[governance] Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] ECOSOC reviewing WSIS follow up and implementation: CSTD, UNGIS, ALF, IGF, GAID

Mon Jul 9 13:10:35 EDT 2007

This is certainly a most peculiar development especially in the context
where the leadership in the GAID was insistent on its "action" role and
that it would not be a "policy" body, as well of course, the GAID lacks
structures and resources to accomplish such a mission in any effective
manner.

As well it might be noted that there has been to my knowledge, no
discussion about this within the structure of the GAID itself--certainly
nothing beyond the two innermost circles--the Steering Committee and the
Strategy Council.

Mike Gurstein

Member GAID: High Level Panel of Advisors

-----Original Message-----
From: William Drake [mailto:drake at hei.unige.ch] 
Sent: July 9, 2007 3:46 AM
To: Plenary; Governance
Cc: Bloem, Renate; Dam, Philippe
Subject: [governance] Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] ECOSOC reviewing WSIS follow
up and implementation: CSTD, UNGIS, ALF, IGF, GAID

Hi Philippe and Parminder,

The concerns you have raised clearly are valid and merit rapid
responses.

With regard to enhanced cooperation, as Parminder notes, the IG caucus
already agreed a letter months ago saying weve 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.  

With regard to broader WSIS F&I, its clear that GAID cannot play a
channeling role to CSTD given its institutional arrangements and
mandate.  Absent any agreed structures for post-WSIS, its not obvious
how these concerns could be raised other than via a letter from CONGO as
facilitator for ECOSOC-related CS.

Best,

Bill

On 7/9/07 11:20 AM, "Parminder" <parminder at itforchange.net> wrote:

This is about enhanced cooperation process and the SGs report to the
ECOSOC which will be considered later this month. The report has been
forwarded by Philippe with his email below.  

> Internet Governance Forum and enhanced cooperation
>The SG Report states that WSIS 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 (§ 14 of E/2007/76).

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 towards enhanced
cooperation among all >relevant stakeholders with regard to Internet
governance and obviously any enhanced cooperation cannot involve all
stakeholders when its preparatory doesnt involve all stakeholders. 

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. 

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 .

Are members willing to engage with this issue at all? If so, how? 

Philippe can take in the views contributed on this list, and if there is
a fair consensus these can go on IGCs behalf. 

I must remind that the time is short.

Parminder 

________________________________________________
Parminder Jeet Singh
IT for Change, Bangalore
Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities 
Tel: (+91-80) 2665 4134, 2653 6890
Fax: (+91-80) 4146 1055
www.ITforChange.net  <http://www.itforchange.net/>
<http://www.itforchange.net/> 

  _____  

From: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org] On
Behalf Of CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 11:35 PM
To: plenary at wsis-cs.org; bureau at wsis-cs.org; governance at lists.cpsr.org
Cc: rbloem at ngocongo.org; 'CONGO - Philippe Dam'
Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] ECOSOC reviewing WSIS follow up and
implementation: CSTD, UNGIS, ALF, IGF, GAID
Importance: High

Dear all, 

As some of you might know, the UN ECOSOC opened its annual substantive
session earlier this week. 
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).

In general, the documents addressing WSIS follow up to be considered by
ECOSOC will be:
-       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.
-       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.

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. 

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.

General note
The SG report recognises that implementation and follow-up require a
broad engagement of non-governmental stakeholders and partners (§ 12 of
E/2007/76).

Commission on Science and Technology for Development
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
with contributions from non-governmental stakeholders channelled
through the multi-stakeholder Global Alliance for Information and
Communication Technologies and Development (§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.

UNGIS and Action Line Facilitators process
The SG Report only provides a factual description of the creation of the
UN Group for the Information Society (Coordination 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, § 14 of E/2007/76) and of the May 2007
cluster of WSIS action line facilitation meetings.

Internet Governance Forum and enhanced cooperation
The SG Report states that WSIS 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 (§ 14 of E/2007/76).

Global Alliance for ICT and Development
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.

Please send us your comments and suggestions in this regard. We will
come back to you early next week with more details.
All the best, 

Philippe

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: philippe.dam at ngocongo.org  <mailto:wphilippe.dam at ngocongo.org>
<mailto:wphilippe.dam at ngocongo.org> 
Website: www.ngocongo.org <blocked::">http://www.ngocongo.org
<http://www.ngocongo.org> > 

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 www.ngocongo.org
<blocked::">http://www.ngocongo.org/ <http://www.ngocongo.org/> > 

***********************************************************
William J. Drake  drake at hei.unige.ch
Director, Project on the Information
  Revolution and Global Governance/PSIO
  Graduate Institute for International Studies
  Geneva, Switzerland
http://hei.unige.ch/psio/researchprojects/Drake.html
***********************************************************

!DSPAM:2676,469211fd97911895210621! 

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