WSIS Implementation and follow-up mechanism a comprehensive overview

WSIS Implementation and follow-up mechanisma comprehensive overview Charles Geiger Special Adviser to the UNCommission on Science and Technology for Development (Former Executive Director WSIS) Version 22.8.2007

The Tunis Agenda differentiates between: • Implementation of the Action Lines, Recommendations and Commitments contained in the outcome documents of the Summit (Geneva and Tunis phase), i.e. a mechanism that should apply to what happens “on the ground / in the field”, at national, regional and international level and • Follow-up, which is a mechanism to review and assess the progress made in the implementation of the action lines, recommendations and commitments contained in the outcome documents of the Summit.

Summary of the presentation: • We shall first look at implementation at national, regional and international level and by the UN-System • Then we explain the follow-up mechanism and the difference between formal and informal mechanisms • We shall look at the special case of the Internet Governance forum • and finally at the Global Alliance for ICT and Development, which was created in a parallel process to WSIS. Abbreviations used: GD Geneva Declaration of Principles GP Geneva Plan of Action TC Tunis Commitment TA Tunis Agenda for the Information Society A number (e.g. TA 109) refers to the paragraph number in the respective document

Implementation mechanisms • Implementation at national, regional and international levels, and by all stakeholdersis described in the next 5 slides. It is important to understand that this mechanism has no permanent Secretariat or any other entity supervising/coordinating the process. At the international level, the Tunis Agenda proposes “Action Line Facilitation”, which is understood as being an informal process. • Implementation by the UN System.This sub-mechanism (described after the above mentioned slides) is a formal process and supervised by the UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS), a sub-group of the Chief Executive Board (CEB)

Implementation at national, regional and international levels (1) National level: The Tunis Agenda encourages a multi-stakeholder process and a national implementation mechanism which: • Integrates national e-strategies into national development plans, including Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSP) • Mainstreams use of ICT in ODA • coordinates efforts with and among the development partners (use UNDAFs, whenever appropriate, and CCA Reports should contain a component on ICT4D) (Source: TA 100)

Implementation at national, regional and international levels (2) Regional level: • The overall focus should be on the use of ICT for development and for reaching the MDGs • Upon request of governments, regional international organizations and UN regional economic commissions should carry out WSIS-implementation activities in collaboration with all stakeholders (=multi-stakeholder process) (Source: TA 101)

Implementation at national, regional and international levels (3) International level: • Implementation should take into account the different Action lines defined in the Geneva Plan of Action and the tasks defined in the Tunis Agenda related to effective use of existing and future financial mechanisms • UN funds, programs and agencies should act within approved mandates and resources • Implementation should include intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder components • The UN General Assembly should make an overall review of WSIS implementation in 2015 (Source: TA 102)

Implementation at national, regional and international levels (4) • International implementation as a multi-stakeholder process: Tunis Agenda proposes “Action Line Facilitation” • In the Tunis Agenda, Governments attached great importance to multi-stakeholder implementation at the international level, which should be organized taking into account the themes and action lines in the Geneva Plan of Action, and moderated or facilitated by UN agencies when appropriate (TA 108 and 103 first part). • The aim of each Action Lines Facilitation is to exchange information, create knowledge, share best practices and assist in the development of multi-stakeholder partnerships (TA 110). • ITU, UNESCO and UNDP were asked to take the lead of this informal process (TA 109), where all interested parties can participate and where no accreditation is required.

Implementation at national, regional and international levels (5) As of today, the lead facilitators for the different Action Lines are: • ITU for Action Lines C2 Information and communication infrastructure and C5 Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs • UNESCO for Action Lines C3 Access to information and knowledge, C7 sub-theme e-learning, C7 sub-theme e-science, C8 Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content, C9 Media and C10 Ethical dimensions of the Information Society • UNDP for C4 Capacity building and C6 Enabling environment • UN-DESA for C1 The role of public governance authorities and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development, C7 sub-theme e-government and C11 International and regional cooperation • UNCTAD for C7 sub-theme e-business • ILO for C7 sub-theme e-employment • WHO for C7 sub-theme e-health • WMO for C7 sub-theme e-environment • FAO for C7 sub-theme e-agriculture (Source: Outcome of the Action Line Faciltator’s meeting of February 2006, confirmed by the second meeting of of ALFs on 25 May 2007)

Implementation by the UN System (1) Governments, in the Tunis Agenda, requested the UN Secretary-General, in consultation with members of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), to establish, within the CEB, a UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS) consisting of the relevant UN bodies and organizations, with the mandate to facilitate the implementation of WSIS outcomes within the UN System (TA 103 second part). This mechanism is a sub-mechanism within the general WSIS implementation mechanism, targeted at the UN Agencies and programs only. It is a formal mechanism and is not a multi-stakeholder mechanism.

