Resources by Issue: World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)
The World Summit on the Information Society was the last UN summit and the only one that has been organized in two phases: Geneva (December 2003) and Tunis (November 2005). The purpose of the Summit was to bridge the digital divide and, among others, to deal with the critical issue of Internet governance. WSIS has gone the furthest in implementing the "multistakeholder approach" long called for by civil society and the Cardoso Panel on UN - CS Relations. Civil society has organized itself in a Civil Society Bureau, a Plenary, a Content and Themes Group and it has been able to work hand in hand with the governments both for the preparation and the holding of the Summit itself. CONGO has been a key facilitator in this process and it has served as co-chair of the Civil Society Bureau and as civil society secretariat.
- Background information on WSIS and its follow up and implementation process
The statement from civil society on the World Summit on the Information Society entitled "Much More Could Have Been Achieved" is now available in English (Word and html versions) and French (Word and html versions.)[more]
- Deadline for application 10 May 2006
The UN Secretary General recently approved the initiative of launching a Global Alliance for ICT and Development. The UN DESA is now in the process of organising the inaugural meeting of this multi-stakeholder organ, to take place in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on 19-20 June 2006. The three tier structure of the Global Alliance is also in the process of being established and will include a Strategy Council, a Steering Committee and a Secretariat. CONGO proposed to facilitate a self-nomination process within CS constituencies for membership to the Strategy Council of the Global Alliance.[more]
- Presentation by Renate Bloem, 23 - 24 January 2001, Berlin, Germany
23 - 24 January 2001, Berlin, Germany[more]
- Scaling Up civil society best practices to bridge the digital divide (Tunis, 16 November 2005)
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO)[more]
- Palais des Nations
Ms. Bloem introduced the speakers on panel. She noted that this meeting is one of the regular briefings on relevant UN issues organized CONGO. The occasion for this meeting was a visit by the Minister of IT in Tunisia, who expressed his commitment to civil society participation in Phase II. H.E. Mr. Habib Mansour, Tunisia Delegation to the WSIS[more]
- Membership is open to all NGO actors involved in the UN development agenda
After in-depth consultations held in the framework of the former UN ICT Task Force, the initiative to launch a fully inclusive Global Alliance for ICT and Development received the formal approval of the UN Secretary General on 24 February 2006.[more]
- Action line coordination mechanism
Implementation mechanism at the international level will be organised taking into account the themes and action lines of the Geneva Plan of Action. Implementation will be moderated/facilitated by UN agencies when appropriate. ITU, UNESCO and UNDP should play leading facilitating role in the implementation process and convene a meeting of facilitators (paragraph 108-110 of he Tunis Agenda).[more]
- December 2007: Intersession CSTD Panel, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
The ECOSOC Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) was reformed by ECOSOC in July 2006 with the view to assist ECOSOC in overseeing the system-wide follow-up to the Tunis commitments, after its 9th session. States agreed in the WSIS outcome document that this mechanism would take into account a multi-stakeholder approach in its work and procedures, and that ECOSOC would consider the strengthening of the Commission.[more]
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)