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Fw: [DigAfrica] Promoting ccTLDs in Africa
by alice＠apc.org 08 Dec '05

08 Dec '05

----- Original Message ----- From: "Ngunjiri" <ngunjiri(a)mailbox.co.za> To: <DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 4:17 PM Subject: Re: [DigAfrica] Promoting ccTLDs in Africa > Chifu, > > maybe a good Samaritan could sponsor Ms. Inne (from ICANN) to Africa > and witness for herself first-hand, the high level of technical > competency and sophistication we command. Secondly, she also needs to > understand that managing a ccTLD server is actually a no-brainer, very > repetitive and sometimes mundane relative to other sophisticated > Internet-driven roles and responsibilities. Thirdly, she honestly does > not think that respective Africans stakeholders will be establishing the > ccTLD nodes in the middle of an underserviced rural mud and brick > polytechnic. This is a veiled insult however, such expressions ignorance > from people like her is not uncommon. Nevertheless, her comments should > not stop the tide to have our own ccTLDs and should be treated with the > contempt it deserves. IMHO, this lady is completely and thoroughly > misinformed. > > Chifu wrote: > >> Promoting ccTLDs in Africa >> Highway Africa News Agency (Grahamstown) >> >> December 5, 2005 >> Posted to the web December 5, 2005 >> >> Rebecca Wanjiku >> Vancouver, Canada >> >> African businesses and agencies operating on the internet should >> promote their country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD) instead of paying >> foreign companies for .com, .net or .org addresses, said registry >> managers attending the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and >> Numbers (ICANN) meeting in Vancouver. >> >> "The money is needed in Africa and we may have no business buying the >> ..com or .net when our .co.tz domain is undersubscribed," said Jacob >> Mtui, of the University of Dar es Salaam. .com, .org and .net are >> known as Top Level Domains (TLDs). Their registries are maintained by >> US based organisations. >> >> Mtui argued that though the .co.tz, .go.tz and .ac.tz subscriptions >> are free, they have only registered 1,200 addresses in a country with >> a population of 34 million. He could not access the figures for the >> international addresses, but Mtui said the ccTLD has not been >> adequately promoted. >> >> Sample this: the central bank of Tanzania's address is >> http://www.bot-tz.org and according to Mtui, it would have been a >> perfect promotion exercise if the central bank used its .go.tz domain >> name. >> >> But according to Njeri Rionge, ICANN board member, the use of a Top >> Level Domain Name is a question of personal choice and preference. In >> her opinion, the choice of .com, .net or .org gives an organisation >> the global appeal. >> >> Whereas the use of a ccTLD denotes the location of specific companies, >> Rionge said that some companies use TLDs and still maintain a ccTLD >> address for brand protection. >> >> For example a well-known retail shop like www.uchumi.com can still >> maintain www.uchumi.co.ke to protect its brand from other people who >> may want to use the brand for other reasons. >> >> Calvin Browne, director of UNIFORUM, the not-for-profit company that >> manages the .co.za domain agrees that a decision to use ccTLD or TLD >> will be based on marketing criteria because technically there is no >> difference between accessing a ccTLD or TLD website. >> >> In the same breath, Browne said that companies or organisations can >> choose to either develop their own countries by providing income or >> take the income to other countries. >> >> "Using .co.za will definitely increase local resources and increase >> employment. There is need to develop a sense of national pride. The >> more money stays home, the wider the opportunities for re-investment," >> added Browne. >> >> Browne singled out giant corporations such as Liberty Life and Old >> Mutual in South Africa that have maintained co.za addresses yet their >> businesses are international. >> >> However, Ann-Rachel Inne, Policy Analyst at ICANN argued that African >> registries have to ensure they have the technical ability to sustain >> businesses and that connection is not erratic. >> >> "The infrastructure has to be favorable to business growth in case of >> business entities. For instance electricity has to be available and in >> case of power cuts, the registries have to have some back-up to >> guarantee continued internet operations," added Inne. >> >> http://allafrica.com/stories/200512050815.html >> >> >> >> >> >> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at >> http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica >> >> Also if you are interested to join a Swahili/English discussion group >> click >> http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kiswahili >> >> >> >> >> >> SPONSORED LINKS >> Africa >> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Africa&w1=Africa&w2=Communication+techn…> >> Communication technology >> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Communication+technology&w1=Africa&w2=C…> >> International telecommunication >> <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=International+telecommunication&w1=Afri…> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS >> >> * Visit your group "DigAfrica >> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica>" on the web. >> >> * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >> DigAfrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com >> <mailto:DigAfrica-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> >> >> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of >> Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>. >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica > > Also if you are interested to join a Swahili/English discussion group > click > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kiswahili > > > > > > SPONSORED LINKS Africa Communication technology International > telecommunication > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > a.. Visit your group "DigAfrica" on the web. > > b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DigAfrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com > > c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >

