Comments Of The Republic Of Cuba To The Action Lines And Projection
For 2015, Within The Framework Of The Open Consultations Of The
Wsis+10
In the first place, the Republic of Cuba emphasizes that the Declaration of
Principles and Plan of Action of 2003 and the Agenda and Tunis Commitment of
2005 remain fully in force. The commitments and actions adopted on them
continue to be an essential guide so that all Member States can turn the
enjoyment of a true Information Society into reality. Therefore, these documents
should not be replaced because their value remains fully in force. Their update
cannot involve a radical change on them, but their reaffirmation in general and
some adjustments.
There are relevant aspects of these documents adopted at the World Summit
on the Information Society (WSIS) that have not yet been met, so that it would
be a contradiction not reaffirming them and, conversely, promoting their
modification. Then, it would be worthwhile to ask the following question, how to
propose new goals when there are still challenges of the Summit to overcome?
In the second place, Cuba requests these reviews to be included in any
possible document that may serve as the basis for intergovernmental
discussions on WSIS follow-up and which intends to be the result of these
discussions, particularly in the documents proposed for application or
implementation of the WSIS outcomes, including the draft declaration and the
draft vision of the Summit + 10 beyond 2015.
Cuba’s contributions to the consultation process and the questionnaire
submitted in this regard are as follows:
a) What are the main achievements in the area of information society,
particularly in the implementation of the WSIS action lines?
Although there have been discrete achievements in some indicators, it is
necessary to continue efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the
Geneva Plan of Action.
b) What are the challenges identified that should be addressed in the
next 10 years?
The main challenges identified in the WSIS in 2003 remaining, largely, for the
next decade are as follows:
1. Addressing the information technology and communication potential to
promote the development goals of the Millennium Declaration, namely, the
eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary
education, promoting gender equality and empowerment of women,
reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV / AIDS,
malaria and other diseases.
1
2. Ensuring environmental sustainability and building global alliances for
development to achieve a more peaceful, just and prosperous world.
3. Achieving a sustainable development and development goals agreed in the
relevant United Nations Summits.
4. Making possible that, in the information society, all States take measures to
prevent, and refrain themselves from taking, any unilateral measures not in
accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter, that
impedes the full achievement of economic and social development of the
population of the countries concerned, and be contrary to the welfare of their
citizens.
5. Ensuring that the radio-frequency spectrum is managed in the public interest
and in accordance with the principle of legality, with full observance of
national laws and regulations, as well as relevant international agreements.
Other old challenges that remain necessary to overcome in the coming years
are the following:
6. Promoting measures to ensure the benefits of ICTs for the countries with the
highest needs.
7. Continuing to set realistic goals and decisive action to reduce the gap
between developed and developing countries in terms of technology, in
particular the establishment of important financing and technology transfer
actions.
8. Continuing to reduce the digital divide and that this all this translates into a
reduction of the development gap. International cooperation is essential for
reducing the digital divide and development gaps, therefore, international
commitments in this area should be kept clearly defined, including:
 Achieving concrete efforts towards the commitment of 0.7% of their GDP
as official development assistance.
 Providing technical and financial cooperation at both the multilateral and
bilateral levels, respecting the priorities of the recipient countries.
9. Overcoming the negative socio-economic situation of developing countries
that affects, as regards to ICT, the ability of creating infrastructures and the
training of the necessary human resources.
10. Ensuring that international organizations actually play a role in developing
technical standards and relevant policies on Internet.
11. Achieving multilateral, intergovernmental, democratic and participatory
governance of the Internet, facing the strong pressure from some to prevent
this from happening. Despite discussions on the topic in various areas,
2
including the Internet Governance Forum, the goal set in Geneva on Internet
governance has not been fulfilled.
12. Ensuring that human rights, including the right to development, are
promoted and protected in the information society.
13. Achieving that the treatment of human rights in the field of WSIS, in
particular as regards to the right to freedom of expression and opinion, is
balanced and reflects the limits imposed in the main international
instruments in this field. In this regard, Cuba reiterates that restrictions
provided for in Article 19 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(restrictions established by law, necessary for the respect of the rights or
reputations of others, protection of national security, public order or health or
morals) are fully applicable, as well as the respect for the principles and
purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.
14. Ensuring that ICTs, particularly the Internet, have a responsible use, so that
they cannot be used on the basis of warmongering and terrorist interests or
for the dissemination of racist and xenophobic messages or other messages
encouraging hatred among individuals and peoples.
c) What do the WSIS stakeholders provide for an information society
and the knowledge that ensures that the poor, youth, persons with
disabilities and indigenous peoples benefit from the enormous
opportunities provided by the ICTs?
To ensure progress in the implementation of ICTs in sectors of persons with
disabilities, young, poor, women and indigenous peoples, it is necessary to
make further international efforts, particularly by industrialized countries, to help
these sectors can enjoy these technologies in developing countries.
In your opinion, what are the key emerging trends on the horizon of ICTs
and that should be incorporated in the implementation of action lines
beyond 2015? Please, specify the course of action on which you are
making your contribution.
C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs
for development
a. Governments should continue to play the key role in the ICT-related
programmatic activities and work, in conjunction with other stakeholders,
respecting the laws and national interests.
C2. Information and communication
foundation for the Information Society
infrastructure:
an
essential
a. Developing countries should be provided a prioritized support, in their
efforts to establish or develop a telecommunications infrastructure.
b. This cooperation should include the transfer of technology to developing
countries.
