[governance] CSTD and IGF review

Fri Aug 1 01:09:42 EDT 2008

Hi All

This thread on CSTD resolution reminds me to inform the list that during the
May CSTD meeting there were some exchanges among CSTD members on the issue
of IGFs 2010 review and many CSTD members seemed quite convinced that
being the political body mandated with WSIS follow up  the review will be
anchored with and/or finally decided by CSTD, which will appropriately
advise ECOSOC to appropriately instruct the Secretary General. 

This above was not captured in formal documents and therefore is kind of
off-the-record.  

The Tunis Agenda mandates this task to the UN Secretary General, who should
make recommendations to the UN membership. It is likely that the
recommendations will first be dealt by the CSTD.

This may be important with regard to IG civil societys engagement with 2009
and 2010 CSTD meetings. 

The actual recommendations may only be presented to the 2010 meeting, but
any references about IGF made by the CSTD in 2009 proceedings, in my view,
will be difficult for the UN Secretary Generals review process to ignore.
That may make engagements with the 2009 meeting significant. 

And since engagement with the IGF has been one of the main activities of the
IG Caucus, the caucus may want to make a statement to the CSTD on its
position, if one can be formed, on the review of the IGF and in the language
of Tunis agenda of the desirability of the continuation of the Forum apart
from participating in the UN Secretary Generals consultation and review
process. 

I understand that a review by an outside agency will begin soon and the
active consultations with stakeholders will take place over the next year (I
am constructing this from the bits and pieces I have picked up here and
there). 

Especially, keeping in view that IG Caucus was ignored in the consultations
over enhanced cooperation, despite our writing to the SGs office about
it, we should become active early with respect to the IGF consultations.

We should develop our proposed workshop for IGF, Hyderabad, Role and
mandate of the IGF also with this purpose in mind. Lee McKnight and Jeremy
Malcolm are leading a Working Group on shaping this workshop. Anyone who
wants to join this group may write to either of them or to me, offline. We
also welcome suggestions for speakers and regarding the format of the
workshop.  

. 

Parminder 

  _____  

From: plenary-bounces at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-bounces at wsis-cs.org] On
Behalf Of Divina MEIGS
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 1:43 AM
To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org; gov at wsis-gov.org; CONGO
WSIS - Philippe Dam
Cc: 'Philippe Dam'
Subject: Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] : [governance] ECOSOC considered CSTD Report
and adopted draftk you CSTD resolution on WSIS follow-up

Many thanks Philippe for this good  piece of news. it is not sure that the
CSTD will be able to reform itself totally but it is important to keep
trying so that some of the positive spirit from WSIS continues. 
Sorry you will no longer be with us for the follow up on the process but
good luck on your new position where I am sure all the qualities you put to
the service of our community will be duly appreciated.

best
Divina 

>  
> 
> From: "CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam" 
> 
> To: , 
> ,
> 
> Copies to: "'Philippe Dam'" 
> 
> Date sent: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:11:48 +0200
> Organization: CONGO
> Subject: [governance] ECOSOC 
> considered CSTD Report and adopted draft 
> CSTD
> resolution on WSIS follow-up
> Send reply to: governance at lists.cpsr.org,
> "CONGO WSIS - Philippe Dam" 
> 
> 
> > Dear all, 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > This is to inform you about the consideration by ECOSOC of the report
> > of the recent 11th session of the Commission on Science and Technology
> > for Development and the rubber stamping of the CSTD Resolution and its
> > 4 Decisions including those concerning civil society and academic
> > institution participation (see my previous posts on 2 and 6 June
> > 2008).
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > See also ECOSOC Press Release:
> > http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/ecosoc6365.doc.htm on 18 July
> > 2008.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Under its item on science and technology for development, the Council
> > adopted, without a vote, one draft resolution and four draft decisions
> > contained in the report on the eleventh session of the Commission on
> > Science and Technology for Development (document E/2008/31). 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > By the resolution, on assessment of the progress made in the
> > implementation of, and follow-up to, the outcomes of the two-phase
> > World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva
> > December 2003, and in Tunis in November 2005, the Council noted that,
> > while in general the digital divide between developed and developing
> > countries was shrinking, a new divide was emerging in terms of
> > differences in quality and speed of access to information and
> > communications technology. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Among other things, the Council called on stakeholders to increase
> > their efforts to reduce the disparity in cost of access, through, for
> > example, the establishment of exchange points and the creation of a
> > competitive environment, both at the network and local levels. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > The Council also called on stakeholders to increase efforts for
> > funding of and investment in information and communication technology,
> > to advance broadband access, including wireless access in areas and
> > countries in which it was still limited or nonexistent. It also
> > called on those actors to continue to develop and disseminate
> > easy-to-use applications and services for mobile phones and related
> > devices, especially those that are useful in rural areas and work with
> > low bandwidth and high latency. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > The four draft decisions were on participation of non-governmental
> > organizations and civil society entities in the work of the Commission
> > on Science and Technology for Development at its twelfth and
> > thirteenth sessions; participation of academic entities in the work of
> > that Commission; the report of the Secretary-General on science,
> > technology and innovation to be submitted to the Commission at its
> > twelfth session; and the report of the Commission on its eleventh
> > session and provisional agenda and documentation for the twelfth
> > session of the Commission.''
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > I also want to take the opportunity of this message to inform you that
> > I will shortly leave the CONGO Secretariat to join the Geneva office
> > of another international NGO. It's been a great pleasure and a
> > wonderful experience to work with you all for those past 3 years -
> > already!! - and I'm sure that, as I'll remain involved in UN processes
> > connected to human rights, I'll cross many of you on the occasion of
> > your participation in some WSIS related meetings in Geneva! Note that
> > CONGO will maintain its monitoring of post WSIS processes and support
> > to CS participation in them. More news coming soon.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > I'll also join the CS Plenary list shortly through my personal e-mail
> > address, so that we will certainly keep in touch!
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 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
> > Website: www.ngocongo.org 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com 
> > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.7/1580 - Release Date:
> > 7/29/2008 5:26 PM
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> -------------- --------------------------
> Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director
> Association for Progressive Communications
> anriette at apc.org
> http://www.apc.org
> PO Box 29755, Melville, South Africa. 2109
> Tel. 27 11 726 1692
> Fax 27 11 726 1692
> 
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> 

Divina Frau-Meigs professeur, université Paris 3-Sorbonne sociologue des
médias vice-présidente, AIERI/IAMCR (Ass.Int.des Etudes et Recherches en
Info-com) tel/fax: 33 1 42 77 91 69

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