| The
second meeting of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom-2)
of the Tunis Phase of the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) ended in Geneva, Switzerland, with
participants endorsing their support for the establishment
of a Digital Solidarity Fund for the development of
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
The fund will be officially launched in Geneva this
month, and is intended to transform the digital divide
into digital opportunities for developing countries.
It will be opened to voluntary contributions by interested
stakeholders.
The
two outstanding topics for discussion and consensus
from Phase 1 of the WSIS were Financing and Internet
Governance. Before the start of the official prep-Com2,
officials held two days of talks on Internet Governance,
where some 41 topics were tabled for discussion, including
the search for a working definition for the term Internet
Governance. The Working Group on Internet Governance
(WGIG) also submitted a draft report to the Prep-Com
2, and a further draft report will be presented by
the WGIG in mid-July. All governments and stakeholders
will be invited to submit written proposals by 15
August. The submissions and the report of the WGIG
will be forwarded to Prep-Com3.
Other achievements of Prep-Com2 which was held from
the 17 to 25 February included several successful
official side events on Media involvement in the WSIS
process, measurement of the information society, experiences
of grassroot women in India and civil society involvement.
Caribbean
participants made submissions to discussions in key
areas, including coordinated assistance for Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing
States (SIDS) to lower transaction costs associated
with the delivery of international donor support;
communications access and connectivity for ICT services
in locations presenting unique technological and market
challenges; and local government and community-owned
initiatives that deliver ICT services to communities
in the areas of education, health and livelihood support.
Barbados made a significant contribution to the major
outcomes of the meeting through its chairmanship of
three out of five working groups held to resolve issues
related to financial mechanisms for meeting the challenges
of ICT for development.
The Caribbean has now renewed efforts to become more
engaged in the process during the second phase. A
critical component relating to Regional participation
in the WSIS Phase 2 summit was the formation of an
ICT Steering Committee in January 2005. The Regional
ICT Steering Committee comprises representatives from
CARICOM Member States, Regional organisations, private
sector and civil society, as well as a CARICOM Secretariat
team. It will provide guidance and advice on issues
relating to ICT including the WSIS process.
Throughout
discussions at the Prep-Com2, Member States, civil
society and other interest groups stressed that the
events and activities leading up to the 2nd phase
of the WSIS were intended to produce human and social
development successes and not confined only to ICT.
The
CARICOM Region will continue to prepare itself for
the second phase of the WSIS by continued articulation
of its ICT strategy, a Regional meeting on Internet
Governance in the second quarter of 2005 and other
technical, policy and multi-stakeholder consultations
leading up to and beyond November 2005.
Additional
information pertaining to Prep-Com2 may be accessed
at <a href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/preparatory2/pc2/index.html"
target="_blank">http://www.itu.int/wsis/preparatory2/pc2/index.html</a>
Additional information pertaining to the Digital Solidarity
Fund may be accessed at <a href="http://www.dsf-fsn.org/"
target="_blank">http://www.dsf-fsn.org/</a>
|