ITU involvement in the second phase of WSIS
This is a partial list of tasks for the ITU in the coming two years. This list is separate and independent from
the work to be done to prepare the second phase of the Summit itself, such as organization of PrepComs.
1. Provide support to WG-WSIS Group
 Organize and service meetings and update documents and website;
 Pursuant to Council Res. 1214, SG and Directors are to provide inputs to Group so that it can prepare
and submit to Council 2004 the following proposals:
(a) Necessary ITU actions to accomplish the goals and objectives articulated in
Declaration and Action Plan;
(b) Vision of how ITU might prepare itself for the new emerging information society
paradigm;
(c) ITU participation in the second phase.
2. ITU Council
 Report regularly to Council and implement all relevant Resolutions and Decisions.
3. HLSOC
 HLSOC will hold annual meetings of principals and quarterly meetings at the working level; these need
to be serviced and organized.
4. CEB
 SG will need to continue to report to CEB, orally and in writing, on WSIS preparations.
5. Digital Divide/HLCP
 The Digital Divide is one of the two main issues before the UN system in the year 2004;
 At the level of HLCP, it would be logical for ITU to assume the lead role in preparing this matter. This
will require extensive work to prepare the necessary report for review by HLCP (15-30 pages), including
meetings with other agencies, drafting, editing and review;
 Following approval by HLCP, the report will then be submitted to CEB as a major item for its agenda
and for discussion;
 In light of the above, this report must be of the highest quality and will require significant staff time. Of
course, this task is a formal recognition of the UN system and of the importance of ICTs and the work of
the ITU and is an opportunity that should not be squandered.
6. Working Group and Task Force of the UN Secretary-General
The Declaration and Action Plan call upon Kofi Annan to organize two workings groups: one on Internet
Governance and the second on financing of the digital development. If ITU wishes to play a lead role in this
work, it needs to urgently formulate a proposal and coordinate with New York. This is another excellent
opportunity for ITU to promote its agenda and reinforce and expand its mission and objectives. It will
require work at the highest level.
7. UN-ICT Task Force
The Task Force will continue to meet regularly and can be expected to seek a major role with respect to point
5. ITU will need to actively participate in such meetings to assert is mandate.
8. Negotiation of Host Country Agreement with Tunisia
9. Implementation of Geneva Declaration and Action Plan
The Declaration and Action Plan call for a long list of actions, in addition to general coordination of
implementation of these texts. Many of these items already fall within the mandate of ITU, and have been
addressed in the CS/CV, current Strategic Plan, Istanbul Action Plan, and text of the BR and TSB. A
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concrete program for implementation is required. Thematic meetings on specific issues organized by ITU
should be envisaged.
More generally, the allocation of responsibility for general oversight and reporting of implementation
between ES and ITU needs to be addressed.
A partial list of requirements relevant to ITU in Declaration and Action Plan is set forth below, with specific
references to ITU asterisked.
Declaration

Further developing policy framework to promote connectivity (23);

Strengthening the trust framework and developing a global culture of cyber security (36);

Dealing with Spam (37);

Promote enabling environment (38);

Improve global affordable connectivity (40);

Development of international standards (44);

Management of radio frequency spectrum (45);

Management of technical and pubic policy issues of Internet (49);

Working group of Secretary-General to be created (50);

Core competences of ITU are critical to build Information Society (64**).
Plan of Action
A.
Introduction
Use of ICTs for development goals (3.d).
B.
Objective, Goals and Targets
Targets for improving global connectivity (6).
a). To connect villages with ICT and establish access points
b). To connect primary schools, post offices, health centers with ICT b) d) and e)
j). To ensure that more than half the world’s inhabitants have access to ICT’s within their reach
C.
Action lines
C1
Promote ICTs for Development

Promote national e-strategies and partnerships (8);8 a, b, c

Develop strategies for use of ICTs for sustainable development (8.g);

Review national ICT investment schemes.

Publish on website successful experiences of mainstreaming ICTs (8.h);

Encourage a series of related measures, including, among other things: incubator schemes, venture
capital investments (national and international), government investment funds (including microfinance for Small, Medium-sized and Micro Enterprises SMMEs), investment promotion strategies
(8.i);
Identify mechanisms, at the national, regional and international levels for the initiation and promotion of
partnerships amongst stakeholders of the information society (8.e)
C.2





ICT Infrastructure
Support an enabling and competitive environment for the necessary investment in ICTs, and devise
appropriate universal access policies and strategies (9 a, b).
E-strategies to develop universal access polices and develop ICT connectivity indicators (9.c);
Strategies to provide and improve ICT connectivity for schools, health institutions, post offices ,
community centers (9.c)
Strengthen broadband network infrastructure (9.d**);
Better use of unused wireless capacity (9.i);
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





