<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City" downloadurl="http://www.5iamas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place" downloadurl="http://www.5iantlavalamp.com/"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName" downloadurl="http://www.microsoft.com"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
@page Section1
{size:595.3pt 841.9pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear all,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>At the conclusion of the Panel on “<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Promoting the building of a people-centred,
development-oriented and inclusive information society, with a view to
enhancing digital opportunities for all people</span></b>” held at UNESCO
in Paris from 6-8 November, I would like to share a few thoughts on the process
and outcome. For more details on the agenda and programme see<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=12233&year=2006&month=11"
title="http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=12233&year=2006&month=11"><span
lang=EN-GB>http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=12233&year=2006&month=11</span></a></span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The objective of this Intercessional Panel was to discuss, prepare
and make recommendations to the next session of the CSTD to be held in May 2007
under the same theme and in view of its new mandate of <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>system-wide</span></b> follow up of WSIS. In addition,
the panel also allocated space to continued discussion on the traditional role
of the Commission and proposed and created in this context a WG on <st1:place
w:st="on">Africa</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>As mentioned by Philippe before, as <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region> we had
invested quite some effort to make this Panel as inclusive as possible for all
stake-holders. Unfortunately, ECOSOC has not yet endorsed the list of CS WSIS
accredited entities, and will do so only – as we heard now – in its
resumed session at the beginning of 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>However, the UNCTAD Secretariat had invited as resource,
experts or other a few CS participants, including Parminder Singh and Delphine
Nana, in addition to ECOSOC NGOs. The good news is that as CS we could fully
participate in the discussion, not only in giving presentations, but on an
equal footing with governments and UN Officials in the debate. The PS gave a
good presentation during the Opening. There was indeed a very open spirit of
welcome towards all actors. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Parminder and myself were invited to participate in a small drafting
group to hammer out some of the proposals emanating from the discussion. They
are attached unedited.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Ambassador Karklins in his introductory statement and later <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Chile</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Brazil</st1:place></st1:country-region>, very engaged, made it clear
that this Commission is a follow up Commission, distinct from implementing
mechanisms. But to do its job, it will receive information from all WSIS implemenation
mechanisms, including from the ALFs, IGF, Global Allaince, Regional Commissions
and any other actor, in order to assess and make policy recommendations to
ECOSOC.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region>
statement I had asked for a trust fund for NGO participation. We were pleased
to hear from <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Charles Geiger</st1:PersonName> that <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:place></st1:country-region> has
already contributed and ask other governments to follow. More detailed
information will follow.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Best for today<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Renate<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>----------------------------------------------------------------------
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Renate Bloem</span></font></st1:PersonName><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>President
of the Conference of NGOs (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region>)<br>
11, Avenue de la Paix<br>
CH-1202 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Geneva</st1:place></st1:City><br>
Tel: +41 22 301 1000<br>
Fax: +41 22 301 2000<br>
E-mil: </span></font><a href="mailto:rbloem@ngocongo.org"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>rbloem@ngocongo.org</span></font></a><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
Website: </span></font><a href="http://www.ngocongo.org"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>www.ngocongo.org</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>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, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region>'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 </span></font><a href="http://www.ngocongo.org"><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>www.ngocongo.org</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>