[governance] IBSA - Tshwane Declaration

[Rui Correia]

Dear All

I am a bit confused as to the use of the word "declaration" here. Is the
word being used liberally? I was not there and the IBSA site is not much
help.

Let's be clear from the outset - I am not criticising the document, I am
merely querying why it is being referred to as a declaration.The point I am
making, is not about semantics, but rather about whether one might not risk
putting too much importance on a document that was primarily meant to be a
record of events.

The document looks like an internal account of what transpired during the
meeting - like a memo or minutes on the discussion of agenda items.

It is written in the third person, so can it be taken to equate a
declaration issued in the names of the three countries/ governments/ heads
of state or government? Where is the "We" that indicates that whatever
follows is indeed the will of the those that undersign it and is taken to
mean that those who do so bind themselves to it?

It is also written in the past tense, enumerating a whole list of
"reiterated", "reaffirmed", "acknowledged", etc. It is about 80% inward
looking, about what IBSA mechanisms have done and very little about what is
commits itself to doing for society.

Be it as it may that is is written in this format, who write it? Why is the
author not identified, why is the due protocol for such a document not
followed, according it the status of a declaration by signing it off with a
mention of date and place.

So, to recap, is this a declaration?

Best regards,

Rui



2011/10/19 Pranesh Prakash <pranesh at cis-india.org>

> Here's the relevant bit from the Tshwane Declaration.
>
> # Internet Governance
> 52. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working together towards a
> people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society and
> their agreement to continue to coordinate positions for the World Summit on
> Information Society (WSIS) follow-up mechanisms, as well as in the other
> fora and organizations related to the Information Society and Information
> and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
> 53. The Leaders expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing work in this
> arena; recognized the role of the Internet as a catalyst for economic and
> social progress; and emphasized its potential to enhance IBSA’s profile as a
> key global player. The leaders reaffirmed the IBSA framework agreement for
> Cooperation on the Information Society adopted on September 13, 2006 and
> recalled the commitments made in the Geneva Declaration of Principles and
> the Tunis Agenda with regard to Enhanced Cooperation.
> 54. The Leaders highlighted the importance of building a wide political
> coalition at the international level for making the global internet
> governance regime as multilateral, democratic and transparent as provided by
> the WSIS.
>
> In this context, they reiterated the urgent need to operationalise the
> process of ‘Enhanced Cooperation’ mandated by the Tunis Agenda and recalled,
> with satisfaction, the fruitful coordination amongst IBSA countries in the
> deliberations on ‘Enhanced Cooperation’ in the UN Commission on Science and
> Technology for Development (CSTD) and in the UN Secretary-General’s Open
> Consultations held in December 2010. The leaders took note of the
> recommendations of the IBSA Workshop on Global Internet Governance convened
> in Rio de Janeiro on 1-2 September 2011 and resolved to jointly undertake
> necessary follow-up action.
> 55. The Leaders emphasized Internet Governance as a key strategic area that
> requires close collaboration and concrete action. In this context, it
> recommended the establishment of an IBSA Internet Governance and Development
> Observatory that should be tasked to monitor developments on global Internet
> Governance and provide regular updates and analyses from the perspective of
> developing countries.
> --
> Pranesh Prakash
> Programme Manager
> Centre for Internet and Society
> T: +91 80 40926283 | W: http://cis-india.org
>
> Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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-- 
_________________________
Mobile Number in Namibia +264 81 445 1308
Número de Telemóvel na Namíbia +264 81 445 1308

I am away from Johannesburg - you cannot contact me on my South African
numbers
Estou fora de Joanesburgo - não poderá entrar em contacto comigo através dos
meus números sul-africanos

Rui Correia
Advocacy, Human Rights, Media and Language Consultant
Angola Liaison Consultant

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