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A Tribute to Eng. Rege
by John Walubengo 08 Dec '05

08 Dec '05

Even as yesterday's cabinet list continuous to remain fluid, I wish to take this early opportunity to register my appreciation to one Eng. Rege who was until yesterday evening the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communication, Gov. of Kenya. Tremendous progress was made during his tenure - particularly of cultural nature where he cultivated an unprecedented Public-Private Sector relationship in within the ministry and the industry in general. Beyond just preaching transparency and accountability, he actually managed to practice it within an environment that has long been accustomed to hiding behind beauracratic protocols. Long live this spirit that he leaves behind at the Ministry of Info & Comm. walu.

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Fw: FEMNET looking for a New Executive Director! Please apply/circulate...
by alice＠apc.org 08 Dec '05

08 Dec '05

> Dear colleagues and friends. > > Greetings from FEMNET in Nairobi, Kenya. > > Please help us find a new Executive Director by applying for/circulating > the notice below to those you think might be interested. > > Thank you and warm regards. > > Muthoni. > ----- > The African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNET) is a > pan-African network working towards African women's development, > equality and other human rights. Set up in 1988 and based in Nairobi, > Kenya, FEMNET works on advocacy at the regional and international > levels, training on gender analysis and mainstreaming and communications. > > FEMNET is seeking a new Executive Director. Ethical, strong and > visionary African women, who are committed to African women's autonomy > and choice in all areas and who would like to contribute to the African > women's movement are hereby invited to apply for the position. Kindly > review the attached job description for further information and > apply/circulate to those you think might be interested. > > To apply, please submit, by January 15, 2006, a letter of application, > together with a CV, copies of relevant supporting documents and at least > three references to: > > The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) > P O Box 54562 > Nairobi 00200 > Kenya > Fax: (254) 20.3742927 > Email: admin(a)femnet.or.ke > -- > L. Muthoni Wanyeki > Executive Director > African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNET) > P O Box 54562 > Nairobi > Kenya > Tel: (254) 20-3741301/20 > Fax: (254) 20-3742927 > Email: admin(a)femnet.or.ke > URL: www.femnet.or.ke > >

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Fwd: IDLELO2 UPDATE - POST WSIS
by Bill Kagai 06 Dec '05

