Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Information Society
What is the Information Society?
The digital revolution in information and communication technologies has created the platform for a free flow of information, ideas and knowledge across the globe. This revolution has made a profound impression on the way the world functions. The Internet has become an important global resource, a resource that is critical to both the developed world as a business and social tool and the developing world as a passport to equitable participation, as well as economic, social and educational development. The purpose of the World Summit on the Information Society is to ensure that these benefits are accessible to all while promoting specific advantages in areas such as e-strategies, e-commerce, e-governance, e-health, education, literacy, cultural diversity, gender equality, sustainable development and environmental protection. At WSIS Geneva in December 2003, World leaders declared “our common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life, premised on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and respecting fully and upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
What is the Digital Revolution?
The rapid growth of Information and Communication Technologies and innovation in digital systems represent a revolution that has fundamentally changed the way people think, behave, communicate, work and earn their livelihood. This so-called digital revolution has forged new ways to create knowledge, educate people and disseminate information. It has restructured the way the world conducts economic and business practices, runs governments and engages politically. It has provided for the speedy delivery of humanitarian aid and healthcare, and a new vision for environmental protection. It has even created new avenues for entertainment and leisure. As access to information and knowledge is a prerequisite to achieving the Millennium Development Goals – or MDGs – it has the capacity to improve living standards for millions of people around the world. Moreover, better communication between peoples helps resolve conflicts and attain world peace.
What is the Digital Divide?
The Digital Divide separates those who are connected to the digital revolution in ICTs and those who have no access to the benefits of the new technologies. This happens across international frontiers as well as within communities where people are separated by economic and knowledge barriers. At WSIS Geneva, world leaders declared “We are fully committed to turning this digital divide into a digital opportunity for all, particularly for those who risk being left behind and being further marginalized.”
2. United Nations and WSIS
What is a UN Summit?
Conferences have played a key role in guiding the work of the United Nations since its very inception. In fact, the world body was born when delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco in April 1945 for the United Nations Conference on International Organization. At the very outset it was recognized that a forum for discussion was needed to resolve both security issues and make progress on every aspect of human development. The recent high-profile conferences on development issues, often held at the Summit level, have continued a series that began in the 1970s and broken new ground in many areas.
By involving Heads of State and Government and other high-profile world leaders from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as well as from civil society and the business sector, Summit events have put long-term, difficult problems like poverty and environmental degradation at the top of the global agenda. By grabbing front-page headlines, they have helped mould world opinion and persuaded world leaders to provide political support. The participation of thousands of NGOs, citizens, academics and business entities, in both the official and unofficial meetings, has turned these conferences into true “global forums”. The UN has encouraged this, knowing that the support of a wide spectrum of society is needed to implement the policies being discussed.
UN Summits have been held on a variety of issues that have commanded the attention of the world, including the pioneering World Summit for Children (1990), the Earth Summit on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), the World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, 1993), the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994), the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995), the International Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995), and the Financing for Development Conference (Monterrey, Mexico, 2002). The Millennium Summit (New York, 2000) brought together world leaders in a unique display of solidarity to achieve far-reaching development goals by 2015. The World Summit on the Information Society is unique in that it was envisaged to meet in two phases: The Geneva Summit in December 2003 laid the foundations with a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action. The Tunis Summit in November 2005 reconfirmed the Geneva Declaration of Principles in the Tunis Commitments, and agreed on the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, which includes a roadmap for implementation and follow-up of WSIS.
UN Summits provide the grounds for a free exchange of views. UN Conference venues are designated United Nations territory and governed by the rules and regulations of the international body. All delegates and accredited participants as well as the media must be provided access by the host government and enjoy all internationally recognized rights and freedoms wherever the conference may be held.
What is the status of participants at a UN Summit?
UN Summits provide the grounds for a free exchange of views. UN Conference venues are designated United Nations territory and governed by the rules and regulations of the international body. All delegates and accredited participants as well as accredited media representatives are guaranteed access by the host government and enjoy all internationally recognized rights and freedoms of the UN charter wherever the conference may be held.
What are the MDGs?
The MDGs are the Millennium Development Goals enshrined in the Millennium Declaration adopted by a gathering of world leaders in New York in September 2000. Most of the Development Goals are targeted for achievement by 2015 with the next periodic review due in 2005.
The MDGs are the following: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development: Including making available, in cooperation with the private sector, the benefits of new technologies – especially information and communications technologies – to all.
What was the UN ICT Task Force?
