<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Rik, Thanks for the useful analysis
and ideas on the text below.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I would only like to highlight that
the draft text states that the speakers be "identified" (and
not necessarily selected !!) and </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">that this is done also in coordination
with the S-G of the Summit. Just a warning sign, that the interpretation
is still vague.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"> "</font><font size=2><tt>identified
through their self-organizing mechanisms, in coordination with the <br>
Secretary-General of the Summit, will
be invited to make opening <br>
remarks"</tt></font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I think it is good that this point is
always raised and clarified, like Ralf did during the meeting with the
ITU representative,</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">so that the experience of the Geneva
Summit will hopefully be avoided. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Ramin</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*<br>
Ramin Kaweh<br>
Programme Officer<br>
UN-NGLS (Non-Governmental Liaison Service)<br>
Palais des Nations<br>
1211 Geneva 10<br>
Switzerland<br>
tel: 0041.22. 917 2078<br>
fax: 0041.22. 917 0432<br>
ramin.kaweh@unctad.org<br>
www.un-ngls.org<br>
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* <br>
<br>
<br>
</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>Rik Panganiban <rikp@earthlink.net></b></font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: plenary-admin@wsis-cs.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">28.02.2005 15:19</font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Please respond to plenary</font>
<td><font size=1 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif"> To:
wsis-cs-plenary <plenary@wsis-cs.org></font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif"> cc:
bureau@wsis-cs.org, ct@wsis-cs.org</font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif"> Subject:
[WSIS CS-Plenary] format for Tunis Summit</font></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2><tt>Dear Friends,<br>
<br>
Prepcom II accepted the draft document from the Executive Secretariat <br>
on the modalities of the Tunis summit (doc # WSIS-II/PC-2/DOC/4), which
<br>
can be found at:<br>
<br>
http://www.itu.int/wsis/documents/listing-all.asp? <br>
lang=en&c_event=pc2|2&c_type=all|<br>
<br>
General comments: Below you will find the text which requires some
<br>
action from civil society's "self-organizing mechanisms" to select
<br>
speakers for the opening ceremony, the plenary sessions of the General
<br>
Debate, and the official roundtables. I am going to recommend that
the <br>
Working Methods Working Group suggest some modalities for how we select
<br>
among the accredited WSIS civil society organizations who will be <br>
nominated to speak at these venues. The CS Bureau and Content and
<br>
Themes should add this to their agendas as well.<br>
<br>
And before we go into a feeding frenzy for scarce speaking slots, I <br>
would like to note that we should not divert so much energy and <br>
resources toward organizing our few minutes of interventions that we <br>
lose sight of our larger political objectives in the process. That
is, <br>
I would prefer that we get zero speaking slots, if in exchange we got <br>
rock solid commitments from governments to achieve the important <br>
objectives of bridging the digital divide, democratizing internet <br>
governance and protecting universal human rights in the information <br>
society.<br>
<br>
Among the notable bits from the document (my emphasis added):<br>
<br>
A. Speakers at Opening Ceremony:<br>
<br>
> The Heads of State of the host countries, the Secretary-General of
the <br>
> United Nations, the Secretary-General of ITU, the President of the
<br>
> Preparatory Committee, and one top-level representative from civil
<br>
> society (including NGOs) as well as one top-level representative from
<br>
> a business sector entity (including ITU Sector Members), identified
<br>
> through their self-organizing mechanisms, in coordination with the
<br>
> Secretary-General of the Summit, will be invited to make opening <br>
> remarks.<br>
<br>
My comments: The phrase "through their self-organizing mechanisms"
is a <br>
nice gain for civil society, since many of us were incredibly unhappy <br>
with how the secretariat chose a speaker for the opening ceremony that
<br>
did not reflect any of our significant efforts among ourselves to agree
<br>
on a slate of proposed speakers from our own processes. I personally
<br>
am unhappy with one person speaking on behalf of all civil society, but
<br>
perhaps we could think of some innovative way of sharing the one <br>
speaking slot, i.e. having three speakers from three regions speak <br>
simultaneously the same statement.<br>
<br>
B. Interventions during General Debate:<br>
<br>
> 4.
Immediately after the opening ceremony, the first plenary meeting <br>
> shall start with general debate. General debate will continue until
<br>
> the eighth plenary meeting on Friday afternoon. The last fifteen <br>
> minutes of general debate of the first plenary meeting, the last half
<br>
> hour of general debate of the second, third, fifth and sixth plenary
<br>
> meeting and the last hour of general debate of the fourth and seventh
<br>
> plenary meeting will be set aside for statements from representatives
<br>
> of organizations and entities attending the Summit as observers.<br>
<br>
> 6.
During the time reserved for observers, speaking time will be <br>
> limited to 3 minutes. All speakers should represent the top-level
of <br>
> their organizations or entities. With regard to accredited civil <br>
> society entities (including NGOs) and business sector entities <br>
> (including ITU Sector Members), the spokespersons shall be identified
<br>
> through their self-organizing mechanisms, in coordination with the
<br>
> Secretary-General of the Summit. With regard to intergovernmental
<br>
> organizations, in principle, High Level Summit Organizing Committee
<br>
> members, represented at the top-level, may make statements.<br>
<br>
My comments: If my math is correct, assuming an equal division of
<br>
speaking times among civil society, the private sector and <br>
inter-governmental organizations, that adds up to 85 minutes of <br>
interventions from civil society during the entire General Debate. If <br>
we assume 3 minutes interventions each speaker, that would be about 28
<br>
individual speaking slots for civil society.<br>
<br>
"Top-level speakers from organizations" I interpret to mean the
<br>
Presidents and Secretary-Generals of accredited NGOs. This is <br>
important to note, since for many of our organizations, our Presidents
<br>
and Secretary-Generals might not be attending the Tunis Summit. Or
<br>
conversely, they might only chose to attend if they are speaking at the
<br>
official plenary.<br>
<br>
<br>
C. Parallel Roundtables<br>
<br>
> 2.
Each round table will have a maximum of 20 participants. Half of <br>
> the participants will come from States and half from organizations
and <br>
> entities attending the Summit as observers.<br>
><br>
> 7.
Participants from organizations and entities attending the Summit <br>
> as observers will be nominated by the Secretary-General of the Summit,
<br>
> in consultation with the High Level Summit Organizing Committee, and
<br>
> self-organizing mechanisms of civil society (including NGOs) and <br>
> business sector entities (including ITU Sector Members).<br>
<br>
My comments: Assuming an equal division of roundtable slots from CS, <br>
private sector and inter-governmental organizations, we would get 3-4 <br>
roundtable seats per roundtable.<br>
<br>
Rik Panganiban<br>
===============================================<br>
RIK PANGANIBAN Communications Coordinator<br>
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations
<br>
(CONGO)<br>
web: http://www.ngocongo.org<br>
email: rik.panganiban@ngocongo.org<br>
mobile: (+1) 917-710-5524 </tt></font>
<br>