Implementation by the UN System (2) • Main task of UNGIS is facilitation of implementation of WSIS outcomes by the different UN Agencies. UNGIS is not a multi-stakeholder entity and should (normally) not deal with Action Line Facilitation. • UNGIS was launched by the UN SG and met for the first time in July 2006, and thereafter in July 2007. • 22 UN funds, programs and agencies are working under rotating chairmanship of ITU, UNESCO and UNDP. • The Group shall enable synergies aimed at resolving substantive and policy issues, avoiding redundancies and enhancing effectiveness of the system while raising public awareness about the goals and objectives of the global Information Society. • Links between UNGIS and other coordination efforts like “One UN” have yet to be established • The website of UNGIS is: www.ungis.org (partly pass-word protected and therefore not completely public)

WSIS Follow-up mechanism (1) In the Tunis Agenda, Governments requested that ECOSOC oversees the system-wide follow-up of the Geneva and Tunis outcomes of WSIS. To this end, Governments requested that ECOSOC, at its substantive session of 2006, should review the mandate, agenda and composition of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), including considering the strengthening of the Commission, taking into account the multi-stakeholder approach (TA 105).

WSIS Follow-up mechanism (2) • On 28 July 2006 ECOSOC adopted Resolution 2006/46 entitled “ Follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society and review of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development” • ECOSOC decided to carry out its responsibilities for overseeing the system-wide follow-up to the Summit outcomesin the context of its annual consideration of the integrated and coordinated implementation and follow-up to the major United Nations conferences.

WSIS Follow-up mechanism (3) • ECOSOC decided further that the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) shall effectively assist the Council as the focal point in the system-wide follow-up of WSIS. • The CSTD should be strengthened in its substantive capacity through the effective and meaningful participation of Member States in its work, as well as enlarged by the inclusion of 10 new members • While preserving the inter-governmental nature of the Commission, ECOSOC agreed that CSTD should make use of the successful multi-stakeholder approach that was pioneered by WSIS

WSIS follow-up mechanism (4) • Tasks of CSTD in relation to the WSIS follow-up • (a) Review and assess progress at the international and regional levels in the implementation of action lines, recommendations and commitments contained in the outcome documents of the Summit; including the set of connectivity targets of the Geneva Plan of Action, to be reached by 2015 • (b) Share best and effective practices and lessons learned and identify obstacles and constraints encountered, actions and initiatives to overcome them and important measures for further implementation of the Summit outcomes; • c) Promote dialogue and foster partnerships, in coordination with other appropriate United Nations funds, programs and specialized agencies, to contribute to the attainment of the Summit objectives and the implementation of its outcomes…. »

WSIS follow-up mechanism (5) • WSIS follow-up by the CSTD and ECOSOC is a formal process. The multi-stakeholder approach is possible within the limits of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC. (In practice, some of the former “WSIS practice” may be introduced if all members of the CSTD agree) • During the next 2 sessions of the CSTD, all civil society entities that were accredited to WSIS may participate in the CSTD as observers. Afterwards, only civil society entities in consultative status with ECOSOC may continue to participate in the CSTD sessions (ECOSOC 2007 L.4) • Business entities accredited to WSIS may continue to participate as observers in the CSTD. New business entities may be approved by ECOSOC for participation in the CSTD regarding WSIS follow-up (ECOSOC decision 2007 L.5) • CSTD may organize, in future, roundtables and other informal meetings (like e.g. the joint CSTD-GAID meeting during the 10th session of the CSTD in May 2007) which will be open to all stakeholders.

WSIS follow-up mechanism (6) At the 10th session of the CSTD, member states agreed on a draft resolution regarding flow of information. This resolution was approved by ECOSOC on 25 July 2007. Main features, inter alia: • United Nations organizations acting as action line facilitators, United Nations regional commissions, main theme facilitators, the GAID and other entities, as appropriate, should submit to the secretariat of the Commission their respective reports as inputs towards the elaboration of the annual report of the Secretary-General to the Commission, with their own executive summaries, in a timely manner; • The secretariat of the Commission should publish the submitted respective reports on its website in their original language as contributions to the next session of the Commission; • All stakeholders should establish and/or to keep open channels of communication with action line facilitators and/or United Nations regional commissions and report to them their implementation efforts, so that such efforts may be appropriately reflected, and the relevant knowledge, practices and outcomes shared for the benefit of all;

Explanation: Advantages and disadvantages of formal / informal mechanisms (1) • In the UN, formal processes usually limit participation by other stakeholders than Governments to those accredited or in consultative status. Formal processes are basically intergovernmental processes and all other stakeholders (including the UN Agencies and programs) are observers (they can sometimes speak and make inputs, but they cannot negotiate or vote). • In informal processes, all stakeholders can participate on an equal footing, no accreditation or consultative status necessary. Informal processes cannot take decisions (at least not according to UN rules). Informal processes may experiment with new forms of participation and may be prepare the ground for new forms of global governance (Problems: legitimacy, who is really representative of which constituency? How to deal with profound disagreements? etc. )

Explanation: Advantages and disadvantages of formal / informal mechanisms (2) In the WSIS follow-up through CSTD, a formal process, participation of civil society entities, from 2010 onwards, will be limited to entities in consultative status with ECOSOC (till 2009 all civil society entities that were accredited to WSIS can participate, and of course also all entities actually in consultative status with ECOSOC). Therefore, all NGOs that were accredited to WSIS but do not have consultative status with ECOSOC, and who wish to participate in the follow-up process in the CSTD and ECOSOC should apply without delay for ECOSOC status. Unfortunately, some categories that got WSIS-accreditation without problems may have problems to get ECOSOC consultative status, e.g. Universities and local authorities may not qualify, because they are not considered to be “non-governmental organizations”.

