[WSIS CS-Plenary] Report of the WSIS Action Line Facilitators (23 May) -- feedback open until 30 June

[Philippe Dam]

Dear all, 

 

The ITU just posted on line the draft report of the WSIS Action Line
Facilitators, which took place on 23 May. See the ITU draft report attached.

This document is open for feedback and comments by participants in the
meeting until 30 June 2008.

More information on this 23 May meeting is available on line:
http://www.itu.int/wsis/implementation/consultations.html 

 

For your information only, I allow myself to send you below my own informal
summary of that same meeting.

 

Best, 

 

Ph

 

 

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 

 

===========================

 

 

Summary of the WSIS Action Lines Facilitators Meeting - 23 May 2008

 

Each of the Action Line Facilitators present during the meeting provided a
short reporting on what has been done under the Action Line process, as well
as a preliminary assessment of what has worked and what has not.

 

UNDP announced its difficulties in remaining engaged at the highest level as
regards Action Line C4 on Capacity Building and called for suggestions on
whether capacity building could be better mainstreamed in the other action
lines. 

 

It was stressed that in general the Action Line process worked better in
creating partnerships and networking opportunities as well as in bringing
new issues to the attention of participants. Some action line facilitators
identified a main theme for discussion this year; such practice was
successful and could be replicated. 

 

General recommendations in the perspective of next year's cluster of
implementation meetings included among others: 

 

*         Efforts should me made in ensuring a cluster of events more
compacted in time, more interactive and participatory (i.e.: with less panel
presentations and more online work in between the yearly Action Line
facilitation meetings). 

 

*         It was stressed that under each action line there would be more
involvement of all stakeholders concerned - i.e.: not leaving the
facilitating international organisation doing everything but having a
multi-stakeholder steering committee under each action line, while noting
that this raises the issue of funding for non government stakeholders. 

 

*         It was also proposed that in the context of the preparations next
year's cluster of WSIS implementation meetings, groups of participants could
come together to organise thematic workshops. 

 

*         The objective of the ALF process should be strengthened in terms
of developing a comprehensive monitoring of the implementation trends, in
addition to helping people to get connected and to network. 

 

*         The role of Action Line facilitators and sub-themes moderators
should also be clarified and improved, including in between the annual
meetings. 

 

*         Some participants stressed the need of more coherent working
methods and harmonization of methodology. 

 

*         The idea of a common flag for the implementation meeting, such as
an Information Society Forum or a WSIS Implementation Forum, was proposed
from the floor. 

 

In conclusion, Mr. Houlin Zhao, ITU Deputy Secretary-General, who was
chairing the meeting, called for better cooperation among international
organisations facilitating the implementation process, and the higher
involvement of civil society and the private sector. He identified a
converging thinking that we have to change this format of cluster of events
and proposed to have a multi-stakeholder steering process in the planning,
formatting and organisation of the 2009 cluster of events. Mr. Zhao said
that an open consultation meeting will be prepared probably in next
September by ITU and others with the view to strengthen the
multi-stakeholder preparations of next year's cluster of events.

 

Philippe Dam (CONGO)

 

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