WSIS:
Building the Information Society: a global
challenge in the new Millennium
Tim Kelly, Claudia Sarrocco
International Telecommunication Union
25 February, 2004
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WSIS: Origins and status
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WSIS originally proposed by ITU PP in 1998
Formally endorsed by the UN in 2001
Regional meetings, 2002 – 2003
PrepCom process, started in July 2002
First phase, Geneva 10-12 December 2003
Second phase, Tunis, 16-18 November 2005
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WSIS first phase: some numbers
 More than 11’000 participants
 176 UN member states
 About 50 Head of States and Governments and VicePresidents
 3’300 representatives of from civil society
 514 business representatives from 98 organizations
 87 international organizations
 More than 1’000 media representatives
 More than 300 Summit events
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Adoption of a Declaration of Principles and
a Plan of Action which:
Create
a common vision of the information society
Set out an agenda for building an inclusive
development-oriented Information Society
Establish a framework which will involve all
stakeholders
Request the UN Secretary General to initiate
action in a number of crucially important areas
such as the creation of a Digital Solidarity Fund and
Internet Governance
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A common vision of the Information society
“We […] declare our common desire and commitment to
build a people-centred, inclusive and developmentoriented 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…” (Declaration, Paragraph 1)
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WSIS Key Principles
1) The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion
of ICTs for development
2) Information and communication infrastructure: an essential
foundation for an inclusive information society
3) Access to information and knowledge
4) Capacity building
5) Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs
6) Enabling environment
7) ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life
8) Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local
content
9) Media
10) Ethical dimention of the information society
11) International and regional cooperation
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Summit Objectives
by 2015
a) to connect all villages with ICTs
b) to connect all educational institutions
c) to connect all scientific and research centres;
d) to connect all public libraries, museums and archives
e) to connect all health centres and hospitals;
f) to connect local and central government departments
g) to adapt all primary and secondary school curricula to meet the
challenges of the Information Society;
h) to ensure that all have access to television and radio services;
i) to encourage the development of content on the Internet;
j) to ensure that more than half the world’s inhabitants have
access to ICTs within their reach.
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Source: Adapted from draft WSIS plan of action.
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Distribution of population and ICTs,
2002
100%
19%
80%
55%
54%
73%
60%
40%
66%
Developed
Developing
81%
45%
20%
46%
27%
34%
0%
Population
Fixed
Mobile
PCs Internet users
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Tackling the injustices of the digital divide
 “We are fully committed to turning this digital
divide into a digital opportunity for all…”
 Connectivity, access, capacity building,
partnership and cooperation among different
stakeholders, financing
 Financial mechanism: better utilisation of existing
financial mechanisms, and possible future
creation of a voluntary digital solidarity fund
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Meeting the Millennium Development
Goals: promote development and improve
the quality of life
 “Our challenge is to harness the potential of
ICTs to promote the development goals of the
Millennium Declaration…”
 ICTs applications, content, access, etc.
 ICTs are considered as fundamental working
tools for development
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Promote access and use
 “…everyone can create, access, utilize, share
information and knowledge”
 Freedom of expression, creating an enabling
environment, cultural diversity, local content, and
multilingualism
 Intellectual Property Rights
 Mutual respect for diverse cultures and
traditions (UNESCO Declaration on Cultural
Diversity).
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Building confidence, trust and security in
ICTs
 Security of information and communication
networks
 Privacy and data protection, cybersecurity,
protection of children
 Combatting spam
 Governments, and private citizens have
legitimate concerns over the respect of
fundamental freedoms, security, loss of privacy
and protecting children
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Pending issues: Internet governance
 The UN Secretary General is asked to set up a working
group on Internet governance, in an open and inclusive
process that ensures a mechanism for the full and active
participation of governments, the private sector and civil
society from both developing and developed countries,
involving relevant intergovernmental and international
organizations and forums, to investigate and make
proposals for action, as appropriate, on the governance
of Internet by 2005 (Paragraph C6, 13 b) Plan of Action)
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Pending issues: Digital solidarity fund
 A review – to be completed by the end of 2004 - of the
adequacy of current financial mechanisms and the
possibility to create a voluntary Digital Solidarity Fund,
will be be conducted by a Task Force under the auspices
of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and will
be submitted for consideration to the second phase of
this summit (Paragraph D2 f) Plan of action)
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Next steps:
 How to implement the Plan of Action approved
during the first phase of the Summit
 How to participate in the preparation of the
second phase
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From Geneva to Tunis
The second phase of the summit will take place in Tunis
from November 16th to 18th, 2005
Preparatory work:
 Re-establish the WSIS bureau
 Hold a preparatory meeting in the first part of 2004:
 to review those issues of the information society
which should form the focus of the Tunis phase
 to agree on the structure of the process for the
second phase
Reference document: “Arrangements for the Tunis Phase of
the Summit” www.itu.int/wsis
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Role of ITU in WSIS
 ITU is lead UN Agency for Summit
 Providing financial and human resources
 SG chairs HLSOC of Summit
 Implementation of the Summit outcome
 Possible role of the ITU in providing mechanism for
coordination and follow up
 Implementation of ITU-related Principles and Actions
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website: www.itu.int/wsis
contact: wsis@itu.int
Thank you
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