[CS Bureau] Speakers and Format of Tunis Summit

[Bertrand de LA CHAPELLE]

Dear all,

Two points regarding Renate's report.

1) About CS speaking slots :

- 12 speakers is indeed a very limited number 
- designation of the speakers by CS is a welcome evolution - 
even if we know it is hard. Will there be a formal 
confirmation ?
- CS means accredited CS entities to the WSIS process; 
- speakers are less important than CONTENT ; the question 
is : what does CS want to say ?

Therefore, there is a key discussion to hold within CS on :
- what kind of statements it wants to make (general 
intervention on the process, formal Declaration, 
announcement, initiative ....?) 
- on what topics (process, thematic ...)
- with what consultation and drafting process (this is the 
most important, and a good opportunity to cristallize the 
methods presently under discussion)

Consequence : there may be a joint mandate between CSB, WGWM 
and Content and Themes to design an appropriate drafting 
process for these statements. Could also be the purpose of 
the Stategy Group that Ralf was proposing to relaunch.

Similar discussion on the panels. There is a big challenge to 
avoid the mess we faced in preparing for Geneva. By the way, 
should not here be a collective effort by civil society to 
organize a series of events in the parallel conference 
space ? Each Caucus could for instance organize a roundtable 
on its own topic and invite actors to participate.

Renate wrote : "The process of identification of CS speakers 
should ideally be finalized by the end of PrepCom III". Am I 
right in understanding this as being a deadline for CS to 
design its process and not a way to say that the WSIS ES will 
finalize a method for that date ?

2) About the physical venue

Renate mentions that : "The adjacent exhibition area will be 
open to general public, not needing official badges. This 
area will be under Tunisian authority."

Was the ICT4D exhibit in Geneva incorporated in the UN 
territory or not ? I thought it was, like the rest of the 
official venue, but I may be wrong. this may be an important 
point in many respects.

Similarly, will the conferences in the Parallel events be 
under Tunisian or UN jurisdiction ?
Best

B.



Renate wrote :

>   1.Speakers
>
>    
>
>   I was told that due to enormous pressures from the
>   International Organizations, in particular from the
>   UN Agencies who all want to speak, in accordance
>   with customary UN protocol some of the time given to
>   observers will need to take their multiple requests
>   into consideration. However, equal time will be
>   given to CS and PS.
>
>   As it looks now, CS will have the following slots
>
>   ·         1 speaker at the Opening Session, (there
>   was no acceptance of slicing this slot)
>
>   ·         1 speaker at the First Plenary
>
>   ·         1 (or 2) speakers at Second Plenary
>   (depending on the number of Heads of State)
>
>   ·         1 (or 2) speakers at Third Plenary 
>   (depending on the number of Heads of State)
>
>   ·         2 speakers at all following observer
>   slots
>
>    
>
>   This means 12 CS speakers for sure and alternates
>   should be ready.
>
>   In addition, CS will be invited to participate in
>   the parallel Round Tables (with only 20 participants
>   as 30 compared to Geneva) which will be held in
>   parallel and consecutively and in the three
>   interactive High-Level Panels, to be held probably
>   during lunch-time (with 5 panalists). The process of
>   identification of CS speakers should ideally be
>   finalized by the end of PrepCom III
>
>    
>
>   The good news is that after the discussion the WSIS
>   ES affirmed that CS decides through its own
>   mechanisms who will speak (in coordination with the
>   Secretary- General of the Summit -Mr. Utsumi, who is
>   now known to accept decisions by CS)
>
>   CS speakers will be called by name and accredited
>   entity and then identified through their
>   self-organizing mechanism (Caucus, WG or other)
>
>   It was nevertheless pointed out that the President
>   of the Summit or his Representative, chairing the
>   Summit, could just not call on a particular speaker
>   if he so decides (!)
>
>    
>
>   2.Overpasses
>
>    
>
>   Because of some limited capacity - the Plenary
>   contains some 2500 seats - overpasses will be given
>   to participants
>
>     o 1200 to governments 
>     o   300 to IGOs 
>     o   400 to PS 
>     o   600 to CS 
>
>    
>
>   The CSB will be asked to work out a scheme for best
>   possible participation. CS overpasses will be non-
>   nominative
>
>    
>
>   3. Security
>
>    
>
>   Badges will be issued in the same format as in
>   Geneva, (I asked for a very short detection distance
>   and pointed to the existing expertise within CS in
>   this field. I also requested that the ES should
>   insist that the Host Country agreement with the UN,
>   particularly the section on Immunity should be soon
>   an accessible document)
>
>    
>
>   4. Venue
>
>    
>
>   Venue will be as in Geneva all under one roof.
>   However space other than Plenary and specific areas
>   for the ITU and other Offices will be open spaces,
>   meaning that probably the noise level in rooms for
>   parallel events will also be the same as in Geneva.
>   The adjacent exhibition area will be open to general
>   public, not needing official badges. This area will
>   be under Tunisian authority.
>
>    
>
>   More information will be sent out soon by the WSIS
>   ES.
>
>    
>
>   We are here following the Commission on Human
>   Rights, see also www.ngoCHR.org and www.unhcr.info
>
>    
>
>   Best
>
>   Renata  
>
>    
>>   E-mil: rbloem at ngocongo.org
>   Website: www.ngocongo.org
>
>    
>
>    
>