of the 
Action plan which few from Civil Society have seen - version 
WSIS03/PC-3/DT-2, which will be available, i believe at 11pm tonight.

(2) The group worked through the document and agreed several sections, 
meaning, that there was concensus amongst the adhoc group members.

They were:

A. Introduction (new paras 1,2,3,6a)
B. Objectives, goals and targets (new paras 7,8,10)
C. Action Lines
C1. The role of stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development (new 
para 14)
C11. International and regional cooperation (para 24)

(3) The adhoc group is now working through sections C2 (para 15), C3 (para 
16), C4 (para 17), C5 (para 18), C6 (para 19), C7 (para 20), C8 (para 21), 
C9 (para 22), C10 (para 23) and Section D (paras 25/26)
incorporating inputs from the working groups.

I don't know whether they aim to build concensus on those sections tonight, 
or simply present the action plan with incoporated comments in plenary 
tomorrow.

(4) The working groups have now finished their work. This means that the 
mechanism we discussed (whereby CS focal points could liaise/interact with 
the chairs of the government working groups) is no longer a means of input.

(5) The CS group working on the Introduction etc (sections A, B and C1) did 
have an opportunity to present recommendations to the adhoc working group. 
The one page document was distributed amongst the WG members.

I'm sure this is incredibly frustrating for those of you who have been 
working to generate content, in reaction to a document that is no longer 
being negotiated, and that we have had no time to organise and participate 
effectively in the negotiation of the Action Plan.

Next steps
----------
- as above - we should discuss this in plenary tomorrow morning and try to 
get further clarification on input
- the focal points (or others in their group) should prepare a statement in 
readiness for plenary
- i would suggest that the first intervention be a response to this situation.

I believe the action plan will be discussed first, followed by the 
declaration.. so the group working on the response to the new draft of the 
declaration should keep working on that also..

karen