[WSIS CS-Plenary] Clarifications on the ITU informal consultation on WSIS implimentation

[William Drake]

Hello Tracey,

The ITU Council's Working Group on WSIS has long had a meeting scheduled on
the 3rd and 4th http://www.itu.int/council/wsis/wsis_WG.html to talk about
ITU's role in WSIS.  The chair of the Council decided a couple of weeks ago
to add on an informal meeting on the day prior to hear from other
stakeholders, in part I think because ITU's been taking a lot of heat from
CS about being a closed shop (especially in WGIG).  Three key points:

First, this is not a WSIS meeting; if it was it'd have been done by the WSIS
secretariat and would have had to follow the relevant rules etc.  It's an
ITU meeting, about ITU's role in WSIS, and an informal one at that, under
the authority of the chair, which is why it hasn't appeared on the ITU's
website and calendar of events.  Second, given the genesis described above,
I wouldn't read too much into the way this was done in terms of setting
precedents on CS participation in ITU, much less in WSIS. The chair of an
ITU body can always call an informal meeting to hear what people have to say
and invite whomever she or he wants.

Third, I just spoke with the head of the SG's strategy and policy shop, and
asked who was invited and why.  He said that they'd simply pulled email
addresses of people on the CS bureau, CS people based in Geneva like myself,
and a few others they knew of.  Originally they thought they'd have a room
that seats thirty, so they were trying to keep it small.  But there's been
more demand than expected, so they've now moved it to a room that seats 100.
He told me that about sixty people are registered at present, perhaps half
of them from CS.  I expressed surprise because I'm not aware that there's 30
WSIS CS people in Geneva, and he said well there are CONGO people, some
folks from out of town, etc.  Didn't ask him to read a list.   He emphasized
that now that they have a bigger room, they can accommodate more people if
others would like to register.  I suggested they put the meeting
announcement with a registration link somewhere visible on the website, and
he said they'd get on it.  So anyone else who wants to go, maybe check the
URL above in a day or so.

I should add that it's not obvious how many ITU members will be attending,
since ITU-T is also holding a meeting that day to provide input into the
Council Working Group.  So probably attendees will be speaking mostly to the
chair and some staffers, rather than to governments and corporations.  As to
the Council WG itself, participation in that is more ambiguous.  I was told
I could attend as an individual 'expert' but not as a CS person, since CSOs
have no standing right to participate unless they are Sector Members or
Associates.  Unfortunately, I can't go to any of this, as I'm speaking at
the OECD's 2005 Forum in Paris, but if someone else wants to ask for an
'expert' invite it might work.

Hope this helps,

Bill

> -----Original Message-----
> From: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org]On
> Behalf Of Tracey Naughton
> Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 4:43 PM
> To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
> Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] re: invite to the ITU informal consultation
> on WSIS implimentation
>
>
> Hello
>
> The CSB is formulating feedback for the ITU about the forthcoming
> informal WSIS Implementation meeting. It has been convened at short
> notice and it's unlikely to have the participation of people from
> developing contexts, (which is not to negate the value of those who
> will be able to attend by virtue of being based around Geneva). It goes
> without saying that many of us would like to have input.
>
> It would appear that few people have been invited but we would like to
> get a sense of who did receive an invite as background to our feedback.
> So far we know that myself, Ralph Bendrath and Adam Peake received
> personal invitations. Ralph also posted the invite to the plenary list
> but it's the direct ones we would like to record.
>
> Please let the list know. Thanks
>
> Tracey
>
>
>
> Tracey Naughton
> NYAKA
> Communication for Development Consultant
> 201 Somerset Hall
> 239 Oxford Road
> Illovo     2196
> South Africa
>
> landline & fax:	+27 (0) 11 880 5030
> cell / mobile:	+27 (0) 82 821 1771
> email:		tracey at traceynaughton.com
> skype:		tracey_naughton
>
>
>
>