06 Dec '05

FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bill Kagai <billkagai(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 16:45:23 +0300 Subject: IDLELO2 UPDATE - POST WSIS To: fossfa(a)gmail.com Dear all, Two weeks after the WSIS Conference, FOSSFA is glad to announce the following positive developments. 1. InWEnt joins IDLELO2 Collaborating Sponsors. 2. Sir John Daniel & Mr. Mark Shuttleworth accept to be IDLELO2 Key Note Speakers. 3. UNECA to support African Delegates to IDLELO2. 4. FOSSFA Mailing List Active - Please Subscribe. 1. InWEnt joins IDLELO2 Collaborating Sponsors. InWEnt will support 30 delegates to the Idlelo2 Conference comprised of IT@B members and ICT Government Representatives from the SADC Region. InWEnt now joins UNECA, Hivos and OSIWA as our main partners for the Idlelo2 Conference. Intel has also shown interest in IDLELO2 and discussions are going on between them and our conference organiser, AITEC Africa, on the prospects of Intel becoming part of the sponsoring family. The full statement from InWEnt will be available on the FOSSFA website www.fossfa.net by close of business today. Part of their statement supporting IDLELO2 states as follows... "InWEnt is very pleased to collaborate with FOSSFA on this most timely initiative. The World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis has shown again that innovative approaches to technologies can have an impact on poverty reduction and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In this context, Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) plays an important role. InWEnt therefore supports a number of initiatives in this field in Asia (it@foss) and in Africa, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Notably, since 2001we have trained IT specialists of seven SADC countries, inter alia on the use of FOSS. They are part of the Southern African Knowledge Network on "Information Technology in African Business" (it@ab) supported by InWEnt. Now, we have committed ourselves to bring the expertise of this network it@ab to Idlelo 2 and to support the conference, because we believe that only by connecting the African private sector and policy makers we will be able to make progress in stimulating a local FOSS software industry in Africa. InWEnt is also looking forward to exploring further synergies and cooperation with the other key players of Idlelo 2. Mr Derek Lakudzala, vice chairman of the it@ab network explains: "it@ab would like to associate itself with Idlelo2 partly to expose the expertise already available in the region and to the regions' user community through the it@ab network and partly to exchange knowledge and information on possible collaboration to use innovations such as FOSS as a tool to fight poverty in Africa. The time to move from mere talk to concrete results, products and services using FOSS is now. Idleleo2 affords stakeholders that rare opportunity to meet some of the regions own experts on the one hand and key decision and policy makers on the other hand. The it@ab network expects that the conference will also offer opportunities for business contacts. With the investment already put into development of Africa's own human resource expertise in the area of FOSS, we expect to establish new synergies and win-win relationships with other key players in the it-field." 2. Sir John Daniel & Mr. Mark Shuttleworth accept to be Key Note Speakers Sir John Daniel the Head of Commonwealth of Learning and Mr. Mark Shuttleworth, the entrepreneur behind Ubuntu Linux have agreed to deliver the key note speeches during IDLELO2 Conference. We have also invited the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Mwai Kibaki to grace and officially open the Conference. The president will have the opportunity to hear from the Key Note Speakers before delivering his speech. 3. UNECA to support African Delegates to IDLELO2 Mr. Makane Faye from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and also the FOSSFA focal point to the UN confirmed in Tunis during the WSIS Conference that UNECA will support FOSS Delegates from Africa to IDLELO2. We are working out on the modalities but priority will be to ensure gender balance and ensure that women are involved in software development in Africa. We will post the modalities for qualification for this scholarship by January 2006. 4. FOSSFA Mailing List Active - Please Subscribe. FOSSFA Mailing Lists have been rectified following the bruteforce attack on our portal. If you wish to be member of the FOSSFA Mailing List, please send a message to 'council-subscribe(a)fossfa.net' with subject 'subscribe'. Further updates regarding FOSSFA and IDLELO2 Conference will be posted to the mailing list. - With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai CEO - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd Coordinator - Free Software & Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 2728332 Fax. 254 20 2726965 Cell. 254 722 379409 E. fossfa(a)gmail.com URL. www.fossfa.net IDLELO2 URL. www.fossfa.net/idlelo2

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Telecom consumer survey meeting-
by James Nguo 05 Dec '05

05 Dec '05

Dear ALL, PRESENTATION OF RESULTS OF RESEARCH ON TELCOMS AND INTERNET ACTIVITY IN KENYA.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> In the last few months, Russell Southwood with support from IDRC has been undertaking a research on telecom consumer activity in Kenya, Senegal and South Africa with a view to identifying different types of consumer interest activity found in Kenya, the effectiveness of consumer interventions and attitudes by different stakeholders. I have been supporting Russell in this research and have conducted research among media houses, Internet service providers, Consumer organisations, regulator-Communications Commission of Kenya and the GSM providers. As a stakeholder in the ICT sector, we hereby invite you to a forum where we will present these findings at the following venue; Date: 7th December 2005 Venue: IDRC boardroom at Liaison House, State House Avenue Time: 9:00 am-11.30am We look forward to seeing you. James Nguo Regional Director Arid Lands Information Network-Eastern Africa (ALIN-EA), P.O. Box 10098, 00100 G.P.O. Nairobi, Kenya, AAYMCA Building, Along State House Crescent, Off State House Avenue. Tel +254 20 2731557 Telefax +254 20 2737813 Cell Phone +254 -722-561006 Email: james(a)alin.or.ke Website: www.alin.or.ke ------------------------------------------------------------- Enriched livelihoods of the people in arid areas of Eastern Africa through targeted information support and facilitation of information exchange -----Original Message----- From: Alex Gakuru [mailto:gakuru@mail.co.ke] Sent: 24 October 2005 15:32 To: Kiplist-cl(a)lyris.idrc.ca; KICTANet Subject: [Kictanet] GSM Public Forum: Event Updates... You too, you're most welcome. Regards, Alex