The ICT Task Force of the United Nations was set up by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in November 2001 to build broad-based partnerships, find the means to spread the benefits of the digital revolution in information and communication technologies and avert the prospect of a two-tiered World Information Society. The Task Force representedin its composition the public and private sectors, civil society and the scientific community, and leaders of the developing and transition economies as well as the most technologically advanced economies. The UN ICT Task Force and WSIS were two separate processes. WSIS could issue documents in the name of the global community (see para 1.1. of the Geneva Declaration: “We, the representatives of the peoples of the world….”. The ICT Task Force acted as a catalyst inside and outside the UN for ideas and partnerships for the Information Society, but lacked the democratic legitimacy of WSIS. The mandate of the ICT Task Force ended in December 2005. The Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) can be considered, to some extent, to be the successor to the ICT Task Force, but its composition is different. While the ICT Task Force was composed of a limited number of persons selected by the Secretary-General of the UN, the UN GAID is an informal and open platform for all stakeholders interested in the Information Society.
3. WSIS Organization
What is WSIS?
WSIS is the abbreviation for World Summit on the Information Society. The Summit is popularly referred to as WSIS (pronounced wiss-iss). Envisaged from its inception in two phases, the first phase of the Summit was held in Geneva 10-12 December 2003, where the foundations were laid by reaching agreement on a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action. The second phase was held in Tunis, 16-18 November 2005, adopting the Tunis Commitment and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. The latter includes chapters on Financing mechanisms, Internet Governance and implementation and follow-up.
Who were the organizers of WSIS?
The International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations, had the lead role in organizing the Summit. To assist ITU in its work, the UN Secretary-General appointed a High-level Summit Organization Committee (HLSOC) comprising of Executive Heads of the FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ILO, IMO, ITU, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCHR, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFP, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, UN Regional Economic Commissions, and the World Bank. HLSOC also includes IADB, OECD, UNITAR and UNV as observers. The UN Secretary-General appointed a Special Adviser to WSIS as his representative.
An Executive Secretariat based at the ITU Headquarters in Geneva was mandated to support the preparatory process and the Summits. Switzerland and Tunisia also established Host Country Secretariats to facilitate the preparatory process of the Summits.
A Bureau of the Preparatory Committee, composed of 17 Governments in the Geneva phase and of 32 Governments in the Tunis phase, representing the various regions of the UN System, guided the President of the PrepCom in the preparations of the Summit.
What was the WSIS Executive Secretariat?
An Executive Secretariat was established under the authority of HLSOC to assist in the preparation of the Summit with a mandate to facilitate the work of all stakeholders. The Executive Secretariat:
Facilitated all aspects of the Summit preparation – Supported the Bureau of the Preparatory Committee (logistics, summaries) – Drew up the list of entities from civil society and business who request accreditation, for government approval – Upon mandate, assisted the President of the Preparatory Committee and other bodies in preparing documents and reports – Lead the stocktaking exercise – Seeked sponsorship and funding
The WSIS Executive Secretariat was headed by an Executive Director and functioned in the premises of the ITU in Geneva.
What was the host country Secretariat?
Switzerland and Tunisia were host countries for WSIS. Switzerland hosted the first phase of the Summit in Geneva 10-12 December 2003, and Tunisia hosted the second phase in Tunis 16-18 November 2005. Both countries established Host Country Secretariats to help organize the Summits as well as to facilitate the preparatory process and the negotiations.
How was WSIS funded?
The Preparatory process for the two phases of the Summit was organized on the basis of financial and in-kind voluntary contributions from all stakeholders. The Summit logistics were offered by the two host countries, Switzerland and Tunisia.
The Resolution 56/183 of United Nations General Assembly invited the international community to make voluntary contributions to a special trust fund established by the ITU to support the Summit preparations as well as to facilitate the effective participation of representatives of developing countries, in particular those from the least developed countries.
ITU and the WSIS Executive Secretariat were implementing the fundraising campaign
What was the HLSOC?
HLSOC was the High Level Summit Organizing Committee for WSIS appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It was composed of a Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Executive Heads of the FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ILO, IMO, ITU, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCHR, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFP, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, UN Regional Economic Commissions, and the World Bank. It also included IADB, OECD, UNITAR and UNV as observers. The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union served as Chairman of HLSOC.
What was the WSIS PrepCom Bureau?
The WSIS PrepCom Bureau for the Tunis Phase comprised of 32 governments representing the five regional groups:
- African Group: Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia. Asian Group: Bangladesh, China, Japan, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Eastern European Group: Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro. GRULAC – Latin America and the Caribbean Group: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. WEOG – Western Europe and Others Group: Canada, France, Greece, Norway, Spain, and United States of America Ex-officio members, Host countries: Switzerland and Tunisia.
