<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] ECOSOC reviewing WSIS follow up and implementation: CSTD, UNGIS, ALF, IGF, GAID</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'>Hi Philippe and Parminder,<BR>
<BR>
The concerns you have raised clearly are valid and merit rapid responses.<BR>
<BR>
With regard to enhanced cooperation, as Parminder notes, the IG caucus already agreed a letter months ago saying we’ve been told nothing and would like/expect to be consulted in keeping with the spirit of the TA. There is no need for prolonged debate over whether and how to reiterate already adopted language. Parminder and Vittorio should just draft a few sentences referencing the prior letter and saying these concerns are raised anew by the SG Report and we look forward to a response, and submit it for a quick consensus call under the charter procedure. <BR>
<BR>
With regard to broader WSIS F&I, it’s clear that GAID cannot play a channeling role to CSTD given its institutional arrangements and mandate. Absent any agreed structures for post-WSIS, it’s not obvious how these concerns could be raised other than via a letter from CONGO as facilitator for ECOSOC-related CS.<BR>
<BR>
Best,<BR>
<BR>
Bill<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
On 7/9/07 11:20 AM, "Parminder" <parminder@itforchange.net> wrote:<BR>
<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Arial"><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>This is about enhanced cooperation process and the SG’s report to the ECOSOC which will be considered later this month. The report has been forwarded by Philippe with his email below. <BR>
<BR>
></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'><B><I> Internet Governance Forum and enhanced cooperation<BR>
</I></B>>The SG Report states that WSIS “<I>requested the Secretary-General to convene the Internet Governance Forum, a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue, to >discuss, inter alia, public policy issues related to Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the >Internet. The inaugural meeting, entitled “Internet governance for development”, was held in Athens from 30 October to 2 November 2006, and the second meeting is >scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 12 to 15 November 2007. Consultations are under way to start a process towards enhanced cooperation among all >relevant stakeholders with regard to Internet governance, as requested by the Summit</I>” (§ 14 of E/2007/76).<BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000080">Civil society, and IGC on its behalf and of itself, should obviously make a comment that we are unaware of the consultation process being carried out, and not only we have never been contacted, our official correspondence to the special advisor to SG remains unanswered and un-acknowledged. We should insist that the ‘consultations underway’ should include civil society and this caucus. These consultations should involve CS especially because the documents speaks of ‘</FONT><I>towards enhanced cooperation among all >relevant stakeholders with regard to Internet governance’ </I><FONT COLOR="#000080">and obviously</FONT><I> </I><FONT COLOR="#000080">any enhanced cooperation cannot involve all stakeholders when its preparatory doesn’t involve all stakeholders. <BR>
<BR>
CONGO is ready to include such language on behalf of CS and / or IGC if we can agree on it, in its statement to the ECOSOC when this report is considered with regard to its WSIS parts on 23rd this. <BR>
<BR>
It is my personal opinion that something to the effect written by me above is the least that IGC must say at the moment…. I will like to hear the views of the other .<BR>
<BR>
Are members willing to engage with this issue at all? If so, how? <BR>
<BR>
Philippe can take in the views contributed on this list, and if there is a fair consensus these can go on IGC’s behalf. <BR>
<BR>
I must remind that the time is short.<BR>
<BR>
Parminder <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'><BR>
</SPAN></FONT><FONT COLOR="#808080"><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>________________________________________________<BR>
Parminder Jeet Singh<BR>
IT for Change, Bangalore<BR>
<I>Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities</I> <BR>
Tel: (+91-80) 2665 4134, 2653 6890<BR>
Fax: (+91-80) 4146 1055<BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT FACE="Arial"><I>www.ITforChange.net</I></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:16.0px'> <a href="http://www.itforchange.net/"><http://www.itforchange.net/></a> </SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'>
</SPAN></FONT>
<P ALIGN=CENTER>
<FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:16.0px'><HR ALIGN=CENTER SIZE="2" WIDTH="100%"></SPAN></FONT>
<P>
<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Tahoma"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'><B>From:</B> plenary-admin@wsis-cs.org [<a href="mailto:plenary-admin@wsis-cs.org]">mailto:plenary-admin@wsis-cs.org]</a> <B>On Behalf Of </B>CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam<BR>
<B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 06, 2007 11:35 PM<BR>
<B>To:</B> plenary@wsis-cs.org; bureau@wsis-cs.org; governance@lists.cpsr.org<BR>
<B>Cc:</B> rbloem@ngocongo.org; 'CONGO - Philippe Dam'<BR>
<B>Subject:</B> [WSIS CS-Plenary] ECOSOC reviewing WSIS follow up and implementation: CSTD, UNGIS, ALF, IGF, GAID<BR>
<B>Importance:</B> High<BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:16.0px'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>Dear all, <BR>
<BR>
As some of you might know, the UN ECOSOC opened its annual substantive session earlier this week. <BR>
Issues related to the follow up and implementation of WSIS will be discussed and addressed by ECOSOC later this month (according to the provisional timetable of the ECOSOC session, WSIS follow up might be tabled on 23rd and on 25th July).<BR>
<BR>
In general, the documents addressing WSIS follow up to be considered by ECOSOC will be:<BR>