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Re: [Kictanet] Telecom consumer survey meeting-
by John Walubengo 05 Dec '05

05 Dec '05

wednesday...I should make it. Maybe just a bit more specific on the location of this Liason House on State house road. Driving from town( Valley Rd), how do we get to Liason house? What are the obvious signposts towards this venue? walu. >>> James Nguo <james(a)alin.or.ke> 12/05/05 02:32pm >>> Dear ALL, PRESENTATION OF RESULTS OF RESEARCH ON TELCOMS AND INTERNET ACTIVITY IN KENYA.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> In the last few months, Russell Southwood with support from IDRC has been undertaking a research on telecom consumer activity in Kenya, Senegal and South Africa with a view to identifying different types of consumer interest activity found in Kenya, the effectiveness of consumer interventions and attitudes by different stakeholders. I have been supporting Russell in this research and have conducted research among media houses, Internet service providers, Consumer organisations, regulator-Communications Commission of Kenya and the GSM providers. As a stakeholder in the ICT sector, we hereby invite you to a forum where we will present these findings at the following venue; Date: 7th December 2005 Venue: IDRC boardroom at Liaison House, State House Avenue Time: 9:00 am-11.30am We look forward to seeing you. James Nguo Regional Director Arid Lands Information Network-Eastern Africa (ALIN-EA), P.O. Box 10098, 00100 G.P.O. Nairobi, Kenya, AAYMCA Building, Along State House Crescent, Off State House Avenue. Tel +254 20 2731557 Telefax +254 20 2737813 Cell Phone +254 -722-561006 Email: james(a)alin.or.ke Website: www.alin.or.ke ------------------------------------------------------------- Enriched livelihoods of the people in arid areas of Eastern Africa through targeted information support and facilitation of information exchange -----Original Message----- From: Alex Gakuru [mailto:gakuru@mail.co.ke] Sent: 24 October 2005 15:32 To: Kiplist-cl(a)lyris.idrc.ca; KICTANet Subject: [Kictanet] GSM Public Forum: Event Updates... You too, you're most welcome. Regards, Alex

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Re: [Kictanet] Telecom consumer survey meeting-
by John Walubengo 05 Dec '05

05 Dec '05

sawa. Wednesday, 8.30a.m I'll check u out @ Tetu, then c this Nguo guy thereafter. walu. >>> Bill Kagai <billkagai(a)gmail.com> 12/05/05 03:33pm >>> >From Town take the first right right turn to State House Avenue (not road) immediately after Serena, drive past Ethiopian Embassy, Serbia & Montenegro Embassy and then ten meters ahead you will see a big blue sign...Liaison House. If you are early, just pop to Tetu Apartments, Gate B, Suite 2 for coffee in my office. Need to chat you. Im exactly opposite Liaison House On 12/5/05, John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> wrote: > wednesday...I should make it. > > Maybe just a bit more specific on the location of this Liason House on State house road. Driving from town( Valley Rd), how do we get to Liason house? What are the obvious signposts towards this venue? > > walu. > > >>> James Nguo <james(a)alin.or.ke> 12/05/05 02:32pm >>> > Dear ALL, > > > > PRESENTATION OF RESULTS OF RESEARCH ON TELCOMS AND INTERNET ACTIVITY IN > KENYA.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = > "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> > > In the last few months, Russell Southwood with support from IDRC has been > undertaking a research on telecom consumer activity in Kenya, Senegal and > South Africa with a view to identifying different types of consumer interest > activity found in Kenya, the effectiveness of consumer interventions and _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalubengo%40kcct.ac.ke

