[governance] IBSA - Tshwane Declaration

[Carlos A. Afonso]

Very good points, Rui.

--c.a.

On 10/21/2011 07:53 AM, Rui Correia wrote:
> 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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> 
> 
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