[WSIS CS-Plenary] Future of this list...?

[Laina Raveendran Greene]

Dear Rik,
 
Thanks for addressing these questions for us to answer so we can avoid
problems and confusion in the future. FYI, Values and Ethics caucus also met
at the end of Tunis and are continuing our work using the wsis-cs list as
one of the tools. I do see value keeping this plenary list at the least
functional, even if just to post information about post-Tunis new structures
formed in the future. This helps keep people already involved abreast, and
ensures there is one place people can come to get the info they need on
followup so they can organise themselves accordingly.
 
Creating a "new form of cooperation" for ECOSOC followup and IGF for the
inclusive multistakeholder will be key. The work of all caucuses will need
then to be channelled to offer effective input into the future of
post-Tunis. Much of this could also mean keeping Methods Working Committee
ongoing as well so we can input into the process development as well.
 
Thank Rik and CONGO for all your efforts to keep CS involved, and there is
much we can learn from the lessons of the past to improve for the future.
Despite the problems of WSIS, it still is a unique experiment that should be
built upon.
 
Best,
Laina

  _____  

From: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org] On Behalf
Of Rik Panganiban
Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 3:33 PM
To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
Subject: Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Future of this list...?


Dear Colleagues,

I will re-state what I said at the close CS plenary in Tunis. 

All the structures and modalities that were developed over the course of the
last four years in the WSIS process have effectively completed their
mandates with the conclusion of the WSIS on 18 November. Thus all of our
caucuses, working groups, Content and Themes, the Bureau, and Plenary itself
should be considered as defunct unless specifically re-constituted and
re-chartered. 

I understand that the Internet Governance caucus wishes to continue as a
caucus into the future, but I that's the only one I have heard about.

With the creation of the Internet Governance Forum and the renewed mandate
of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development there will be
new opportunities for civil society at the global level to impact the policy
process. We can not presume that our old structures and methods are the most
effective or democratic ones for achieving maximum impact and participation.
In fact we can assume that they are not.

The draft of the Civil Society statement on the WSIS indicates that we will
evolve our own processes:


Civil society will work on the continued evolution of the current
structures. This will include the use of existing thematic caucuses and
working groups, the possible creation of new caucuses, and the use of the
Civil Society Plenary, the Civil Society Bureau, and the Civil Society
Content and Themes Group. We will organise at a date to be determined to
launch the process of creating a Civil Society charter. 



Presumably whoever signs on to the final statement agrees to work this
evolution and a new CS charter.

As always, we seem to act when a deadline approaches. I suggest that at the
latest we have until July 2006. This is because ECOSOC has been tasked with
the following:


105. We request that ECOSOC oversees the system- wide follow-up of the
Geneva and Tunis outcomes of WSIS. To this end, we request that ECOSOC, at
its substantive session of 2006, reviews the mandate, agenda and composition
of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD),
including considering the strengthening of the Commission, taking into
account the multi-stakeholder approach.


The ECOSOC substantive session takes place over the month of July. Thus we
might see this as a deadline to come to some basic level of consensus on how
we operate together by July if we are going to have any kind of structured
input into this discussion. 

Obviously it would be better if we had our act together before this. But
this gives all of our respective organizations and ourselves time for
internal discussions about how we wish to be involved from this point
forward and how much we will need to coordinate with each other.

Rik Panganiban
CONGO

On Dec 2, 2005, at 12:21 PM, Robert Guerra wrote:


With the Tunis phase over, the WSIS process has concluded. The discussions
on and internet governance, ICT4D and other information society related
issues enter a new phase of discussion.

In that context, what do people on this and other WSIS related thematic
discussions think about how to best follow and discuss the issues as the
develop. For example, should this list (and others) continue as is, or
should their mission be re-articulated and/or refocused in some way.

regards

Robert

--
Robert Guerra <rguerra at privaterra.org>
Director, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)
Tel +1 416 893 0377 Fax +1 416 893 0374





===============================================
RIK PANGANIBAN Communications Coordinator
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations
(CONGO) 
web: http://www.ngocongo.org
email: rik.panganiban at ngocongo.org
mobile: (+1) 917-710-5524 

* Information on the WSIS at http://www.ngocongo.org/wsis
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