Internet Governance Forum (1) As an outcome of the chapter on Internet Governance, Governments, in the Tunis Agenda, asked the UN Secretary-General, in an open and inclusive process, to convene, by the second quarter of 2006, a meeting of a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue—called the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The mandate of the Forum is, inter alia, to • Discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet. • Facilitate discourse between bodies dealing with different cross-cutting international public policies regarding the Internet and discuss issues that do not fall within the scope of any existing body.

Internet Governance Forum (2) Mandate, inter alia, continued: • Interface with appropriate intergovernmental organizations and other institutions on matters under their purview. • Facilitate the exchange of information and best practices, and in this regard make full use of the expertise of the academic, scientific and technical communities. • Identify emerging issues, bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and the general public, and, where appropriate, make recommendations. (Source: TA 72)

Internet Governance Forum (3) • The IGF may be considered as a special and informal multi-stakeholder platform/mechanism to continue the discussions regarding Internet Governance beyond Tunis. Its meetings are open to all interested parties, and no accreditation or consultative status is required (this is the main difference with its predecessor, the WGIG, where the members were elected by the UN SG). • A successful Inaugural meeting took place in Athens from 30 October to 2 November 2006. • The Athens meeting discussed four major themes: openness, diversity, access, security, with the crosscutting objective of development and capacity building. • High level of attendance – more than 1600 participants representing all stakeholder groups, including ministers, CEO, professors, Internet professionals and users, made the Athens meeting a success. • The next meeting will take place in November 2007 in Rio de Janeiro.

Enhanced cooperation • Governments, in the Tunis Agenda, recognized the need for enhanced cooperation in the future, to enable governments, on an equal footing, to carry out their roles and responsibilities, in international public policy issues pertaining to the Internet, but not in the day-to-day technical and operational matters, that do not impact on international public policy issues (TA 69-71). • This process has still to be conceptualized. • It could take place in different organizations (or even outside existing organizations?).

Cluster of WSIS-related events (1) • In May 2006 a “cluster of WSIS-related events” took place in Geneva, around the World Information Society Day (17 May) and the 9th session of the CSTD, consisting mainly of Action Line Facilitation meetings. These meetings were open to all stakeholders and no accreditation was required. • In May 2007, a similar cluster of events was organized by the different Agencies involved in Action Line Facilitation, as well as by the CSTD-Secretariat, around the World Information Society Day and the 10th session of the CSTD.

Cluster of WSIS-related events (2) In future, a cluster of WSIS-related events will be organized in May each year in Geneva by the Agencies concerned, consisting of a) Action Line Facilitation meetings organized by the different UN-Agencies andb) parallel events to the CSTD, organized by the different stakeholders under their responsibility. The CSTD-Secretariat will inform about the procedures regarding room reservation etc. in due time before the next CSTD session. An annual Action Line Facilitator’s meeting will also take place in May each year, as well as the annual UNGIS meeting (the latter is a closed meeting).

Parallel processes related to WSIS:The Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) • In April 2006 the launch of a Global Alliance for ICT and Development(GAID) was approved by the UN SG. • The mission of GAID is to facilitate and promote the use of ICT in attainment of the internationally agreed development goals by providing a platform for an open, inclusive, multi-stakeholder cross-sectoral policy dialogue on the role of information and communication technology in development. It will thus contribute to linking the outcomes of WSIS with the broader United Nations development agenda. • The Global Alliance is a multi-stakeholder initiative. It is an informal mechanism, even if close links remain with the United Nations. To some extent, it can be considered as a continuation of the ICT Task Force, but GAID does not have elected members. GAID is open to all interested parties, like the IGF. No accreditation or consultative status is necessary. It is steered by a Steering Committee and a Strategy Council. • More information is at www.un-gaid.org

Approaches of the Global Alliance (GAID) • In July 2006 the participants in the GAID Kuala Lumpur Inaugural Meeting agreed on a number of approaches and decided that the focus should be on the following key priority areas that are considered most relevant: • Education; • Health; • Entrepreneurship; • Participation in policy debate and decision making (governance). • GAID Strategy Council meet on 27-28 February 2007 in Santa Clara, California, USA (second meeting) • GAID organized a number of events at UN NY and also during the 10th Session of the CSTD at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Next event is a youth event in September 2007 at the CICG in Geneva.

Thank you for your attention charles.geiger@unctad.org

WSIS Implementation and follow-up mechanism a comprehensive overview