[WSIS CS-Plenary] ECOSOC reviewing WSIS follow up and implementation: CSTD, UNGIS, ALF, IGF, GAID

[karen banks]

hi philippe

thanks so much for this..

what do you recommend in terms of responding? I 
support parminder and jean-louis in needing to 
respond to - in particular - the question of CS 
participation in the CSTD (certainly in relation 
to WSIS followup) - i haven't had time to read or 
reflect on the other issues (enhanced cooperation, action lines etc)

do you have the time to facilitate a response 
from those of us able to put the time in?

karen

At 19:04 06/07/2007, CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam wrote:
>
>Dear all,
>
>As some of you might know, the UN ECOSOC opened 
>its annual substantive session earlier this week.
>Issues related to the follow up and 
>implementation of WSIS will be discussed and 
>addressed by ECOSOC later this month (according 
>to the provisional timetable of the ECOSOC 
>session, WSIS follow up might be tabled on 23rd and on 25th July).
>
>In general, the documents addressing WSIS follow 
>up to be considered by ECOSOC will be:
>-          The SG report on “integrated and 
>coordinated implementation of the outcomes of 
>and follow up to major UN conferences and 
>summit” (E/2007/76, here attached, to be 
>discussed on 23 July; it contains a series of 
>paragraphs in relation to WSIS); See below for 
>some extracts on the various post WSIS processes.
>-          The final report of the 10th session 
>of the Commission on Science and Technology for 
>Development (21-25 May 2007), including the two 
>WSIS related decisions of the CSTD (on the flow 
>of information for WSIS follow up, and on 
>multi-year programme of work): see E/2007/31, 
>hereby attached as well, to be discussed on 25 July.
>
>As far as we understood from diplomats here in 
>Geneva, there might not be any additional 
>negotiation in Geneva. It is expected that the 
>CSDT decision will be confirmed by ECOSOC. We 
>will anyway monitor the on going process and 
>keep you posted – and hopefully engaged.
>
>CONGO would be willing to address the ECOSOC on 
>these various issues, under the two segments 
>that might be available in this regard. We will 
>of course need your remarks, suggestions and feedback.
>
>General note
>The SG report recognises that “implementation 
>and follow-up require a broad engagement of 
>non-governmental stakeholders and partners” (§ 12 of E/2007/76).
>
>Commission on Science and Technology for Development
>The SG report seems quite restrictive in 
>defining the involvement of CS actors in the 
>CSTD processes. Contrary to the Tunis Agenda 
>which requested to take into account the 
>multi-stakeholder approach, the SG Report 
>defines quite poorly the CSTD as an 
>intergovernmental process “with contributions 
>from non-governmental stakeholders channelled 
>through the multi-stakeholder Global Alliance 
>for Information and Communication Technologies 
>and Development” (§14 of E/2007/76). CONGO 
>considers that this quotation is not reflecting 
>paragraph 105 of the Tunis Agenda for the IS and 
>ECOSOC Resolution 2006/46: we understand GAID is 
>a multi-stakeholder component in CSTD and 
>ECOSOC, but certainly not the only one, and that 
>NGO contributions should not be channelled / 
>screened before reaching the CSTD / ECOSOC: 
>CONGO is therefore willing to correct that in the ECOSOC Plenary.
>
>UNGIS and Action Line Facilitators process
>The SG Report only provides a factual 
>description of the creation of the UN Group for 
>the Information Society (“Coordination among the 
>United Nations system entities is undertaken by 
>the United Nations Group on the Information 
>Society, created by the Secretary-General in 
>accordance with the request of the Summit”, § 14 
>of E/2007/76) and of the May 2007 cluster of 
>WSIS action line facilitation meetings.
>
>Internet Governance Forum and enhanced cooperation
>The SG Report states that WSIS “requested the 
>Secretary-General to convene the Internet 
>Governance Forum, a new forum for 
>multi-stakeholder policy dialogue, to discuss, 
>inter alia, public policy issues related to 
>Internet governance in order to foster the 
>sustainability, robustness, security, stability 
>and development of the Internet. The inaugural 
>meeting, entitled “Internet governance for 
>development”, was held in Athens from 30 October 
>to 2 November 2006, and the second meeting is 
>scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 12 
>to 15 November 2007. Consultations are under way 
>to start a process towards enhanced cooperation 
>among all relevant stakeholders with regard to 
>Internet governance, as requested by the Summit” (§ 14 of E/2007/76).
>
>Global Alliance for ICT and Development
>The SG Report includes an annexed two-page 
>description of GAID and a synopsis of its 
>activities. See pages 21-22 of E/2007/76.
>
>
>
>Please send us your comments and suggestions in 
>this regard. We will come back to you early next week with more details.
>All the best,
>
>Philippe
>
>Philippe Dam
>CONGO - Information Society &
>Human Rights Coordinator
>11, Avenue de la Paix
>CH-1202 Geneva
>Tel: +41 22 301 1000
>Fax: +41 22 301 2000
>E-mail: <mailto:wphilippe.dam at ngocongo.org>philippe.dam at ngocongo.org
>Website: <blocked::http://www.ngocongo.org>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 <blocked::http://www.ngocongo.org/>www.ngocongo.org
>
>