[WSIS CS-Plenary] FW: GAID Kuala Lumpur and open consultation in Geneva

Mon Jun 2 12:29:15 BST 2008

Dear all,

Sorry for the delay due to too much overlap of meetings, but please find
here some notes on the GAID Kuala Lumpur meetings as well as on the Geneva
Open Consultation.

Kuala Lumpur

‘The UNDESA GAID Annual Meeting, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 18 – 20
May, 2008 aimed to bring together partners to help implement a number of ICT
projects of significant, catalysing impact. The Strategy Council and the
Steering Committee met in Kuala Lumpur to chart the next steps on the path
to reaching GAID’s objectives, and discussed the ways in which they could
contribute to the successful implementation of the GAID Business Plan’. This
is what we read on the UN-GAID website www.un-gaid.org
<http://www.un-gaid.org/>   (and due to technical difficulties still the
only accessible message – I, for one, cannot open other headlines). 

The KL meetings were held in conjunction with the 16th World Congress on
Information Technology (WCIT 2008, www.wcit2008.org/ , one of the largest
ever) and attracted therefore to the GAID meetings an impressive number of
delegates, (some 150[1]) who could freely interact with the WCIT 08 and/or
create new business or partnership models. It also allowed GAID to be
generously hosted by the Malaysian Government.

Strategy Council Morning, 18 May, 9:00-13:00

The Council was opened by the Malaysian Minister Maximus Ongkili, USG Sha
Zukang, Intel Chef Craig Barret and ITU SG Dr Touré all expressing strong
commitments to the catalyzing role of GAID, its achievements so far, but
also emphasizing the need to assess, take stock and where to go from here.

This was followed by country presentations from Ministers of Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan, Jordan, Ghana, Quatar and of course Malaysia allowing their
showcasing (or lack of) of positive ICT developments. Interesting in this
respect the contrasting tales of Ghana and Malaysia (same year independence,
1975, from British colonialism, start with same GDP, today wide gap in
earning power, mainly because of political instabilities in the African
context, not such an enabling environment)

Some other initiatives were presented, -notably the World Summit Award,
motivating young people to use ICT for MDG issues-,  before returning to the
discussion of the vision and future of UNDESA-GAID. Some countries, Finland
and Switzerland, stressed the need for more focus and for doing less with
more coherence. WHO wanted more profile, more multi-stakeholder and multi-
sectoral support for health centres. I asked for better communication,
transparency and flow and linkages between events and their outcomesI then
read the sign-on statement which I had distributed to some key participants,
(attached)

Response was positive, particular from Sha Zukang  and Sarbuland who had
asked for feedback after GAID two years in existence. But there was not
enough time for in-depth discussion. Sarbuland sees GAID as Intersection
between follow up to the 2005 NY Summit and the Tunis Summit, to help speed
up the attainment of the MDGs. GAID’s convening power, branding, sharing and
scaling up of good practices were noted as positives.

Questions turned more to the role than the tiers structure of GAID and to
more focus and less duplication. This was repeatedly stressed. The
Syracuse/Mathiason evaluation was mentioned and some of its critical
recommendations endorsed. Some of the developing countries asked for more
concrete steps to meet rural area needs (Madagaskar e.g. 80% rural) Al
Shatty from Kuwait asked for more support for regional networks. Craig
Barrett closed the morning with: “Small deeds done are better than great
deeds planned”. 

Strategy Council Afternoon, 18 May 14:00-16:00

The afternoon session heard more than seven presentations of new
initiatives, including on Indigenous Peoples’ Appropriating Knowledge
Society (IPAKS) and Wireless for Development (W4D), IT4All Network of Local
Authorities, e-Leaders of Youth for ICT and Development, Adopt A Village and
GAID Advisory Service Initiative and others. Papers on these initiatives
were circulated too shortly before the meeting, and there was not much time
to discuss any of them, less so giving recommendations to the Steering
Committee to guide them in decisions A background note for Vision for the
Future of UNDESA-GAID with relevant questions had also been circulated 

Steering Committee, 18 May, 16:00-18:30

The Steering Committee heard more introductory statements from Craig
Barrett, Sha Zukang and Dr. Touré, the latter this time quite strongly
pointing to ITU’s leading role in some of the recorded GAID ‘initiatives’.
Craig pointed out, so much goes on ‘out there’ anyway that GAID with its
limited capacities in human and financial resources can only concentrate on
basics. I heard a little bit: Let the markets do
 and pointed to GAIDs role
to focusing on those most in need.. But we all consented in the end to
concentrate on four basic areas, in which added value with better
coordination would be brought forward. We need also more space for policy
discussion and open consultations.

We were then video linked with Professor John Mathiason, Syracuse
University, who presented his evaluation report. For the discussion,
unfortunately, the link was interrupted. A thank was given to the effort and
some of its recommendations but the question was raised: why did we have
this external evaluation instead of a peer review?  The evaluation screened
the 15 GAID meetings and events, but did not evaluate GAID vis-à-vis its own
set Principles.

Sarbuland pointed to the agreement of the Steering Committee to the Syracuse
procedure and that this evaluation was any way the first step in an
evaluation process. He also invited to the upcoming open Consultation in
Geneva.

The Steering Committee concluded in reiterating the four basic principles:
access, connectivity, content and (ICT) education and to approach them in a
matrix manner through policy discussion, advocacy and good practices.
Further discussion and decisions on the new initiatives are to be taken
on-line and at a later date. The atmosphere in the Steering Committee was
for the first time less ceremonial – although sometimes heated- more open,
interactive, and collegial.  

GAID Global Forum (19-20 May) on Access and Connectivity and Innovative
Funding For ICT For Development for Asia Pacific Developing Countries and
Small Island States.  I will leave to Colleagues and the Secretariat the
reporting on this Global Forum. I only want to note the strong and effective
presence of the Youth Committee, and the very laudable methodology
throughout the Global Forum of the Roundtable/Panel discussions: Speakers
(never too many) responding to good moderators and enough time for
interaction with the audience. Personally I appreciated the experience to
meet with great business/social entrepreneurs.

Geneva Open Consultations: 27 May 2008

Following online discussions for a GAID Open Consultation and my suggestion
to Sarbuland to hold such a meeting in conjunction with the Geneva ALFs or
CSTD, it was decided to hold the open consultation following Kuala Lumpur on
27 May, parallel to some of the CSTD meetings. Unfortunately, it coincided
with a WSIS-follow-up discussion at the CSTD and was held for the purpose of
remote participation, offered by the ITU, at the ITU premises when all other
discussions took place in the Palais des Nations, thus limiting
participation. Nevertheless, some 20-25 stakeholders from all categories
attended the meeting. One of the criticisms therefore related to overlap of
meetings, (this also with regard to the KL meetings) and lack of good
planning with regard to the Geneva May clusters.

However, the free and open space which was provided through this
consultation which allowed putting all concerns on the table, will hopefully
chart a new and inclusive way forward. For more info turn to the webcast
http://www.itu.int/ibs/WSIS/200805cluster/index.html 

Thanks and best for tonight,

Renate Bloem

  _____  

  _____  

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[1] Steering Committee=17; Strategy Council= 25 Governments, 6 Private
Sector, 10 Civil Society, 11 IGOs, 

High-level Advisors = 13, Champions = 5; Other participants = 57

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