---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Soenke Zehle <s.zehle@kein.org> Date: Apr 6, 2006 3:55 PM Subject: <incom> Up-coming launch of the Global Alliance on ICT for Development To: incom <incom-l@incommunicado.info> Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 13:00:55 +0200 From: CONGO - Philippe Dam <wsis@ngocongo.org> Dear all, Many thanks to Ralf and Rik for having forwarded Mr. Khan's letter <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=pag&id=10211> about the up-coming launch of the Global Alliance on ICT for Development. As highlighted in Mr. Khan's letter, the governance structure of the Global Alliance will be articulated around a three tier structure: • The */Strategy Council/* will offer strategic guidance and priority setting for the work of the Global Alliance. It would be comprise of 35 to 40 personalities representing the key constituencies (one third for civil society representatives) and would meet once or twice a year. • The */Steering Committee/* will provide continuous executive oversight and guidance to the work of the Secretariat. It would be composed of a Chair and several Vice-Chairs representing key constituencies of the Global Alliance and would meet monthly or bimonthly using modern communication devices. • The */Secretariat/* will be small structure composed of staff seconded by partners and hosted by UN DESA, would serve the overall work of the Global Alliance. It would provide analytical support to the Steering Committee and to the Strategy Council. The Global Alliance will be open to */membership/* for all stakeholders involved in ICT policies for development and providing advocacy and oversight on Information Society issues and implementing programs addressing MDGs. For civil society, it will include all NGOs, CSOs, foundations, scientific, academic and ICT communities and individuals around the world involved in the UN development agenda priorities. Therefore, participation in the Global Alliance should put together a very broad scope of NGOs, involving but going far beyond the WSIS civil society and should also include the worldwide NGO community to development. The Global Alliance will constitute a unique opportunity for NGOs to be directly involved in the ICT4D agenda and in the global development agenda within the UN. Further information on how you can join the Global Alliance would be circulated soon. The Global Alliance would */serve as a global inclusive forum/* to facilitate dialogue and encourage initiatives and partnerships on all cross cutting issues related to the use of ICT policies for development for the fulfilment of internationally agreed development goals, in particular in the framework of the MDGs. The view is to mobilize actors in order to advance the development agenda of the United Nations through ICT related policies. To that end, the Global Alliance would represent the */major multi-stakeholder component/* to interact and feed into the WSIS integrated follow-up process entrusted to ECOSOC through the UN CSTD by the WSIS outcome document. The Global Alliance will closely work with ECOSOC and the CSTD to bring further the follow-up to WSIS decisions in ICT policies for development, and participants in the Global Alliance would have direct access to the CSTD, through in-depth collaboration with the Secretariat of the UN CSTD. However the Global Alliance would neither constitute an operational body, nor flow into the action lines implementation process. */Next steps/* include: - Selection process of Strategy Council members. They will be appointed by the UN SG, following a self selection process within each group of constituencies. CONGO has been asked by UN DESA to facilitate the self selection process for civil society Members. - Information meetings, including in Geneva during the time of the CSTD session (15-19 May 2006): *15 May 2006*, time to be confirmed. - Inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance (in the week of 19 June 2006), in Kuala Lumpur. Information will be made available on modalities to get involved into this initiative and we would keep you informed on the most recent developments. Let me remind you than an up-dated program of meetings for the week 15-19 May is available at http://www.csbureau.org/posttunis.htm, and additional information on the post-Tunis WSIS mechanisms is available on the CONGO website <http://www.ngocongo.org/index.php?what=resources&id=278&start=1>. Best regards, Philippe Dam *Philippe Dam **CONGO - WSIS CS Secretariat ****11, Avenue de **la Paix** CH-1202 **Geneva** Tel: +41 22 301 1000 Fax: +41 22 301 2000 E-mail: **wsis@ngocongo.org* <mailto:wsis@ngocongo.org>* Website: **www.ngocongo.org <BLOCKED::http://www.ngocongo.org>** * * * *The Conference of NGOs (**CONGO) is an international, membership association that facilitates the participation of NGOs in United Nations debates and decisions. Founded in 1948, CONGO's major objective is to ensure the presence of NGOs in exchanges among the world's governments and United Nations agencies on issues of global concern. For more information see our website at www.ngocongo.org <BLOCKED::http://www.ngocongo.org/>*** _______________________________________________ incom-l mailing list incom-l@incommunicado.info http://mail.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/incom-l -- -- With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai MD - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. 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