Geneva hosted last 25-26 September the 13th meeting of the working group on the implementation of results of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
The meeting's participants basically reviewed reports on ITU activities that contribute towards applying the WSIS results. The group was informed of the meeting held last 23 May by the organisations charged with co-ordinating the different WSIS Action Lines (ITU, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as the consultations conducted last 15 September.
Both gatherings meant to encourage information sharing and to improve the process of facilitating the Action Lines. It was concluded that the cluster of WSIS meetings should:
i) be concentrated in just one week;
ii) change their name to better reflect the goals of these meetings;
iii) discuss specific subjects and not necessarily the Action Lines;
iv) be organised at global and also regional level. It was additionally considered that ways should be created to effectively and harmoniously mediate the implementation level of the WSIS results with the other organisations.
During the talks, the prevailing view was that debating specific topics or themes instead of discussing the Action Lines would not be productive, as the themes and goals comprising same are the result of a lengthy and weighted process, whereby they should not now be neglected.
The group was also informed of the numerous activities carried out by the ITU with a view to implementing the WSIS results, not only per the various Action Lines but also in other areas, such as emergency communications, the Connect the World initiative and the creation of help-lines for children, among many others.
One of the other reports presented concerned the celebration of World Telecommunications and Information Society Day, an event held last 15 May during Telecom Africa in Cairo. It saw the World Telecommunication and Information Society Prize awarded to Suzanne Mubarack, Andrea Sacks and the Daisy Consortium, people who are actively involved in increasing access for the disabled, the theme topic chosen for the 2008 commemorations.
The WG WSIS subgroup on internet issues also held a meeting. Although no documents on this question were submitted that could justify this subgroup's meeting, it was necessary to summarise the activity undertaken for inclusion in the WG WSIS report for the 2008 session of the ITU Council. The subgroup's discussion mainly focused on the ITU's role in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), with Syria questioning the effective importance granted to the ITU at this forum, as its reports never mention the ITU and some contributions were not considered. In this context, the Secretariat explained that while the ITU does take part with observer's status, its contributions are taken into account, though not all contributions are duly considered by the IGF.
The group thus considered that it was necessary to enhance the ITUs role in that forum.
The WG on Implementation of the WSIS Results also revised the updated version of the roadmap detailing the activities to be undertaken by the ITU to ensure that the WSIS results are duly implemented by 2015.
The meeting ended with determination of the report to be submitted to the 2008 session of the ITU Council, regarding the groups activity since 2007.
