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<font face="arial" size=2>Hello All,<br><br>
Forwarding reports on PREPCOM III by Johnson Honimae, General Manager,
SIBC. <br>
Johnson's trip was supported by UNESCO, so that he could report on
PREPCOM3 to the Pacific WSIS list and news media.<br><br>
</font>Geneva, 15/9/03 by Johnson Honimae - Solomon Islands Broadcasting
Corporation<br>
<br>
The third meeting of the Preparatory Committee on the World Summit on the
Information Society has opened in Geneva, Switzerland with an expression
of strong support for Pacific Islands countries coming from President of
the Committee, Adama Samassekou of Mali.<br>
<br>
This was expressed during a meeting with the Deputy Director of the
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based in Noumea, New
Caledonia, Yves Corbel in Geneva before the meeting opened.<br>
<br>
During the meeting, Mr Corbel briefed Mr Samassekou on SPC's role in the
social, economical and natural resource development of 22 Pacific Islands
Countries and Territories (PICTS).<br>
<br>
Mr Corbel also spoke on the main challenges and contraints of the PICTS
and the role of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT).<br>
<br>
He also made recommendations for revision of paragragh 12 of the draft
WSIS Declaration of Principles which covers Solomon Islands Development
States(SIDS) which includes countries in the Pacific.<br>
<br>
Mr Corbel also highlighted the priorities of gender and youth development
in the PICTS.<br>
<br>
In response, Mr Samassekou admitted to Mr Corbel that he $B}T(B a
"strong supporter and advocate on behalf of PICTS."<br>
<br>
"I fully appreciate the points raised about the Small Islands
Development States paragraph. The idea is to reduce the draft Declaration
of Principles even more."<br>
<br>
"The Declaration of Principles is to be a global document and so it
must refrain from singling out any particular geographic
region,"said Mr Samassekou.<br>
<br>
Mr Samassekou said he will make the effort to include the Pacific Islands
requirements not already included to be covered in the draft Action
Plan.<br>
<br>
Besides the Secretariate of the Pacific Community, only three other
Pacific Islands governments have delegations at the Prep Com III
meeting.<br>
<br>
They include Fiji, represented by its Manager, Business and Systems
Development, ITC Services, Abel Caine; Samoa represented by the Chief
Executive Officer, Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology,Asamu Ah Sam and the Federated States of Micronesia, which is
represented by its Deputy Chief of Mission at its Embassy in
Washington.<br>
<br>
ENDS.<br><br>
<br>
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
Chat Garcia
Ramilo &nbs=
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bsp;
<br>
Project Manager<br>
Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support
Programme, (APC WNSP)<br>
<a href="http://www.apcwomen.org/"; eudora="autourl">http://www.apcwomen.=
org</a>
<a href="http://www.apc.org/"; eudora="autourl">http://www.apc.org<br>
</a>chat@apcwomen.org &=
nbsp;  =
;
<br>
Manila,
PHILIPPINES  =
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sp;
<br><br>
<br>
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