Commission on Science and Technology for Developement, 21st May by MP

Morning session

Opening Ceremony

· Welcoming remarks by the Chairman of CSTD, Ambassador Stefan Moravek,
· Opening statement by Mr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-general of UNCTAD,
· Statement by Mr. Moritz Leuenberger, Former President of Switzerland, Head of the federal department of the Environment, transport, energy and communications; Switzerland, host country of the first phase of WSIS,
· Statement by Mr. Montasser Ouaili, Minister of Communication Technologies of Tunisia; host countries of the second phase of WSIS,
· Statement by Mr. Dusan Caplovic, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Slovak Republic, for Knowledge-Based Society, European Affairs, Human Rights and Minorities,
· Statement by Mr. Robert Aymar, Director General of CERN,
· Statement by Mr. Houlin Zhao, Deputy Secretary-General of ITU,
· Statement by Mr. Abdul Waheed Khan, Assistant Director-General for communication and information, UNESCO,
· Statement by Mr. Tim Evans, Assistant Director-General – Information, Evidence and Research, WHO,
· Statement by Mr. Guy Sebban, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce,
· Statement by Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen, Secretary General of the Association for Progressive Communications,
· Statement by Mr. Andres Johansson, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENTS
All communications references to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The WSIS, which took place in two phases, in 2003 at Geneva and in 2005 at Tunis, adopted a common vision and commitment “to building a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society”, substantive theme of the tenth session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD).
The Geneva Summit in 2003 adopted a Plan of Action, which seeks to translate that vision into concrete objectives, goals and targets, to be met by 2015, along a series of action lines and main themes. The Tunis Summit in 2005 established a mechanism for implementation and follow-up at national, regional and international levels.
Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi pointed out that information and communication technologies were not an end in themselves, but powerful tools for improving human welfare.
Thus, the concept of “knowledge society” was created.
In fact, the digital divide was not only technological; it expressed more fundamental human and social inequities.
That’s why Mr. Moritz Leuenberger underlines that one of the most important achievements of WSIS had been to show that the information revolution was embedded in larger social progresses, particularly in science, education and culture. It can also conduct to growth developing countries.
Everybody was agree to affirm that the WSIS had led to a new, more integrate and holistic vision of the information society.
Dr. Supachai emphasized the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for development and the several possibilities offered by those technologies, particularly for reducing the inequality between developed and developing countries. In fact, ICT would have the greatest effect on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
Mr. Andres Johansson reported several essential elements in the building of a people-centred, development-oriented and inclusive information society; thus, one of the most important was democratic governance, but accountability and transparency were also crucial.
Mr. Guy Sebban stressed the important role that the private sector and business community can play in leveraging technology and finance. Business is not only a key stakeholder in the deployment of infrastructure, but also a key driving force in technological development.
Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen pointed out the role of civil society, which played an important role in the field of advocacy for ICT for development, poverty reduction, empowerment, social justice and human rights.

Item 1. Adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters.

In accordance with established practice, the Commission, at its ninth session on 18 May 2006, elected by acclamation the bureau for the tenth session, with the following composition:

Chairperson:
Mr. Stefan Moravek (Slovakia)

Vice-Chairpersons:
- Mr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane (Lesotho)
- Mr. Hilal Al-Hinai (Oman)
- Mr. Bernd Michael Rode (Austria)
- Mr. Arnoldo Ventura (Jamaica)

Afternoon sessions

Item 2. Substantive theme: Promoting the building of a people-centred, development-oriented and inclusive information society.
Presentation by the Secretariat of the report of the Secretary-General on the substantive theme of the Commission.
Presented by:
Mr. Mongi Hamdi , UNCTAD
Mr. Tim Kelly, ITU
ECOSOC Resolution 2004/46:

CSTD appointed to assist ECOSOC as the focal point in the system-wide follow-up to the outcomes of the WSIS…A Summit convened in response to growing concerns over the digital divide.

Action lines:

1- Internet governance:
* Multi-stakeholder policy dialogue,
* Inaugural meeting in Athens, entitled “Internet Governance for Development” was attended by about 1 350 participants,
* Issues addressed. Openness, diversity, access and security,
* Creation of “dynamic coalition”,
* Stocktaking session held in Geneva in February 2007,
* Second ICG meeting to take place in Brazil in 2007.

2- Financing mechanism:
* Voluntary “global digital solidarity fund” established in 2005 in Geneva for infrastructure development and capacity building:
- Implemented pilot projects in Africa and Asia
* Several existing mechanism, such as those of development agencies and other solidarity fund initiatives.

3- Measuring the information society
* Partnership on measuring ICT for development,
* Other initiatives: Digital opportunity index, ICT opportunity index, ICT diffusion index.

Conclusions:

* The report reviews WSIS implementation by action lines and agencies. It presents a number of recommendations that the Commission may wish to make for effective implementation.
* The digital divide is shrinking, but new gaps in quality are emerging:
· Availability of newest services
· Affordability of broadband
* Many countries are experiencing much higher levels of ICT growth:
· Successful strategies based on multi-stakeholder partnerships
* New risk threaten cyberspace: Spam, viruses, phishing, identity theft, etc



Ministerial High-level segment

* Mr. Gaoussou Drabo, Minister of communication and new technologies, Mali
He emphasized the need to reinforce collaboration in Africa. The most urgent development needs were in Africa, and science and technology could have the greatest leveraging effect, particularly for education, formation and rationalization of administration.

* Mr. Ch. Nouraiz Shakoor Khan, Federal Minister of science and technology, Pakistan
If education and capacity building are critical steps into the new global economy, e-learning should be considered a critical facet of development.
Information technology systems in the developing world need adequate infrastructure and connectivity. A growing difference in market liberalization of the internet-access and supply is leading to another kind of digital divide on the global scale.
The number of the internet users in Pakistan is growing fast, and the government has undertaken important initiatives.
The government has evolved an enabling environment for promoting competition and providing investor friendly atmosphere.

* Ms. Ligia Amada Melo de Cardona, Secretary of State for Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dominican Republic
The country has undertaken important initiatives to promoting ICT to reduce poverty:
· Massive investment in education, especially IT/virtual universities,
· Infrastructure development
· Formation
· Broadband and Mobile telephony development
Thus, Dominican Republic has the higher growth rate in the world (10.7% in 2006).

* Mr. Balkrishna Prasai, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, science and technology, Nepal.
Nepal is building a peace edification process. Thus, some progresses have to be realized to information and communication development.
The country pointed out the crucial role of ICT diffusion in contributing towards development and growth.
In spite of recent progress in developing countries in bridging the digital divide, the gap remained wide between nations, but in the country, there were also domestic digital divides between urban and rural areas.
The country considers the ICT promotion like a priority for its economic and social development.

* Mr. Reno Harnish, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Oceans, environment and scientific affairs, USA.
USA cooperates with several developing countries to develop science and technology, for example, in Jordan.
Chairman considers that these statements constitute a good base for the debate and underline positive emotional context.