Encourage regional ICTs backbones and Internet exchange points (9.j);
Develop strategies for increasing affordable global connectivity and networking (9.k);
Develop sustainable multi-purpose community pubic access points (9.d);
Research on innovative and affordable technologies to facilitate people’s access to ICT (9.g).
Make use of existing infrastructures for new services (9.l)
Develop ICT connectivity indicators and targets (9.b, 9.c)
C3. Access to Information and knowledge
Governments, and other stakeholders, should establish sustainable multi-purpose community public access
points (10.d)



C.4
Support the creation and development of a digital public library and archive services (10.h);
Encourage initiative to facilitate free availability and access to documents and information (10.i)
Assist the collection, compilation and dissemination of public official information over the Internet
(10.a, 10.b)
Capacity-building

Create program for capacity building (11.e);
Develop pilot projects to demonstrate the impact of ICT-based alternative educational delivery systems,
notably for achieving Education for All targets, including basic literacy targets (11.f)

Develop pilot projects on e-learning (11.f, j);

Develop distance learning, training and other forms of education and training as part of capacity
building programmes (11.l)

UN agencies to promote cooperation in capacity building (11.m).
C.5
Confidence and Security

Take action on Spam (12.d);
Encourage domestic assessment of national law with a view of overcoming any obstacles to effective use of
electronic documents and transactions including electronic means of authentication. (12.e)
Further strengthen the trust and security framework with complementary and mutually reinforcing initiatives
in the fields of security in the use of ICTs (12.f).


C.6
Share good practices and enhance ongoing UN activities for information and network security (12.g
and j).
Enabling Environment
Policy Frameworks:








Foster a supportive, transparent, pro-competitive and predictable policy, legal and regulatory
framework (13 a)
Working group on Internet governance to be created (13.b);
Identify the public policy issues that are relevant to Internet Governance (13.b i).
Promote regional root servers and internationalized domain names (13.d);
Promote user education and awareness of online privacy (13). I);
Promote effective participation by developing countries in international ICT forums and create
opportunities for exchange of experience (13.f);
Encourage the ongoing work in the area of effective dispute settlement systems (13.k)
Formulate conducive ICT policies (13.l)
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



Recognising the economic potential of ICTs for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), assist
them in increasing their competitiveness (13.m);
Raise awareness of interoperable, non-discriminatory and demand-driver standards (13.p);
ITU and frequencies (13.q**);
ITU and frequencies (13.r**).
C.7
ICT Applications

Promote e-business and interaction (16.b)
14. ICT applications can support sustainable development, in the fields of public administration, business,
education, employment, agriculture,
15. a) E-government – implement strategies focusing on applications aimed at innovating and promoting
transparency in public administration.
16. a) E-Business – Governments, international organizations and private sector are encouraged to promote
the benefits of international trade and the use of e-business.
18. a) E-health - Promote collaborative efforts of governments, planners, health professionals, and other
agencies along with the participation of international organizations for creating reliable, timely high quality
and affordable health care and health information systems and for promoting continuous medical training,
education, and research through the use of ICTs.
b) Facilitate access the world’s medical knowledge.
e) Encourage the adoption of ICTs to improve and extend health care health information systems
f) Strengthen and expand ICT-based initiatives for providing medical and humanitarian assistance.
19 c) E-employment - Promote tele-working
20 a) E-environment – governments, in cooperation with other stakeholders are encouraged to use and
promote ICTs as instrument for environmental protection.
21 a) E-Agriculture- Ensure the systematic dissemination of information using ICTs on agriculture.
C.11




International Cooperation
Priority should be given to ICT projects in requests for international cooperation and assistance on
infrastructure development projects from developed countries and international financial
organizations (26.a);
Accelerate public-private partnerships (26.b);
Mainstream ICTs in work programs (26.c).
Focus on use of ICT in development (26.b)
D.


Digital Solidarity Agenda
Increase resources for financing development (27, D.2.a);
Review of financing mechanism under UN Task force (27, D.2.f).
E.
Follow-up
Carry out a “realistic international performance evaluation and benchmarking” including:
(a) Research, draft and publish a regular ICT Development Report, to incorporate a
composite digital opportunity index;
(b) Develop appropriate indicators and benchmarks;
(c) Report regularly on universal accessibility of ICTs;
(d) Develop gender-specific indicators;
(e) Develop and launch a website to best practices and success stories;
(f) Work closely with Member States in developing coherent and internationally
comparable indicator systems (28).
F.


Tunis Phase
Draft documents based on outcome of GVA phase, including reducing digital divide (29.a);
Follow-up and implementation of GVA Action Plan, including UN system (29.b).
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