[WSIS CS-Plenary] General WSIS Prepcom Progress Report

[Rik Panganiban]

General WSIS Prepcom Progress Report
By Rik Panganiban, Reports Coordinator, WSIS CS News Centre
September 17, 2003


Governments yesterday, September 16, finished giving their general 
comments on the new Draft Declaration of Principles, moving on today to 
the Draft Action Plan in Sub-Committee Two (Content and Themes.)  They 
plan to finish today receiving general comments from governments on the 
Plan of Action.

In an innovative modification of summit procedure, civil society, the 
private sector and some inter-governmental organizations have been 
intervening periodically on sections of the draft text, with specific 
contributions on specific paragraphs.  Already several delegations have 
made reference to these contributions, emphasizing their value in the 
process.

At the same time, several informal sub-committees, most of them 
continuing work they began at the Paris Intersessional, have been 
meeting on specific contentious areas of the Declaration, in particular 
internet governance, the right to communicate, enabling environment, 
internet security, and media.  These informal groups were initially 
open to civil society observers presence and limited participation, but 
their status as of now is not clear.

Meanwhile, Ms. Linda Mafole of South Africa is chairing a drafting 
committee focusing on the draft Declaration, which has begun meeting 
today to refine and shorten the Draft Declaration.


More detailed and up-to-date reports on the government negotiations, 
civil society proposals, interventions and other news can be found on 
http://www.prepcom.net/wsis.

=====================================================
Rik Panganiban
Reports Coordinator

Civil Society News Centre for the WSIS
web: 	http://www.prepcom.net/wsis
email: 	rik.panganiban at ngocongo.org
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