[WSIS CS-Plenary] CSTD -final negotiations

[Renate Bloem]

Dear all,

The current hot spot on MS-erism in the negotiations of the CSTD is not so
much about WSIS rules against ECOSOC rules, but rather about the spirit of
interpretation.
The WSIS rules and procedure as adopted in PrepCom 1 Geneva phase regarding
CS participation and contained in para 55 of those rules just say:
Rule 55
Representatives of non-governmental organizations, civil society and
business sector entities
1	Non-governmental organizations, civil society and business sector
entities accredited to participate in the Committee may designate
representatives to sit as observers at public meetings of the Preparatory
Committee and its subcommittees.
2	Upon the invitation of the presiding officer of the body concerned
and subject to the approval of that body, such observers may make oral
statements on questions in which they have special competence. If the number
of requests to speak is too large, the non-governmental organizations, civil
society and business sector entities shall be requested to form themselves
into constituencies, such constituencies to speak through spokespersons.

In comparison, the ECOSOC resolution 1996/31, guiding NGO participation in
almost all UN mechanisms is far more comprehensive, and as thousands of NGOs
can testify, has given them the most incredible part in many years of
discussion of the Commission on Human Rights, and will hopefully continue to
do so, even in an enhanced way in the new Human Rights Council.

What we as CONGO fight for is that all WSIS accredited entities will get
these same rights in the CSTD through a fast track operation (which has
happened in a similar way after the Johannesburg Conference)  putting them
on the same level as ECOSOC NGOs. And we are very near this......To make the
CSTD and ECOSOC work in WSIS follow up will be decisive to finally
mainstream WSIS in the UN system.

However as said above, what finally will make or break such effective
participation is the political will and wise leadership as we had with
Samassekou, Karklins and Masood Khan and others that made WSIS somewhat
unique.

The fight goes on..

My very best 

Renate

--------------------------------------  
Renate Bloem
President of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO)
11, Avenue de la Paix
CH-1202 Geneva
Tel: +41 22 301 1000
Fax: +41 22 301 2000
E-mail: rbloem at ngocongo.org
Website: www.ngocongo.org <http://www.ngocongo.org/> 

 

The Conference of NGOs (CONGO) is an international, membership association
that facilitates the participation of NGOs in United Nations debates and
decisions. Founded in 1948, CONGO's major objective is to ensure the
presence of NGOs in exchanges among the world's governments and United
Nations agencies on issues of global concern.  For more information see our
website at www.ngocongo.org <http://www.ngocongo.org/> 


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