[WSIS CS-Plenary] [governance] ECOSOC considered CSTD Report and adopted draft CSTD resolution on WSIS follow-up

[jsarr at refer.sn]

Bonjour Philippe,

Je te félicite pour le travail que tu as fait à CONGO et qui nous a  
beaucoup profité à tous. Merci donc et bonne chance pour ton nouveau  
poste. Je suis sûr que ta valeur y sera bien vite reconnue.
Salutations amicales.

Joseph SARR
Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
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Quoting CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam <wsis at ngocongo.org>:

> Dear all,
>
>
>
> This is to inform you about the consideration by ECOSOC of the report of the
> recent 11th session of the Commission on Science and Technology for
> Development and the rubber stamping of the CSTD Resolution and its 4
> Decisions including those concerning civil society and academic institution
> participation (see my previous posts on 2 and 6 June 2008).
>
>
>
> See also ECOSOC Press Release:
> http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/ecosoc6365.doc.htm on 18 July 2008.
>
>
>
> "Under its item on science and technology for development, the Council
> adopted, without a vote, one draft resolution and four draft decisions
> contained in the report on the eleventh session of the Commission on Science
> and Technology for Development (document E/2008/31).
>
>
>
> By the resolution, on assessment of the progress made in the implementation
> of, and follow-up to, the outcomes of the two-phase World Summit on the
> Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva December 2003, and in Tunis in
> November 2005, the Council noted that, while in general the digital divide
> between developed and developing countries was shrinking, a new divide was
> emerging in terms of differences in quality and speed of access to
> information and communications technology.
>
>
>
> Among other things, the Council called on stakeholders to increase their
> efforts to reduce the disparity in cost of access, through, for example, the
> establishment of exchange points and the creation of a competitive
> environment, both at the network and local levels.
>
>
>
> The Council also called on stakeholders to increase efforts for funding of
> and investment in information and communication technology, to advance
> broadband access, including wireless access in areas and countries in which
> it was still limited or nonexistent.  It also called on those actors to
> continue to develop and disseminate easy-to-use applications and services
> for mobile phones and related devices, especially those that are useful in
> rural areas and work with low bandwidth and high latency.
>
>
>
> The four draft decisions were on participation of non-governmental
> organizations and civil society entities in the work of the Commission on
> Science and Technology for Development at its twelfth and thirteenth
> sessions; participation of academic entities in the work of that Commission;
> the report of the Secretary-General on science, technology and innovation to
> be submitted to the Commission at its twelfth session; and the report of the
> Commission on its eleventh session and provisional agenda and documentation
> for the twelfth session of the Commission.''
>
>
>
>
>
> I also want to take the opportunity of this message to inform you that I
> will shortly leave the CONGO Secretariat to join the Geneva office of
> another international NGO. It's been a great pleasure and a wonderful
> experience to work with you all for those past 3 years - already!! - and I'm
> sure that, as I'll remain involved in UN processes connected to human
> rights, I'll cross many of you on the occasion of your participation in some
> WSIS related meetings in Geneva! Note that CONGO will maintain its
> monitoring of post WSIS processes and support to CS participation in them.
> More news coming soon.
>
>
>
> I'll also join the CS Plenary list shortly through my personal e-mail
> address, so that we will certainly keep in touch!
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>