[WSIS CS-Plenary] Future role of the CSTD

Mon May 22 19:09:19 BST 2006

Dear all, 

We’ve up-dated our webpage dedicated to the WSIS follow-up ECOSOC CSTD, with
information on what happened between 15 and 19 May:
http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=pag
<http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=pag&id=10207> &id=10207.

It includes the documents Renate circulated this morning as well as a
summary of the ECOSOC consultation on the future role of the CSTD in the
WSIS follow-up (copied below).

More up-dates will follow soon on the post-Tunis process:
http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=resources
<http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=resources&id=278&start=1>
&id=278&start=1. 

Best, 

Philippe

Philippe Dam

CONGO - WSIS CS Secretariat 

11, Avenue de la Paix

CH-1202 Geneva

Tel: +41 22 301 1000

Fax: +41 22 301 2000

E-mail: wsis at ngocongo.org

Website: 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/> 

ECOSOC Consultation on the future role 

of the UN CTSD in the system-wide follow up to WSIS

16 May 2006

Please also refer to the substantial oral statement provided by the
Conference of NGOs (Renate Bloem): full text available HERE
<http://www.ngocongo.org/files/statement_to_the_ecosoc_consultation_16_may_v
_3.doc> .

Introductory remarks

HE Ambassador Ali Hachani stressed the intergovernmental character of the
process leading to the review of the mandate, agenda and composition of the
CSTD. The purpose of this second consultation is to hear the views of the
CSTD and its members in Geneva, civil society and the private sector. Dr.
Supachai Panitchpakdi, UNCTAD SG, raised the issues he would like to see
addressed at this stage of the discussion: 1. How the CSTD could contribute
to the WSIS follow-up while continuing to implement its mandate in the
context of the UN World Summit? 2. How the multi-stakeholder approach can be
applied to the functioning of the CSTD? He also presented an outline of his
vision of the follow up to WSIS as a review process of the implementation of
the WSIS commitments where ECOSOC would be in charge of overseeing the WSIS
follow-up. Recalling the experience of the CSTD in working on ICT, he
stressed the role the Commission could play in providing high level advice
to ECOSOC and the UN GA and means for policy guidance, promotion of dialogue
and partnership. Mr. Yoshio Utsumi, ITU SG, while stressing the development
oriented approach of the Geneva and Tunis outcomes, underlined the strict
distinction between implementation and follow-up process, as well as between
the intergovernmental, multi-stakeholder and inter-agency processes. He
stressed that follow-up activities would only be possible after looking at
the effect of implementation. ECOSOC would provide support to the UN
agencies having difficulties to implement action lines, while in no way
duplicating the implementation activities. ECOSOC should be flexible enough
to adapt in a changing environment and the WSIS follow-up should be
integrated into the follow-up of the other UN summit towards the achievement
of the MDGs. The rules of the UN CSTD should be further studied and revised
to allow for a multi-stakeholder dimension and to engage civil society and
the private sector. Patrizio Civili, from UN DESA, stressed that follow-up
and implementation are distinct but interrelated processes. The Global
Alliance for ICT and Development could serve as the multi-stakeholder
component of the follow-up WSIS, providing autonomous advice to the UN SG,
and full contribution and support to intergovernmental bodies such as ECOSOC
and the CSTD.

Mandate

Pakistan (G77 and China) emphasized the new mandate of the CSTD would
include both the outcomes of the UN World Summit in September 2005 (§60) and
of the WSIS (§105 of the Tunis Agenda). The review process should include
the following elements: mainstreaming the follow-up dimension in all ECOSOC
activities; review progress at the national, regional and international
levels; policy recommendations for guidance and future action; promoting
dialogue and partnerships with all stakeholders within established practices
of ECOSOC.

Chili (GRULAC) stressed the CSTD should be in a position to examine the
implementation progress of the Geneva and Tunis at the national, regional
and international levels and to provide recommendations to ECOSOC and
through it to the different UN agencies. It should become a place for
dialogue for all stakeholders, in particular on cooperation for development.

Egypt added the mandate should rely on three elements: the initial mandate
as revised, the outcome of the UN World Summit and the WSIS outcomes. China
and later on Marocco underlined that ICT was only one of the areas of
science and technology. For Austria, the CSTD could be considered as a think
tank for ECOSOC and other UN organisations, with specific ways of work and
the participation of experts such as Nobel Prize laureates. The approach to
IS related issues gave the CSTD sound legitimacy to perform the WSIS
follow-up. Tunisia proposed a close collaboration with the UN GIS and with
the WSIS action lines facilitators. Indonesia emphasized the value of the
policy session and also underlined that the CSTD should interact with
relevant initiative in a bottom up approach, with the view to share ICT4D
best practices. Thailand added that the review process of action lines
implementation should lead towards recommendations for policy guidance,
while the agenda should focus on capacity building and transfer of
technologies. Malaysia stressed the CSTD should contribute to reduce the
technology gap, while creating knowledge and encouraging innovation. 