- The Bureau for the Geneva Phase included 17 governments, three from each region, as well as the two host countries.
- The meetings, attended usually by Representatives of Permanent Missions based in Geneva, dealt with procedural and other organizational matters related to WSIS.
Why was WSIS held in two phases?
Both Switzerland and Tunisia proposed to be the host country of the Summit, Switzerland as the host country of ITU (ITU headquarters are in Geneva) and Tunis as the country that had proposed the resolution to hold a World Summit on the Information Society at the Plenipotentiary Conference of ITU in Minneapolis.
The Secretary-General of ITU, given this special situation, proposed to the ITU Council to hold the Summit in two phases, a novelty regarding UN Summits. The Council followed the argument of the Secretary-General of ITU. The Council considered that the advantage of two phases would allow to discuss information society issues once in the setting of a developed country and once in the setting of a developing country. Also, there was hope that holding a UN Summit in two phases would allow for a better implementation and follow-up. The second part of the Summit would also allow for follow-up on the first part.
The UN General Assembly, in Resolution 56/183, took note and approved the idea of holding WSIS in two parts. The Geneva and Tunis phase became thus part of the same Summit.
What are Round Table discussions?
Round table discussions at UN Summits encourage a free flow of ideas from a cross-section of participants to supplement the formal presentation of statements in the Plenary debates. At the Geneva Summit, three round tables under the overarching theme of ‘An Information Society for All: Opportunities and Challenges’ were convened as an integral element of WSIS. Participation at the discussions included governments, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, funds and programmes, the business sector and civil society. Similarly, two Round table discussions and one Panel were held during the Tunis Summit. The outcomes of these Round tables and of the Panel are summarized in the Annexes to the Final Report of the Geneva Summit and the Final Report of the Tunis Summit.
4. WSIS Preparatory Process
What is a PrepCom?
PrepCom is the Preparatory Committee meeting that is held periodically to help prepare a Summit and to negotiate the documents that are presented for endorsement at the global event. UN Summits usually have 3-4 PrepComs. WSIS, as an exception, had 6 PrepComs, 3 for the preparation of the Geneva Summit and 3 for the preparations of the Tunis Summit.
What was the Preparatory process of WSIS?
The preparatory process for WSIS involved deliberations at various levels and on different aspects of organization and preparation. The United Nations Secretary-General had appointed a High-Level Summit Organizing Committee (HLSOC) under the chairmanship of the ITU Secretary-General as well as a Special Adviser to WSIS. The WSIS Executive Secretariat was based at ITU headquarters in Geneva. Governments selected a Bureau of 17 members for the Geneva phase and 32 members for the Tunis phase representing Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe/North America and Latin America and the Caribbean plus the two host countries Switzerland and Tunisia to advise on procedural and organizational matters. Periodic Preparatory Committee meetings (PrepComs) were scheduled for governments to negotiate terms, recommend policy issues and review progress for the Summit. The Preparatory Committee adopted Rules of Procedure for the PrepComs and for the Summit itself. Civil Society, media and the private sector were invited to participate as observers in deliberations and consultations. Regional conferences and thematic meetings and workshops were also scheduled during the preparatory process to provide inputs to WSIS.
What was the WSIS PrepCom Bureau?
The WSIS PrepCom Bureau for the Tunis Phase comprised of 32 governments representing the five regional groups: African Group: Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia. Asian Group: Bangladesh, China, Japan, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Eastern European Group: Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro. GRULAC – Latin America and the Caribbean Group: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. WEOG – Western Europe and Others Group: Canada, France, Greece, Norway, Spain, and United States of America Ex-officio members, Host countries: Switzerland and Tunisia.
The Bureau for the Geneva Phase included 17 governments, three from each region, as well as the two host countries.
The meetings, attended usually by Representatives of Permanent Missions based in Geneva, dealt with procedural and other organizational matters related to WSIS.
Who was the WSIS President?
The President of WSIS, as a rule of courtesy and protocol, was the Head of State of the host country. At the Geneva Summit, H.E. Mr. Pascal Couchepin, President of the Swiss Confederation, was elected President of the Geneva Summit. At the Tunis Summit, the President of Tunisia, H.E. Mr. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was elected President of the Tunis Summit.
Who were the WSIS PrepCom Presidents?
