[WSIS CS-Plenary] Secretary-General's approval of Global Alliance for ICT & Dev

[Rik Panganiban]

Sorry if this was sent out already.

Rik Panganiban

-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: ictpolicy-request at unicttaskforce.org
>Sent: Apr 5, 2006 12:00 PM
>Subject: ictpolicy Digest, Vol 25, Issue 1
>
>>   1.  Secretary-General's approval of the UN Global Alliance for
>      ICT and Development (Sarbuland Khan)
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 14:44:00 -0400
>From: Sarbuland Khan <khan2 at un.org>
>Subject: [ictpolicy]  Secretary-General's approval of the UN Global
>	Alliance for ICT and Development
>To: bridge at unicttaskforce.org, advisors at unicttaskforce.org,
>	startup at unicttaskforce.org, ictpolicy at unicttaskforce.org,
>	enabling at unicttaskforce.org, human at unicttaskforce.org,
>	mdgmapping at unicttaskforce.org, africa at unicttaskforce.org,
>	asia at unicttaskforce.org
>Cc: sergei kambalov <kambalov at un.org>
>Message-ID:
>	<OF7236C866.2FAA02F7-ON85257146.00664352-85257146.0066F7DD at un.org>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>I am delighted to report that we have just received formal approval for the
>launch of the Global Alliance from Secretary-General Kofi Annan.  This
>work-in-progress has been a long time in the making, and the outcome is a
>result of the tireless efforts of all who participated in consultations
>preparing the ground for this initiative.
>
>In keeping with the open approach we have employed throughout the year-long
>consultation process, we are now planning to engage all interested parties
>to develop the arrangements for running this decentralized network of
>stakeholders in information and communication technologies for development.
>I encourage you to share your views and hope that your organization will
>become involved in the work of the Alliance as it rapidly takes shape.
>
>We will be expediting steps for the formation of the Steering Committee and
>Strategy Council, the outreach campaign to potential participants, the
>development of a draft Business Plan, and the programme for the inaugural
>meeting with a view to a launch in Kuala Lumpur in the week of 19 June
>2006.
>
>We wish to spread the net as wide as possible and to solicit inputs to the
>next phase of activity. A web-based portal is being developed that will
>include background documentation and information updates so that we can
>communicate with the public. A number of upcoming meetings will provide an
>opportunity to amplify news of the Alliance’s launch, including the CEB in
>Madrid, the GIIC in Washington DC, and the ICC and OECD in Paris, as well
>as the GKP in Sri Lanka and the WSIS follow-up information week in Geneva
>in May.  We encourage you, too, to share this news with your own key
>constituents.
>
>The Global Alliance represents an opportunity for the UN system to come
>together around ICT to promote the achievement of the internationally
>agreed development goals in partnership with all other stakeholders from
>government, business and civil society. The Alliance also provides a common
>platform for the UN system and other key stakeholders to contribute to the
>follow up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) by the
>Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Science and Technology
>for Development. Its principal purpose is to mainstream and integrate ICT
>into the broader UN development agenda. Your organization’s active
>participation is critical to its success and part of all stakeholders’
>obligation to implement the outcome of the WSIS. We look forward to working
>with you to bring ICT to bear on our shared development challenges.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Sarbuland Khan
>Director
>Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination
>Department of Economic and Social Affairs
>1 UN Plaza, DC1-1428
>New York, NY 10017
>Tel: 212 963 4628
>email: khan2 at un.org
>
>