[APC Africa-ICT-Policy Monitor] [APCNews] APCNews - February 2005 - No. 50

[APCNews]

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           *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the
      Association for Progressive Communications (APC)*
                - February 2005 No. 50 -
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-- WSIS UPDATE --
-- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS --
-- NEWS FROM APC --
-- ICT POLICY & INTERNET RIGHTS --
-- BUILDING CAPACITY & STRATEGIC USE OF ICTs --
-- WOMEN & ICTs --
-- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES -
-- ONLINE TOOLS & RESOURCES --
-- WHERE IN THE WORLD IS APC IN MARCH? --
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-- WSIS UPDATE: World Summit on the Information Society - PrepCom 2 --

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a United Nations 
conference, led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Its 
objective is to develop a global framework to deal with  challenges posed by 
the development of new information and communication technologies (ICTs). 
The WSIS is a two phase process: the first one took place in Geneva in 
December 2003, and the second will take place in Tunisia in November 2005. 
The WSIS is unique in UN processes because it is a 'multi-stakeholder 
process' - including the voices of governments, the private sector and civil 
society in the deliberations.

During the first phase of the summit in Geneva, governments were unable to 
find agree on the language included in the official declarations on two 
issues - internet governance (who controls) - and financing mechanisms (who 
pays), including the creation of a Digital Solidarity Fund for Africa. A 
resolution was found only by requesting the UN Secretary General to form two 
working groups mandated to discuss various options and bring recommendations 
back to stakeholders for further deliberation during Phase II, with the hope 
that governments would sign off on agreed language during the Tunis Summit..