The Preparatory Committee of WSIS elects the President of the PrepCom. Mr. Adama Samassékou, former Minister of Education of Mali was elected President of the PrepCom for the Geneva Phase of WSIS. H.E. Ambassador Janis Karklins of Latvia was elected President of the Preparatory Committee for the Tunis Phase of WSIS.
Who was the Special Adviser?
Mr. Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, appointed Mr. Nitin Desai as his Special Adviser to WSIS. As former UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Desai was responsible for organizing several United Nations Summits and in setting up policy frameworks on global development issues including the UN ICT Task Force.
5. WSIS Schedule
Who initiated WSIS and when?
Following a proposal by the Government of Tunisia, the International Telecommunication Union adopted a resolution at its Plenipotentiary Conference in Minneapolis in 1998 to hold a World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and to place it on the agenda of the United Nations. In 2001, the ITU Council decided to hold the Summit in two phases, the first from 10 to 12 December 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland, and the second from 16 to 18 November 2005 in Tunis, Tunisia. This was endorsed by the UN General Assembly (Resolution 56/183 ) while according the lead role for the preparatory work to ITU in cooperation with other interested organizations and partners.
Where and when was WSIS held?
The first phase of the Summit was held in Geneva, 10-12 December 2003. The second phase of the Summit was held in Tunis from 16-18 November 2005.
Why was WSIS held in two phases?
Both Switzerland and Tunisia proposed to be the host country of the Summit, Switzerland as the host country of ITU (ITU headquarters are in Geneva) and Tunis as the country that had proposed the resolution to hold a World Summit on the Information Society at the Plenipotentiary Conference of ITU in Minneapolis.
The Secretary-General of ITU, given this special situation, proposed to the ITU Council to hold the Summit in two phases, a novelty regarding UN Summits. The Council followed the argument of the Secretary-General of ITU. The Council considered that the advantage of two phases would allow to discuss information society issues once in the setting of a developed country and once in the setting of a developing country. Also, there was hope that holding a UN Summit in two phases would allow for a better implementation and follow-up. The second part of the Summit would also allow for follow-up on the first part.
The UN General Assembly, in Resolution 56/183, took note and approved the idea of holding WSIS in two parts. The Geneva and Tunis phase became thus part of the same Summit.
6. WSIS Issues and Progress
Why was there a World Summit on the Information Society?
Recognizing the importance of the revolution in ICTs as a means of shaping the future of the world and in achieving the development goals outlined in the Millennium Declaration, world leaders decided that a global vision and a global dialogue were needed to build the framework of an all-inclusive and equitable Information Society.
What is the Geneva Declaration?
The WSIS Geneva Declaration of Principles, entitled “Building the Information Society: A Global Challenge in the New Millennium” was adopted by world leaders gathered at the Geneva Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society on 12 December 2003. It lays the principles on which the emerging Information Society will be founded.
What is the Geneva Plan of Action?
The WSIS GenevaPlan of Action sets time-bound targets to turn the vision of an inclusive and equitable Information Society into reality. World leaders gathered at the Geneva Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society endorsed the Action Plan on 12 December 2003. Work on implementing the Action Plan is now underway. The Tunis phase of the Summit will give more detailed directions on Actions to be undertaken between 2005 and 2015.
What is the Tunis Commitment?
The WSIS Tunis Commitment` is the political chapeau of the Tunis Outcome documents. In the document, Governments reiterate their unequivocal support for the Geneva Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action adopted at the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva in December 2003.
What is the Tunis Agenda?
The WSIS Tunis Agenda is the operational part of the Tunis Outcome documents. The document is divided into 4 parts: an introduction, a chapter on Financial mechanisms for meeting the challenge of ICT for development, a chapter on Internet Governance and a chapter on Implementation and follow-up.
What is the Digital Solidarity Fund?
The Government of Senegal proposed the establishment of a Digital Solidarity Fund for the promotion of ICTs in developing countries as the basis for the formation of an equitable Information Society. At the close of the Geneva Summit, the cities of Geneva and Lyon and the Government of Senegal decided to go ahead and created a private “Digital Solidarity Fund”, based in Geneva. For more information on the fund please visit the Digital Solidarity Fund website.
You can also read the article “Fonds mondial pour la Solidarité Numérique: De la fracture numérique à la solidarité numérique” by Guy-Olivier SEGOND, President of the Digital Solidarity Fund.
7. WSIS Participation
Who participated in the Geneva Phase of WSIS?
