The World Summit on The Information Society: Asian Civil Society Response

1
The World Summit on The Information Society
Asian Civil Society Response

• About WSIS and Asia Pacific Regional Conference
• NGO/Civil Society Participation
• Discussion paper The World Summit on the
  Information Society an Asian Response
  
• ACSF Our Contribution

2
The World Summit on The Information Society
Asian Civil Society Response

• Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM),
  International University of Japan
  
• Academic research institute and NGO information
  society, ICTs and public policy
  
• http//www.glocom.ac.jp http//www.glocom.org
• Japanese non-profit sector representative to the
  (Digital Opportunities Task) DOT Force
  
• Coordination (not represent) for Asian NGOs/Civil
  Society for participation in WSIS Asia/Pacific

3
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

• Proposed by delegates to the ITU Plenipotentiary
  Meeting in 1998
  
• Endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly
  as a multi-sectoral approach
  
• UN global summit under the high patronage of the
  Secretary General
  
• Two-Phase
• Geneva in December 2003 will adopt a Declaration
  of Principles and Action Plan
  
• Tunis in 2005 will assess progress and refine the
  Action Plan with a focus on development
  

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World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

• "To develop a common vision and understanding
  of the Information Society, to better understand
  its scope and dimensions and to draw up a
  strategic plan of action for successfully
  adapting to the new society"
• Proposed themes for WSIS
• Access to ICTs for all
• ICTs as tools for social and economic development
  
  
• Confidence and security in the use of ICTs

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WSIS Meeting Timeline

• Preparatory Committees
• PrepCom 1 Geneva 1-5 July 2002
• PrepCom 2 Geneva, 17-28 February 2003
• PrepCom 3 Geneva, September 2003 (tentative)
• 2002-2003, Regional Preparations
• African Bamako (Mali) 28-30 May 2002
• Pan European Bucharest (Romania) 7-9 November
  2002
  
• Asian Tokyo (Japan) 13-15 January 2003
• LA C Bávaro (Dominican Republic) 29-31
  January 2003
  
• 2003 December 10-12, WSIS (1) Geneva
• 2004-2005 PrepComs
• 2005 WSIS (2) Tunis
• http//www.itu.int/wsis/

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WSIS Asia Regional Meeting. Tokyo, January 11-15,
2003

• Pre-meeting side events, January 11-12
• January 13 Opening and panel discussions
• January 14 Statements and reporting comment
  session
  
• January 15 Reports and adoption of output
  (half-day)
  
• January is a busy month!
• http//www.wsis-japan.jp/

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Civil Society Participation and Contribution

• CS Input welcomed
• Conference reports will be accepted as input to
  the regional meeting (formal process this week)
  
• Declaration - specific suggestions and
  recommendations
  
• Action plan - specific suggestions and
  recommendations (tangibles, more than talk)
  
• Organizers want your help - recognizing CS is
  hard
  
• Write to wsis_at_soumu.go.jp

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Logistics and Process Issues

• www.wsis-japan.jp/
• Register by December 13
• www.wsis-japan.jp/conference/registration.html
  
  
• infoDev, UNDP/ADB/ Govt. of Japan. Fellowships
  are available and cover airfare and accommodation
  for developing nation NGOs Caucus groups
  Pacific Islands SE Asian LDCs
• Registration process open, web-based, no
  accreditation but details required
  
• If you need a fellowship you must say so
• Hurry, visas take time

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Agenda

• Note to be fixed an opportunity
• Day 1 Opening and panel discussions
• Day 2 Statements and reporting comment
  session
  
• Day 3 Reports and adoption of output (half-day)
• Pre-meeting side events, January 11-12

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Agenda January 13 Panel Discussions

• Opening sessions launch the conference
• Keynote speech
• Sessions are responsibility of the organizer
  taking multi-sectoral approach
  
• Cultural Linguistic Diversity (UNESCO)
• Development and ICT (UNDP)
• Future of e-economy (Private sector)
• NGO panel to be confirmed and discussed
• to be fixed think of it as an opportunity to
  contribute, first via wsis_at_soumu.go.jp
  

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Agenda January 14

• Keynote speeches
• Statements
• Government, International Organization, Private
  Sector, Civil Society
  
• Wrap Up Session
• Input from pre-conferences
• Input from Tokyo side events
• Reports from day 1
• Intervention from floor
• Drafting group - CS representative(s) ?

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Agenda January 15

• Report from the organizer
• Speech by Japanese PM (TBC)
• Adoption of Declaration (output of the meeting)
  
  
• NGO next steps meeting (possible) ?

13
Side Events January 11 12

• Organized by the United Nations University,
  http//www.unu.edu/wsis/
  
• (closing date by 27 December, 2002)
• Gender Beijing JAC (Japan Accountability
  Caucus)
  
• Youth GKP/Youth Forum
• Pacific IslandsPIF, GKP/FDC, PIDO
• NGO Forum (proposed) Communication rights as
  human rights and human security
  
• Your issue?
• Coordinating plenary for Asian civil society

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ACSF contribution to WSIS Asia

• Proposal, use The World Summit on the
  Information Society an Asian Response report as
  an organic working paper
  
• Over the next few days produce an ACSF statement
  from this working paper
  
• Continued discussion this evening at the Royal
  Princess Hotel, 7F 630 pm (until you want to
  finish)
  
• Report back to the Plenary, Friday morning
• Friday the Thirteenth (Whats next?)

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Contacts

• WSIS Asia
• http//www.wsis-japan.jp/
• NGO Contact point ap-wsis_at_glocom.ac.jp
• General Email wsis_at_soumu.go.jp
• Izumi Aizu izumi_at_anr.org
• Adam Peake ajp_at_glocom.ac.jp
• Thank You

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Contacts

• WSIS Asia
• Main information point http//www.wsis-japan.jp/
  
• NGO Contact point ap-wsis_at_glocom.ac.jp
• General Email wsis_at_soumu.go.jp
• Side Events http//www.unu.edu/wsis/
• WSIS http//www.itu.int/wsis/
• Izumi Aizu izumi_at_anr.org
• Adam Peake ajp_at_glocom.ac.jp

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Agenda

• Introduction, Izumi, 5 min,
• Report on the Tuesday Session, Jaba - 10 min
• Presentation of Statement, Conchita 10 min
• Proposed future actions, Izumi, 5 min
• Discussion, 30 min 

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Proposed Future Actions

• WSIS Asia Pacific NGO Coordination Committee
  (WANCOC)?
  
• Coordination Committee from
• - Asia Caucus, PrepCom1
• - Bangkok Workshop by NGO/Civil Society
• - CONGO Bangkok Conference
• - Organizers of Side events
• -Open to others committed to WSIS from NGO/CSO
• Bring 1 or 2 key persons from each group to act
  as coordination body 

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After Tokyo Conference

• Continue lobbying and NGO/Civil Society
  coordination to the preparatory process of WSIS,
  including PrepCom2, 3 and the Summit itself
  
• Liaise with other activities, Hyderabad meeting,
  Porto Alegre, etc
  

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Actions

•  1)Complete the Documents
• Report by Jaba
• WSIS NGO Input, with Jamess summary, fed
• 2)  In Tokyo
• Open Meeting at Side Event,
• a plenary to share information and coordinate
  actions, by WANCOC, Jan 11, 12 - 5 to 7 pm?
  
• Wrap up meeting
• after the conclusion of Tokyo conference, Jan 15
  afternoon

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In Tokyo

• Participate Declaration drafting
• Participate Report writing

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More Actions

• Mailing List
• Website
• PrepCom 2?
• Any other action item?