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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear Renate,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I thank you and your <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region> team once again for the great
work in continuing to bring all information about post-WSIS consultations to us.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Hope I am no too late for requesting the following inputs
for your consideration for tomorrow’s CSTD meeting. Please see if you
could represent some of these points in your intervention. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The fact is that the use of CSTD for IS follow-up is conceptually
so flawed that it is difficult to decide on the right inputs. The CSTD has an important
existing mandate – of dealing with various S & T (science and technology)
issues especially with regard to development, and it will be wrong to dilute or
de-focus it. At the same time to view and conduct IS follow-up from a narrow S
& T perspective is very in-adequate at best, and diversionary of the real
issues at the worst. The big issues of IS public policy lies in socio-political
arena – whether they are about access to information, public infrastructure,
e-commerce or privacy and human rights. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>So it is difficult to suggest that CSTD leaves its existing
S & T focus and take a wholly new IS kind of socio-political orientation, and
it is as difficult to go along with a technology-centric IS follow-up process
and mechanism. Under the circumstances we may only suggest that;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The CSTD includes the issue of looking
into implications of emergence of an IS for development in its mandate as
a key issue. It needs to have specific processes developed around this key
issue, with allocation of the kind of resources that this multifarious and
society-wide issue demands. This include regular public consultations,
interfacing with various other organizations on specific policy issues,
presenting policy options, bringing out reports etc<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=2 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>It changes its membership qualification
– which at present specifically requires that members ‘should
possess the necessary qualifications and professional or scientific
knowledge’, which makes it more into an expert body. Processes of IS
follow-up should include non-technical participation that brings the whole
variety of sociopolitical issues implicated in IS to the table. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=3 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>It should, of course, as
suggested by the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Tunis</st1:State></st1:place>
agenda, open itself to multi-stakeholder participation. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=4 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>All the above issue will imply
considerable strengthening of the CSTD, including much greater budget
support. This must be ensured. <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>(Another problem is that CSTD, under the UNCTAD umbrella,
has a disproportionate focus on implications of S & T in terms of economic competitiveness,
and pays much less attention to systemic implications of S & T in
various areas of social development. I would very much like CSTD to be attached
to UNDP instead, but I know this one is a long shot.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Warm regards<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Parminder <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>________________________________________________</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>Parminder Jeet
Singh</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>IT for Change</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>Bridging
Development Realities and Technological Possibilities</span></font></i></em><font
size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial Narrow";color:gray'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=gray face="Arial Narrow"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow";color:gray'>91-80-26654134</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="http://www.itforchange.net/"
title="http://www.itforchange.net/"><em><i><font size=2 color=black face=Arial
title="http://www.itforchange.net/"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>www.ITforChange.net</span></font></i></em></a></span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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