High-level delegates from 175 countries, including nearly 50 Heads of State and Government and Vice-Presidents, as well as over 11,000 participants representing a truly multi-stakeholder commitment attended the Geneva Phase of WSIS and took part in various Summit events. For details please visit this page.
Who participated in the Tunis Phase of WSIS?
The Tunis phase followed the format of the Geneva phase of WSIS. As in Geneva, high-level delegates from 174 countries, including more than 50 Heads of State and Government and Vice-Presidents, as well as over 18.000 participants representing Government, International Organizations, civil society and business entities participated in the Tunis Summit. For details please visit this page.
Who were the different actors in the WSIS process?
WSIS was a multi-stakeholder process in line with its objective of creating an all-inclusive Information Society. While governments have been mandated to negotiate, inputs from intergovernmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector were sought to build the Information Society. For more details on the different actors see this page.
Why are partnerships between public sector, private sector and civil society important in the promotion of ICTs for development?
Partnerships need to be developed to achieve common goals and deal with ICT-related issues. The public sector should explore ways to correct market failures and encourage competition to bring the Information Society to all, particularly in developing countries. The private sector has an important role to play in investing in ICTs and governments should encourage their participation. Civil Society works closely with communities to strengthen ICT initiatives. International organizations assist in integrating ICTs in the development process as well as supporting the implementation of the WSIS Action Plan.
8. Civil Society and WSIS
What was the Civil Society Bureau?
The Civil Society Bureau was composed of various ‘families’ and ‘caucuses’ that represent the different constituencies within civil society and provided networking channels to disseminate relevant information on the negotiation process to all members of the community. The Bureau also represented regional groups from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Pacific, Europe, CIS and North America, Middle East and Western Asia. As with the governmental Bureau, CSB’s functions were essentially of an organizational nature aiming to maximize civil society participation at the Summit.
What were the Civil Society families?
The various Civil Society families included: the Media; NGOs; Youth; Gender; Volunteers; Cities and Local Authorities; Trade Unions; Indigenous People; Education Academia and Research; Science and Technology Community; Creators and Promoters of Culture; Networks and Coalitions; Multi-stakeholder Partnerships; Philanthropic Institutions; Think Tanks; People with Disabilities. For more information, please refer to the Civil Society website.
What was the role of media in WSIS?
Besides reporting from the Preparatory process and from the two phases of the Summit, Media also has another role: That of a stakeholder (within civil society) in the WSIS process. Media have a responsibility to produce, gather and distribute diverse quality content, promote healthy debate, support open and informative media and and act as watchdogs to preserve freedom of expression and human rights. The World Summit on the Information Society engaged the media as indispensable key participants, partner and “stakeholder” of the Information Society. Among other things: The Summit stressed the role of Press freedom in the context of democracy and good governance. Media also issued two Declarations, the World Broadcasters Declaration 2003 and the Message of WEMF II to WSIS, approved at the Tunis Summit in November 2005.
Why are partnerships between public sector, private sector and civil society important in the promotion of ICTs for development?
Partnerships need to be developed to achieve common goals and deal with ICT-related issues. The public sector should explore ways to correct market failures and encourage competition to bring the Information Society to all, particularly in developing countries. The private sector has an important role to play in investing in ICTs and governments should encourage their participation. Civil Society works closely with communities to strengthen ICT initiatives. International organizations assist in integrating ICTs in the development process as well as supporting the implementation of the WSIS Action Plan.
9. The Private Sector and WSIS
What was the private sector involvement in WSIS?
In WSIS, for the second time after the Monterrey Summit on Financing for Development, the private sector was considered a stakeholder in its own right. This was due to the insight of the international community that Governments alone cannot implement the WSIS goals. ITU also has a long tradition of cooperation with the private sector, and sector members of ITU had a standing invitation to the WSIS process (by automatic accreditation). The private sector plaied an active role in WSIS, facilitated by the Coordinating Committee of Business Interlocutors (CCBI) under the chairmanship of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The contributions of business is instrumental in creating the material conditions for universal access to information and value-added ICT services and by creating economic growth through new partnerships and technology transfers. One of the stated development goals enshrined in the Millennium Declaration is to develop a global partnership for development – including making available to all, in cooperation with the private sector, the benefits of new technologies – especially information and communications technologies. The involvement of the private sector in WSIS was therefore a key element in building the Information Society and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
What is ICC?
ICC stands for the International Chamber of Commerce that coordinated the private sector involvement with WSIS. ICC has led the private sector involvement at several UN Summits.
What is CCBI?