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Re: .XXX Sidelined
by John Walubengo 05 Dec '05

05 Dec '05

Now that the pornographic .xxx domain seems to have been 'veto-ed' due to US-Bush influence I find myself wondering if this was good or bad. Don't get me wrong, I do not recommend porn, however, this veto-power that the US seems to hold over ICANN is what I believe got the rest of the world worried. Today you may have an 'Evangelist' President sitting at Whitehouse and hence 'positively?' influencing ICANN, but what about tomorrow, when you may have an 'Atheist' or a 'Whatever' US President sitting at the Whitehouse, what then for ICANN and the rest of the Internet community? walu. nb: and coming to think of it from a technical perspective... if all porn sites were restricted and bundled onto the .xxx top level domain, it maybe easier to block them, than it is now when they are scattered all over different domains. >>> "waudo siganga" <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> 12/04/05 06:24pm >>> Dear Colleagues, Although news from Vancouver appears to be in short supply, one piece of information is that ICANN removed the central porn domain .xxx from the agenda where it was scheduled for approval. Developing countries have consistently been against the registration of this top-level domain. Kind Regards Waudo Siganga -- waudo siganga emailsignet(a)mailcan.com -- http://www.fastmail.fm - And now for something completely different* --- Submitted by: Waudo Siganga - (Int. address) <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> 2005-12-04 10:31:12 EST5 (Please reply to original submitter for private communication) --- You are currently subscribed to kiplist-cl as: [jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-kiplist-cl-102682Q(a)lyris.idrc.ca

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Fw: [aisi-l] Follow up to the WSIS in Africa - Preparing project proposals for the African Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge Economy (ARAPKE)
by alice＠apc.org 05 Dec '05

05 Dec '05

----- Original Message ----- From: "Makane Faye" <mfaye(a)uneca.org> To: "African Information Society Initiative - Discussion Forum" <aisi-l(a)lyris.bellanet.org> Cc: "Betty Teshager" <BTeshager(a)uneca.org>; "Thierry Amoussougbo" <tamoussougbo(a)uneca.org> Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2005 8:34 PM Subject: [aisi-l] Follow up to the WSIS in Africa - Preparing project proposals for the African Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge Economy (ARAPKE) Dear Colleagues, Stakeholders and Friends, Following the adoption under the aegis of the African Union Commission of the African Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge Economy (ARAPKE) by the African ministers on 21 September 2005, and the two meetings organized by the African Union and ECA in Tunis on 16 November 2005 during the WSIS, I am pleased to inform you that the 16 November meetings recommended submission of more project proposals representing all sub-regions in the framework of ARAPKE. Accordingly, institutions from governments, civil society, private sector, sub-regional, regional and international organizations are requested to forward their project proposals to: bteshager(a)uneca.org with a copy to: mfaye(a)uneca.org and tamoussougbo(a)uneca.org before 24 December 2005, using the attached template. So far over 30 project descriptions have been received from various stakeholders. The ARAPKE documents in English and French are available at: www.uneca.org/aisi/wsis2005. Best regards. Makane Faye ECA Addis Ababa -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > --- > You are currently subscribed to aisi-l as: [alice(a)apc.org] > To unsubscribe, forward this message to > leave-aisi-l-84914M(a)lyris.bellanet.org >

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WSIS is over, but the debate has just began
by Wainaina Mungai 02 Dec '05

