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

Mon Jun 2 16:16:06 BST 2008

Thanks so much, Renate!

I believe it will be very helpful if we at GAID also start using some
technology for global meetings that do not require all of us to travel to a
place. Of course, it will be great to travel to beautiful places like KL or
Geneva and may be some can there and others can participate through the web.
The World Bank has been doing that for a few years and has become rather
good at it. It will be very valuable a learning experience and may get much
greater participation and make the whole process a bit more productive.

May be if some of us bring it up to Sarbuland, he may decide to explore its
feasibility as well.

thanks much.
Satish Jha

On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 7:29 AM, Renate Bloem <rbloem at ngocongo.org> wrote:

>  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  (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]<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=js&name=js&ver=UkytpOlGPC0&am=T_k4pYT8dUVV#11a49b652292fcd7__ftn1>)
> 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
> Societ*y (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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>  ------------------------------
>
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>  ------------------------------
>
> ------------------------------
>
> [1]<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=js&name=js&ver=UkytpOlGPC0&am=T_k4pYT8dUVV#11a49b652292fcd7__ftnref1>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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> discuss at un-gaid.org
> http://www.un-gaid.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>
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