The USA underlined the follow-up activities should be in line with the
context of the overall UN reform, within existing approved resources. The
CSTD should focus on follow-up activities only, taking into account IS and
science and technology elements beyond WSIS, while implementation would be
processed by each agency. The mandate should therefore not be completely
changed.

ESCWA stressed the new CSTD mandate should contribute to develop new
multi-stakeholder commitments for public private partnerships and exchange
of best practices to facilitate project implementation. The CSTD should also
look at regional specific efforts. The Gender Advisory Group emphasized that
the WSIS follow-up should better recognise the gender dimension. 

Working methods

Pakistan proposed to increase to 10 working days the annual CSTD session (4
days for Sciences and Technology, 4 days for WSIS follow-up and 2 days for
multi-stakeholder inputs), with the possibility to have two action oriented
sessions (review session and policy session). The UK also supported a longer
session to take on board the WSIS follow up activities. The USA opposed to
any extension of the yearly session. Latvia considered difficult any
extension of the yearly session and suggested the working models of other
ECOSOC commissions should be adopted. 

The EU and the CCBI supported the better use of electronic means for the
follow up to WSIS. 

Composition

Pakistan highlighted the intergovernmental nature of the CSTD, to be
considered during the on-going review process. Egypt stressed the wider
composition of the CSTD could make its geographic representation more
balanced; Brazil, Thailand, Sierra Leone and Malaysia also supported a wider
membership. The USA opposed to any extension of membership. The UK also
expressed reservations on the increased membership.

Multi-stakeholder participation

Pakistan emphasised that the CTSD should deepen it tradition to work with
stakeholders and should adopt the same participation modalities of other
Commission, in particular with ECOSOC NGOs and the business community, with
a specific attention to stakeholders from developing countries. Austria
stressed that the practical activities would give the CSTD the possibility
to cooperate with experts from outside (including NGOs and business). The EU
and the UK insisted on the multi-stakeholder nature of the follow-up
process. The global Alliance should be complementary and supportive to the
ECOSOC follow-up process, while not creating a new UN organ, not duplicating
other activities and not increasing the UN regular budget. Switzerland said
the CSTD should open itself to all stakeholders more regularly and more
intensely. Tunisia and later on the Sudan defined the multi-stakeholder
approach within the CTSD should be more inclusive with international
organisations, civil society actors and the private sector. Thailand added
the Global Alliance could be a model in terms of multi-stakeholder approach.
Latvia noted that WSIS was a precedent within the UN in terms of CS and PS
inclusion, so that the review process should keep the into the policy debate
within the CSTD. In addition to Renate
<http://www.ngocongo.org/files/statement_to_the_ecosoc_consultation_16_may_v
_3.doc>  Bloem’s statement, Francis Muguet (WTIS) proposed a resource
network for the Information Society and the organisation of a World Forum
for the Information Society, back to back with the IGF yearly meeting. He
added that there should be a multi-stakeholder coordinating body through
ECOSOC, in which the Global Alliance could be one of the elements.

The CCBI stressed the Internet is multidimensional nature of the Internet as
a tool for development, which should not be dealt only in an
intergovernmental manner, but through a multi-stakeholder approach. ECOSOC
should therefore be shaped to integrate all stakeholders in the WSIS
follow-up process. 

Next steps

Considering the ECOSOC will have to take decisions in July on a number of
elements taking into account the views of all stakeholders, Chili proposed
to establish an open ended working group in Geneva, with the inclusion of
civil society and the private sector, with the view to draft proposals for
the ECOSOC. Brazil supported the need of an open ended working group, the UK
expressed support for a small working group within ECOSOC and Switzerland
emphasized its multi-stakeholder nature. Pakistan, in a second intervention,
supported the establishment of a working group which could better look into
the issues of strengthening its mandate, composition, agenda and the nature
of stakeholders’ participation. 

The USA stressed that proposals for change should only come from member
states, which should submit their proposals by a deadline to allow ECOSOC to
duly address this issue.

To conclude, Ambassador Ali Hachani outlines he would propose and consult
the ECOSOC Bureau on the establishment of a facilitating mechanism such as a
working group. He mentioned there is an agreement that the CSTD should not
give up its original mandate and add follow up activities. He called for
Member States to bring other ideas at this stage of the process.

Notes by Alejandra Mendoza and Philippe Dam (Conference of NGOs)

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