02 Dec '05

Source: http://www.panos.org.uk/iwitness/summit/shanmugavelan.asp WSIS is over, but the debate has just begun Murali Shanmugavelan The big relief is that the debate around the information society no longer needs to be tied to the WSIS process, said communications expert David Souter at Panos Londons final briefing in Tunis. Very true. The information society is broader than the agenda of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) could ever have hoped to cover. And the resulting non-binding Tunis Declaration has produced little in concrete terms for developing countries. Everyone knew this before the Tunis phase of WSIS even started. So why did some 20,000 delegates bother to turn up? At the end of the day, was it worth it? Was it worth it? There is no doubt that WSIS has provided a valuable backdrop for civil society organisations (CSOs) that have been working on information and communications issues for the last 25 years. Seán Ó Siochrú, spokesman for Communication Rights in the Information Society, pointed out that the Summit process has helped us to refine our communication rights arguments by learning from different CSOs around the world. The context offered by WSIS together with the very information and communication technologies (ICTs) that dominated the Summit have helped CSOs to share their experiences more than ever before. WSIS provided a unique platform for governments, donors, activists and practitioners to come together and understand each others points of view. The participation of various heads of state and high-level diplomats signified the political importance of WSIS. But the commitments adopted at the Summit are largely meaningless unless national governments take initiatives to implement them. Challenges such as promoting good governance and transparency through the use of ICTs, or increasing access to information for the poor and the marginalised, require clear policies and actions. An international meeting such as WSIS can provide ideas and encouragement. But it cannot force governments to fulfil their promises (the host countrys poor record on media freedom being a case in point). Changes at a national level require political will, and civil society has a crucial role in influencing governments and holding them accountable. Beyond technology This brings us to the next issue: the de-politicisation of information society issues. Most ICT projects from telecentres to community media centres are isolated from other social and political processes. But information and communication flows are all about democracy and participation, and not just about making technologies available and affordable. It is widely acknowledged that good governance is key to the success of Poverty Reduction Strategies and other development approaches. And ICTs can be instrumental in helping to eliminate intermediaries, increase transparency and hold local governments accountable. At the same time, the credibility and usefulness of ICT-enabled development projects can only be fully realised when the poor and marginalised are able to use these tools to voice their needs and access their entitlements. For example in some Indian states computerisation has greatly simplified the issuing of birth and death certificates, which would otherwise cost individuals two days (without pay) plus bribes for local civil servants. We need more examples of ICTs applied at the grassroots level to demonstrate the real power of the information society. Unfortunately the Tunis ICT 4 All exhibition failed to deliver on this front. Instead there was a fascination among both participants and exhibitors with cutting-edge technologies and gadgets one of highlights being a project that aims to provide every poor child with a laptop. The Economists annual foresight report is optimistic about this $100 laptop, saying that cheaper technology will bring hope to the worlds poorer countries in 2006. It is certainly a great idea, but we will have to wait and see if it works in practice. This is not a criticism of technologies per se. But there is, perhaps, a greater need to invest in infrastructure (including electricity and roads) and internet backbones to make the information society work. What lies ahead The so-called Summit of Solutions has failed to produce anything concrete, and in truth no one expected it to. In the end only one issue commanded substantive debate at WSIS: internet governance. It was agreed that the question of political legitimacy whether or not the US should control (or oversee) the internet be handed over to a new Internet Governance Forum, a partnership between governments, CSOs, business and inter-governmental organisations whose role remains vague. Meanwhile, on financing and infrastructure, WSIS was essentially used as a platform for donors and international agencies to launch new activities in rolling out investments in infrastructure. The real work lies ahead on two levels. Internationally, some of the debates emerging from WSIS, such as proprietary software and intellectual property rights, will be discussed in other intergovernmental forums such as the World Trade Organisation. Nationally, CSOs and others will have to take note of the fact that efforts to build an inclusive information society are influenced by many non-ICT policy instruments. For example, the right to equality has a direct bearing on womens participation in the information society. Similarly the right to assembly and free speech cannot be overcome by merely bridging the digital divide (as demonstrated by China, which has the largest number of mobile subscribers in the world), As with the first phase of WSIS, only lip-service was paid to the role of the media in the making of the information society. Indeed, Panos was one of the few organisations highlighting the importance of including the media in the debate. CSOs and others would do well to reflect on how they engaged with the media at WSIS. After all, freedom of expression and information and the fight against corruption have historically been core issues for the traditional media. Ultimately, for any of these issues to be moved forward, the media must be regarded as a key partner in the information society. Murali ShanmugavelanMurali Shanmugavelan heads Panos London's information society project. His expertise - grounded in academic training and fieldwork in telecentres in South India - lies in how ICTs can be used for development and how international policies on internet governance, telecoms and ICTs affect flows of communication.

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