Digital Reach

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HE UNIQUE NATURE

of the World Summit on the Information

Society (WSIS), structured in two phases, has facilitated

dialogue and partnership, enabling the international commu-

nity to address questions about the Information Society in a

comprehensive and inclusive manner. The preparatory process of

WSIS has provided a variety of venues and vehicles for all stake-

holders to fully participate at the global, regional and local levels.

The involvement of stakeholders in the WSIS discussions has been

unprecedented in the United Nations system, particularly in the

consultative process on Internet governance issues.

WSIS covers many broad and cross-cutting issues. The subject

matter impacts everyone, whether public sector, private sector or civil

society. However, the growth of the Information Society has been, to

a large extent, private sector driven. The involvement and participa-

tion, therefore, of the private sector as well as civil society in theWSIS

process has been important as well as a natural evolution.

The UN itself is at a crossroads. In September 2005, the High-

Level Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly discussed and

committed to an agenda of UN reform. In an increasingly global-

ized world, in which national borders are eroding more and more,

the participation of other stakeholders in intergovernmental

processes will be an increasing phenomenon.

Regional and thematic meetings

Throughout both phases of WSIS, a series of regional and

thematic meetings have taken place, providing platforms for

discussion on implementation, best practice and exchange of

information. These meetings have broadened the inclusion of

stakeholders, provided input from the regional and local levels

and built a base of support for implementation. The regional

meetings have provided platforms for discussing challenges and

opportunities facing specific areas of the world. Thematic meet-

ings have provided intellectual laboratories on specific topics in

which new and practical measures have been discussed and inno-

vative solutions developed.

As during the preparations for the Geneva phase, the regional

and thematic meetings have played a key role in assessing the issues

from a local perspective, as well as providing critical input into the

preparations for the Tunis phase. These meetings have helped to

generate interest and commitment at the local level, and to ensure

that more voices and perspectives are incorporated into the WSIS

process and its outcome documents.

Key issues addressed in Phase II

Following the Geneva Summit in 2003, there were two issues which

required further discussion in the Preparatory Process for the Tunis

Summit (Phase II): financial mechanisms and Internet governance.

The UN Secretary General mandated two groups – the Task Force

on Financial Mechanisms (TFFM) and the Working Group on

Internet Governance (WGIG) – to delve into both of these issues

in further detail and to make recommendations in preparation for

the Tunis Summit.

During the examination of the report of the TFFM, the

Member States agreed on an outstanding political issue from

the Geneva Summit, the Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF). It was

agreed that the DSF should be a fund of a voluntary nature,

which would complement existing financial mechanisms and

develop innovative approaches in terms of identifying sources

of its own funding. The official launch of the voluntary DSF

took place in Geneva in March 2005. The fund seeks to carry

out projects that can make a real difference on the ground. We

expect to hear announcements about some of these new projects

during the Tunis Summit.

The WGIG presented its findings during the third preparatory

meeting in Geneva in September 2005. The process and discus-

sion on Internet governance revealed two underlying issues. First,

the WSIS WGIG process was an attempt to further codify or

develop relations between two systems of international law: public

and private. For many centuries, intergovernmental relations have

been regulated by a system of international public law, which

provides an absolute state sovereignty over state borders. The

Internet, which was developed as an academic and research

network, has become a global system (even a global ‘good’) which

does not recognize state borders and whose ‘owners’ do not

necessarily recognize the notion of state sovereignty. The Internet

in most cases is governed according to a system of international

private law. Today there are very few examples of interaction

between these two systems of law. The WSIS WGIG process was

clearly breaking new ground.

Following the Geneva Summit, awareness of the importance of

the Information Society grew, resulting in many practical efforts

and projects related to infrastructure development, including an

East African underwater optical cable, as well as some other

unique projects such as the development of a USD100 laptop for

distribution to millions of children in developing countries

throughout the world.

The road ahead

The key challenge following the Tunis Summit will be to keep

WSIS on the international agenda and to make sure that the work

and recommendations of WSIS are implemented. Finding appro-

priate implementation mechanisms is not easy. No single UN

WSIS and the growth of the Information

Society: multi-stakeholder process

Janis Karklins, permanent representative of Latvia to United Nations office at Geneva

and President of the WSIS Preparatory Commitee, Tunis phase