[WSIS CS-Plenary] Statement on financing

[peyer at bfa-ppp.ch]

Hello,

Here a statement which was done end of last week on financing. And also an input
sent to the governement burreau on friday as an input to the chapter 2 on
financing (done in a word to word fashion)
Sorry for the delay in sending
Chantal Peyer

________________________________________________________________________

Statement read by Anita Gurumurthy on financing the information by the
Association for Progressive Communications,‭ ‬Bread for All,‭ ‬CRIS,‭ ‬Instituto
del Tercer Mundo‭ (‬ITeM‭)‬,‭ ‬IT for Change,‭ ‬and the gender , caucus17‭
‬February‭ ‬2005


We believe that the TFFM was not adequately representative of civil society in
its composition,‭ ‬nor sufficiently consultative in its process.‭ ‬Civil society
needs a larger role in the ongoing deliberations on developing the WSIS position
on financing.

Principles

We believe that the following principles need to form the basis of any
discussion on financing the information society.

1.‭  ‬Information and communications and networks are a global public good
‭ ‬We believe that financing the information society should be based on the
principle that information and communication is a global public good.‭ ‬This is
particularly true for the‭ ‬extension of network infrastructure in developing
countries and to all excluded populations everywhere.‭ ‬The value of global
information networks increase as more national networks and individual users are
added.

2.‭  ‬Centrality of the role of public finance
We recognise that private investment is an unique opportunity on a scale that in
many ways is unique to ICD‭ (‬Information and Communications for
Development‭)‬.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬private investment cannot displace the central role
of public finance in a core development area like ICD.

While encouraging the role of private investment in meeting the goals of ICD,‭
‬the limits of the market in reaching these goals must be recognised.

Public resources need to be mobilised at local,‭ ‬national and international levels.

3.‭  ‬The role of community driven and owned initiatives‭ 
The potential of community driven and owned ICD initiatives to contribute to
sustainable development and social empowerment,‭ ‬especially women’s
empowerment,‭ ‬should be explored and integrated into financing strategies.

Recommendations

1.‭  ‬We urge that a commitment to the central role of public resources in
implementing the Geneva Plan of Action be included in section‭ ‬11‭ ‬of the
Political Chapeau,‭ ‬referring to resource mobilisation.‭ 

This commitment should also find concrete expression in all sections,‭ ‬of the
operational part,‭ ‬especially in chapter‭ ‬2‭ ‬concerning financial mechanisms.

2.‭  ‬A specific reference to regional backbone infrastructure in Africa should
be added to point c‭) ‬under paragraph‭ ‬22‭ ‬of the Operational Document.

3.‭  ‬Three proposals from conclusion‭ ‬3‭ ‬of the TFFM report should be noted
in section‭ ‬24..‭ ‬These relate to:

- The‭ “‬Establishment of a‭ ‘‬virtual‭’ ‬financing facility to leverage
multiple sources in support of identified investment objectives in key locations‭”
- ‬The‭ “‬Creation of a mechanism for coordinating research and analysis into
enabling policy environments‭”‬,‭ ‬and,
- The‭ “‬Development of a‭ ‘‬rapid response‭ ‘ ‬policy and regulatory support
mechanism to intervene in support of short-terms ICT policy sector initiatives‭”

Based on these proposals we recommend the formation of a Global ICD Policy and
Financing Facility to:

- assist developing countries utilise existing financial mechanisms for ICD more
effectively
- provide policy information,‭ ‬advice and capacity building to developing
countries without conditionality
- explore new financial mechanisms to support ICD‭; ‬mechanisms that avoid
diversion of existing funds‭ (‬e.g.‭ ‬ODA‭)‬.‭ ‬Such mechanisms could consist of
a global tax,‭ ‬voluntary or compulsory,‭ ‬and contributions from commercial
internet domain name holders‭ 

Such a facility should be established and operated on a multi-stakeholder basis.

We commit to working in active partnership with all other stakeholders in
overcoming the challenges of financing an equitable information society.

3.‭  ‬Regarding the DSF we propose that the DSF be endorsed as a targeted fund
supporting ICD in cities and towns

It should be:
- governed and operated on a multi-stakeholder basis
- located in Africa
- focus its objectives and the scope of initiatives that is supports
- adopt the principles of free and open source software,‭ ‬open standards and
open access
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