CCBI is the Coordinating Committee of Business Interlocutors. It functioned under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Why are partnerships between public sector, private sector and civil society important in the promotion of ICTs for development?
Partnerships need to be developed to achieve common goals and deal with ICT-related issues. The public sector should explore ways to correct market failures and encourage competition to bring the Information Society to all, particularly in developing countries. The private sector has an important role to play in investing in ICTs and governments should encourage their participation. Civil Society works closely with communities to strengthen ICT initiatives. International organizations assist in integrating ICTs in the development process as well as supporting the implementation of the WSIS Action Plan.
10. Other Questions related to WSIS
What are the MDGs?
The MDGs are the Millennium Development Goals enshrined in the Millennium Declaration adopted by a gathering of world leaders in New York in September 2000. Most of the Development Goals are targeted for achievement by 2015 with the next periodic review due in 2005.
The MDGs are the following: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development: Including making available, in cooperation with the private sector, the benefits of new technologies – especially information and communications technologies – to all.
What are ICTs?
ICTs stand for Information and Communication Technologies.
What was the UN ICT Task Force?
The ICT Task Force of the United Nations was set up by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in November 2001 to build broad-based partnerships, find the means to spread the benefits of the digital revolution in information and communication technologies and avert the prospect of a two-tiered World Information Society. The Task Force representedin its composition the public and private sectors, civil society and the scientific community, and leaders of the developing and transition economies as well as the most technologically advanced economies. The UN ICT Task Force and WSIS were two separate processes. WSIS could issue documents in the name of the global community (see para 1.1. of the Geneva Declaration: “We, the representatives of the peoples of the world….”. The ICT Task Force acted as a catalyst inside and outside the UN for ideas and partnerships for the Information Society, but lacked the democratic legitimacy of WSIS. The mandate of the ICT Task Force ended in December 2005. The Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) can be considered, to some extent, to be the successor to the ICT Task Force, but its composition is different. While the ICT Task Force was composed of a limited number of persons selected by the Secretary-General of the UN, the UN GAID is an informal and open platform for all stakeholders interested in the Information Society.
What is ICT4D?
ICT4D stands for ICT for Development. The ICT4D Platform at WSIS Geneva was a Swiss initiative to enrich the political core segment of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held December 10-12, 2003, by showcasing the development dimension of Information and Communication Technologies in a unique multi-stakeholder gathering. The Platform was organized by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation jointly with the Global Knowledge Partnership. A similar platform, called ICT for all (ICT4all) was organized during the Tunis Summit, by the Tunisian authorities.
What is e-learning?
E-learning has been defined as the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve the quality of learning, to make it accessible to people out of reach of good educational facilities, and to make new and innovative forms of education available to all. E-learning should be more than just a new tool for formal education to be used in the classroom.
What is e-governance (sometimes also referred to as e-government)?
E-governance explores the use of the Internet and ICTs to further the goals of good administration by functioning with transparency and providing access to information to the public. By creating a friendlier and more pro-active interface, it can strengthen the fundamental partnership between the public sector and the private citizen. E-governance will favourably impact the productivity and performance of the public sector and foster new and deeper citizen involvement within the governing process. E-governance, by strengthening transparency and accountability, is one of the most important means to curb corruption.
What is e-trade?
E-trade enables easy transactions on the Internet of goods and services. It helps bridge the trade divide by allowing people to access information on market prices, supply and demand and get fair prices for the producer as well as the buyer.
Why are partnerships between public sector, private sector and civil society important in the promotion of ICTs for development?
Partnerships need to be developed to achieve common goals and deal with ICT-related issues. The public sector should explore ways to correct market failures and encourage competition to bring the Information Society to all, particularly in developing countries. The private sector has an important role to play in investing in ICTs and governments should encourage their participation. Civil Society should work closely with communities to strengthen ICT initiatives. International organizations should assist in integrating ICTs in the development process as well as supporting the implementation of the WSIS Action Plan.
What are Round Table discussions?
Round table discussions at UN Summits encourage a free flow of ideas from a cross-section of participants to supplement the formal presentation of statements in the Plenary debates. At the Geneva Summit, three round tables under the overarching theme of ‘An Information Society for All: Opportunities and Challenges’ were convened as an integral element of WSIS. Participation at the discussions included governments, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, funds and programmes, the business sector and civil society. Similarly, two Round table discussions and one Panel were held during the Tunis Summit. The outcomes of these Round tables and of the Panel are summarized in the Annexes to the Final Report of the Geneva Summit and the Final Report of the Tunis Summit.