It is taking place, as from today until the end of 12 December, the first phase of World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), an initiative from the United Nations whose main concern is narrowing the digital divide between developed countries and non-industrialized, developing countries.
The 6 thousand delegates participating at conference, half of those representing non-governmental organizations and civil society associations, should approve a Declaration of Principles for the Information Society and Plan of Action with a view to implementing a set of objectives and initiatives in order to, within a decade at most, strengthen the access to information and knowledge by the citizens, besides his place of residence.
The priority of this WSIS first edition is to expand the benefits of the information society to world population. However, the financing methods for the various objectives have different approaches, from creation of a digital fund to establishment of a greater enveloping program of the economic agents, namely operators, industry leaders and civil society including governments and international organizations for the creation of conditions for the development of related means and policies. Such matter shall be discussed at the Summit and it is expected to be concluded only in the second phase, which will take place in November 2005, in Tunisia.
The WSIS preparatory meetings have permitted to obtain consensus with regard to wide common goals spectrum, adopted by all States, such as matters related to human rights, protection of intellectual property, network and information security, electronic governing and the role of the media which are all still under negotiation.
The coordination of the Portuguese presence in the WSIS is at expense of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM) and Unidade de Missão Inovação e Conhecimento - Innovation and Knowledge Mission Unit (UMIC), also had a very active role in preparing the Summit, especially due to the importance that the first assumes within International Telecommunication Union, the entity that is organizing the WSIS and preparatory meetings. Portugal attempted, at this phase, to get the operators and civil society to promote the information society, establishing as well, the connection with the Portuguese speaking community.
See:
World Summit on the Information Societyhttp://www.itu.int/wsis/index.html
ITU Secretary-General Opens First Global Information Summithttp://www.itu.int/wsis/geneva/newsroom/press_releases/wsisopen.html
Commissioner Liikanen underlines the need for a common vision shared by nations worldwide at the World Summit on the Information Societyhttp://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1574|0|RAPID&lg=EN