-</SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14.0px'> </SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>The SG report on “integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow up to major UN conferences and summit” (E/2007/76, here attached, to be discussed on 23 July; it contains a series of paragraphs in relation to WSIS); See below for some extracts on the various post WSIS processes.<BR>
-</SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:14.0px'> </SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>The final report of the 10th session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (21-25 May 2007), including the two WSIS related decisions of the CSTD (on the flow of information for WSIS follow up, and on multi-year programme of work): see E/2007/31, hereby attached as well, to be discussed on 25 July.<BR>
<BR>
As far as we understood from diplomats here in Geneva, there might not be any additional negotiation in Geneva. It is expected that the CSDT decision will be confirmed by ECOSOC. We will anyway monitor the on going process and keep you posted – and hopefully engaged. <BR>
<BR>
CONGO would be willing to address the ECOSOC on these various issues, under the two segments that might be available in this regard. We will of course need your remarks, suggestions and feedback.<BR>
<BR>
<B><I>General note<BR>
</I></B>The SG report recognises that “<I>implementation and follow-up require a broad engagement of non-governmental stakeholders and partners</I>” (§ 12 of E/2007/76).<BR>
<BR>
<B><I>Commission on Science and Technology for Development<BR>
</I></B>The SG report seems quite restrictive in defining the involvement of CS actors in the CSTD processes. Contrary to the Tunis Agenda which requested to take into account the multi-stakeholder approach, the SG Report defines quite poorly the CSTD as an intergovernmental process “<I>with contributions from non-governmental stakeholders channelled through the multi-stakeholder Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development</I>” (§14 of E/2007/76). CONGO considers that this quotation is not reflecting paragraph 105 of the Tunis Agenda for the IS and ECOSOC Resolution 2006/46: we understand GAID is a multi-stakeholder component in CSTD and ECOSOC, but certainly not the only one, and that NGO contributions should not be channelled / screened before reaching the CSTD / ECOSOC: CONGO is therefore willing to correct that in the ECOSOC Plenary.<BR>
<BR>
<B><I>UNGIS and Action Line Facilitators process<BR>
</I></B>The SG Report only provides a factual description of the creation of the UN Group for the Information Society (“Coordination <I>among the United Nations system entities is undertaken by the United Nations Group on the Information Society, created by the Secretary-General in accordance with the request of the Summit</I>”, § 14 of E/2007/76) and of the May 2007 cluster of WSIS action line facilitation meetings.<BR>
<BR>
<B><I>Internet Governance Forum and enhanced cooperation<BR>
</I></B>The SG Report states that WSIS “<I>requested the Secretary-General to convene the Internet Governance Forum, a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue, to discuss, inter alia, public policy issues related to Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet. The inaugural meeting, entitled “Internet governance for development”, was held in Athens from 30 October to 2 November 2006, and the second meeting is scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 12 to 15 November 2007. Consultations are under way to start a process towards enhanced cooperation among all relevant stakeholders with regard to Internet governance, as requested by the Summit</I>” (§ 14 of E/2007/76).<BR>
<BR>
<B><I>Global Alliance for ICT and Development<BR>
</I></B>The SG Report includes an annexed two-page description of GAID and a synopsis of its activities. See pages 21-22 of E/2007/76.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Please send us your comments and suggestions in this regard. We will come back to you early next week with more details.<BR>
All the best, <BR>
<BR>
Philippe<BR>
<BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000080"><B>Philippe Dam<BR>
CONGO - Information Society &<BR>
Human Rights Coordinator<BR>
11, Avenue de la Paix<BR>
CH-1202 Geneva<BR>
Tel: +41 22 301 1000<BR>
Fax: +41 22 301 2000<BR>
E-mail: philippe.dam@ngocongo.org</B></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'> <a href="mailto:wphilippe.dam@ngocongo.org"><mailto:wphilippe.dam@ngocongo.org></a> <BR>
</SPAN><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'><B>Website: www.ngocongo.org</B></SPAN></FONT></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'> <blocked::<a href="http://www.ngocongo.org>">http://www.ngocongo.org></a> </SPAN><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'><B> <BR>
</B></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000"><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:16.0px'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080"><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>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, CONGO'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></FONT></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:13.0px'>www.ngocongo.org</SPAN></FONT></FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'> <blocked::<a href="http://www.ngocongo.org/>">http://www.ngocongo.org/></a> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:16.0px'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'><BR>
</SPAN></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:18.0px'><BR>
<BR>
***********************************************************<BR>
William J. Drake drake@hei.unige.ch<BR>
Director, Project on the Information<BR>
Revolution and Global Governance/PSIO<BR>
Graduate Institute for International Studies<BR>
Geneva, Switzerland<BR>
<a href="http://hei.unige.ch/psio/researchprojects/Drake.html">http://hei.unige.ch/psio/researchprojects/Drake.html</a><BR>
***********************************************************<BR>
<BR>
</SPAN></FONT>
</BODY>
</HTML>