3
c. Strategies should be defined for increasing affordable global connectivity
without discrimination, thereby facilitating better access. The costs of
Internet transit and interconnection arising from trade negotiations should
be oriented towards objective, transparent and non-discriminatory
parameters.
d. The establishment of a tariff system and payments of the international
interconnections to internet should be promoted in the case of international
telecommunication networks, to protect the small players and that includes
a preferential and non-discriminatory treatment to developing countries.
C3. Access to information and knowledge
a. Boosting the possibilities offered by different software models, and their
creation process, including protected software, of open source and free
software, in order to increase competition, freedom of choice and
affordability, and to allow all stakeholders to evaluate the best-suited
solutions for their needs. Ensuring international cooperation on these
possibilities.
b. Encouraging initiatives to facilitate access, including free and affordable
access, to periodicals and books of open access, and to open archives
containing scientific information.
C4. Capacity building
a. Developing and promoting programs to eradicate illiteracy, including
electronic illiteracy, using ICTs at national, regional and international levels.
b. Developing distance learning, training and other forms of distance
education and training, in the context of capacity building programs. Paying
special attention to developing countries, particularly LDCs, at different
levels of development of human resources.
C5. Building confidence and security in the use of ICT
a. Promoting cooperation between governments within the United Nations and
with all stakeholders at other appropriate forums to enhance user
confidence and protect data and network integrity; considering existing and
potential threats for ICTs, and addressing other issues of information
security and networking.
b. Preventing, detecting, and responding to cyber-crime and misuse of ICTs
by establishing legislation that allows for effective investigation and
prosecution of misuse; promoting effective efforts of mutual assistance;
strengthening institutional support at the international level for the
prevention, detection and recovery of these incidents, and encouraging
education and awareness.
C6. Enabling environment
a. Working so that, in the information society, measures are taken to prevent,
and refrain from taking, any unilateral measures not in accordance with
international law and the United Nations Charter, that impedes the full
4
achievement of economic and social development of the population of the
countries concerned, and be contrary to the welfare of their citizens.
b. Strengthening the work of the 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 of
developed and developing countries, including organizations and relevant
international and intergovernmental forums, with the purpose of making
proposals for action on Internet governance.
c. ITU and other regional organizations should take additional measures to
ensure rational, effective and economical use of the radio-frequency
spectrum, as well as equitable access by all countries based on relevant
international agreements.
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life
ICT applications can support sustainable development in public administration,
business, education and training, health, employment, environment, agriculture
and science, within the framework of national e-strategies. We reaffirm the
importance of international cooperation to promote solutions that truly
contribute to social development and to bridge the gaps in development.
C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content
a. Creating policies that support the respect, preservation, promotion and
enhancement of cultural and linguistic diversity and cultural heritage within
the Information Society, as stated in the relevant documents agreed by the
United Nations, including the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural
Diversity. This includes encouraging governments to design cultural policies
that promote the production of cultural, educational and scientific content
and the development of local cultural industries suited to the linguistic and
cultural context of the users.
b. Supporting efforts to develop and use ICT for conservation of the natural
and cultural heritage, in order to keep it accessible as a living part of today's
culture. This includes the development of systems to ensure continued
access to digital information and multimedia content archived in digital
records, and supporting archives, cultural collections and libraries as the
memory of mankind.
C9. Means of communication
a. Reducing international imbalances affecting the means of communication,
particularly as regards to infrastructure, technical resources and the
development of human skills, taking full advantage of ICT in this regard.
C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society
a. Taking steps to promote respect for peace and uphold of the fundamental
values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, shared responsibility, and
respect for nature.
5
b. All stakeholders should increase their awareness of the ethical dimension
of their use of ICT
c. Promoting the common good, protecting privacy and personal data and
taking preventive measures and appropriate actions (as set out in the law),
against abusive uses of ICTs, such as illegal behavior and other acts
motivated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, hatred, violence, and all forms of child abuse, including
pedophilia and child pornography, terrorism, and the trafficking and
exploitation of human beings.
C11. International and regional cooperation
International cooperation among all stakeholders is essential and needs to be
strengthened to promote universal access and bridge the digital divide.
a. Cooperation and funding should be made unconditionally, with transparency
and respecting the priorities of the States concerned.
b. In view of the development of ICTs, private foreign investment and other
forms of financing alone cannot be the answer to funding needs, or replace
the essential role of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
d) In your opinion, what are the main areas that need to be addressed
in the implementation of WSIS after 2015?
The main areas after 2015 should be the same as those proposed for the
WSIS, as it is not necessary to consider new goals when the initial goals have
not been fully met.
3. Ensuring accountability of Action Lines of WSIS 2015 (Objectives and
indicators for the information society and knowledge for all beyond 2015).
b. How can the monitoring and the evaluation of the future
implementation of the WSIS process, including the Action Lines, help
to their better implementation?
It is up to the governments the developing of monitoring and evaluation
mechanisms, which may be useful to the extent required to attain an objective
measure showing the status of the implementation of the WSIS process. These
mechanisms and related indicators have to be determined in intergovernmental
bodies where the views of all countries, large and small, are reflected, and
where the technical expertise in statistics is also considered.
c. What are the priority areas where the post-2015 process should be
focused on and what goals and objectives could the new vision for
WSIS beyond 2015 monitor?
The same priority areas and objectives adopted in the WSIS documents should
be maintained.
4. Any other comments or suggestions
6
Cuba wishes to ratify the WSIS documents.
7