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From: WSIS Executive Secretariat <wsis-flash.owner@ties.itu.int>
To: WSIS eFlash Subscribers <wsis-eflash-h-en@ties.itu.int>
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 9:36 PM
Subject: [FMASpam 3.629] WSIS E-Flash no 19, 10 November 2004
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*** WSIS E-FLASH N°19, 10 November 2004***
--- Preparation work for PrepCom-2 by the Group of Friends of the
air ---
The first session of the WSIS Preparatory Committee (PrepCom-1), held last
June in Hammamet, Tunisia, decided that a Group of Friends of the Chair,
with assistance of the WSIS Executive Secretariat and in consultation with
regional groups, will prepare a document to serve as a basis for
negotiations in PrepCom-2. The first meeting of the Group of Friends of the
Chair (GFC) was held 22 October 2004 in Geneva, with participation of its
nominated members as well as observers from other governments, international
organizations, accredited civil society and business entities. Discussions
included the adoption of its work plan and agreement of the outline of the
Document to be submitted to PrepCom-2. The second meeting of the Group will
be held 15-16 November 2004. For the list of members of the GFC and detailed
outcome of the first meeting, see: http://www.itu.int/wsis/gfc/index.html
--- New team appointed to organize second phase of World Summit on the
Information Society ---
Mr Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary General of the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) and Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU), the agency charged with organizing the Summit appointed a team
to organize the second phase to be held in Tunis from 16 to 18 November
2005.
Mr Charles Geiger is appointed Executive Director of the WSIS Executive
Secretariat, which is based at ITU Headquarters. In cooperation with the
intergovernmental WSIS Bureau, he is charged with the overall planning and
implementation of the organization of the Summit including its preparatory
process. Mr Geiger, a Swiss national, was seconded by his government to the
Executive Secretariat in 2001 and has been serving as Assistant Executive
Director since January 2004. He will take up his new duties as of 1 November
2004.
Other members of the team include three senior officials of ITU, namely Mr
Art Levin, Chief of the ITU Coordination, External Relations and
Communication Units, Dr Tim Kelly, Chief of ITU Strategy and Policy Unit,
and Mr Fernando LagraÂ, Executive Manager of ITU TELECOM. For more
information on the new team and its role, see the WSIS press release:
http://www.itu.int/wsis/newsroom/press_releases/wsis/2004/1nov.html.
--- Consultative Meeting of Task Force on Financial Mechanisms, 16 November
2004, in Geneva ---
At the Geneva phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in
December 2003, the United Nations Secretary-General was requested to review
the adequacy of existing financial mechanisms to meet the challenges of ICT
for development. On behalf of the UN Secretary-General, the Task Force on
Financial Mechanisms (http://www.itu.int/wsis/tffm/index.html) has been set
up by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and launched on 4
October 2004 at UN headquarters in New York (see press release:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/pi1616.doc.htm).
The TFFM will organize, in the morning of 16 November 2005, at the United
Nations premises in Geneva, an informal consultation meeting open to all
stakeholders as part of an all-inclusive process. For more information on
the informal meeting see: http://www.itu.int/wsis/tffm/index.html. The TFFM
is expected to complete its review by December 2004.
--- Launch of Online Forum on Financial Mechanisms ---
The Task Force on Financial Mechanisms (TFFM) invites you to contribute to
an "Online Forum on Financial Mechanisms for Information and Communication
Technologies for Development" hosted at the WSIS-online platform
http://www.wsis-online.net/financing/finance-root/ForumTFFM) until 12
November 2004.
--- Inauguration of the Digital Solidarity Fund, 17 November 2004, in
Geneva ---
The Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF) was initiated by President Abdoulaye Wade
of Senegal at the Summit of Cities and Local Authorities on the Information
Society, held in Lyon, France, in December 2003. At the Geneva phase of
WSIS, the Cities of Geneva and Lyon, as well as the Province of Turin joined
the initiative and officially launched the DSF. The Fund is an independent
initiative aiming to reduce the global digital divide and to promote access
of all citizens to the knowledge society. The Fund will be officially
inaugurated in Geneva on 17 November 2004 in the presence of Heads of State
and representatives of Civil Society and the private sector. For more
information on DSF: http://www.dsf-fsn.org
--- 7th UN ICT Task Force meeting and Global Forum, 19-20 November 2004, in
Berlin ---
The UN ICT Task Force will hold its seventh meeting in Berlin on 19 and 20
November 2004. The Working Groups of the Task Force on ICT Policy and
Governance, National and Regional e-Strategies and Human Resource
Development and Capacity-Building will meet on the eve of the Forum. Along
with the meetings of the ICT Task Force, a Global Forum on promoting an
enabling environment for digital development will be held. The Global Forum
is an open event intended to provide a platform for broadest participation
of all stakeholders. For more information, see:
http://www.unicttaskforce.org/seventhmeeting/registration.html
--- Working Group on Internet Governance, 23 - 25 November 2004, in
Geneva ---
The first meeting of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) will be
held at the United Nations in Geneva on 23 and 25 November 2004.
Consultations open to Governments, civil society organizations and private
sector entities will be held on 24 November. The members of WGIG are to be
nominated by the United Nations Secretary-General. For detailed information
on the WGIG's mandate, timeline of activities and meeting arrangements, see
the WGIG website at: www.wgig.org. This new website has been launched at the
end of October 2004 and now runs independently from the official WSIS
website (www.itu.int/wsis).
*** INFORMATION LINKS ***
Contact us (http://www.itu.int/wsis/contact/index.html)
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WSIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
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