Expanding Internet Access Must Remain World Focus at Tunis Summit

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: GLIGOR1 () aol com
Date: October 31, 2005 11:49:05 PM EST
To: vint () google com, dfarber () cs cmu edu, mslynn () mac com,  
Dennis.Jennings () ucd ie, fuchs () mellon org, kmk7 () cornell edu,  
lhl () cs wisc edu
Subject: Expanding Internet Access Must Remain World Focus at Tunis  
Summit

Expanding Internet Access Must Remain World Focus at Tunis Summit

(Ambassador prepares for information society summit November 16-18)  
(620)
By Charlene Porter
Washington File Staff Writer

  Washington – The future of the Internet and its role in the lives of
people around the world come into international focus November 16-18 as
negotiators gather in Tunis, Tunisia, for the final round of discussions
in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

  This meeting stems from a 2001 resolution adopted by the U.N. General
Assembly that acknowledged the need for leaders at the highest political
levels to “marshal the global consensus and commitment required to  
promote
the urgently needed access of all countries to information, knowledge  
and
communication technologies” to reap the full benefits of the information
and communication technologies (ICT) revolution.

  A plan of action to pursue goals of expanding ICT access came out  
of the
first round of the summit held in Geneva in 2003. As the Tunis meeting
approached over the last few months, ongoing talks became mired in a
dispute about Internet governance.

  Some nations and entities, including the European Union, advocate
greater governmental control of the Internet through some form of
international agency, likened to the International Telecommunications
Union.

  The United States is opposed to such a change, arguing that the
Internet’s security and stability are best maintained through the  
current
systems of technical controls overseen by the Internet Commission on
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

  The U.S. coordinator for international communication and information
policy is raising questions about whether this issue is overshadowing  
more
important ones.

  “As important as the Internet governance discussions are,” says
Ambassador David A. Gross, “I don’t think anybody believes that as a
result of them there will be one more computer or one more cell phone in
rural parts of Africa, South America, Asia or anywhere else.”

  The plan of action adopted at the conclusion of WSIS-Phase 1 in  
December
2003 laid out clear targets for increasing ICT access and Internet
connectivity for rural villages, schools, health care facilities,
libraries and universities in the developing world.

  The plan also set goals for online access for local governments,  
for the
availability of content in all languages and for developing primary and
secondary school curricula to meet the challenges of the information
society.

  “I think, as I look around the world, that a lot of progress has been
made in those areas. But of course there’s a lot of work still to be
done,” said Gross in an interview.

  Gross said countries that have created a free market environment  
for the
expansion of telecommunications services have seen prices fall and
availability and numbers of subscribers soar.

  He said he hopes the upcoming WSIS meeting will serve as a forum  
for the
exchange of successful strategies in telecommunications expansion among
developing-world delegates.

  The United States is backing a number of initiatives to help  
developing
nations expand their telecommunications programs, notably the Digital
Freedom Initiative (http://www.dfi.gov/), which supports projects and
training in Senegal, Peru, Indonesia and Jordan.

  The U.S. Agency for International Development is involved in  
helping to
expand ICT access and capabilities in about 80 nations. The U.S.
government devotes about $200 million to these goals each year,  
supporting
about 500 ICT development activities.

  In a November 2 Internet chat, Gross will preview the upcoming WSIS
summit and discuss his views on why the current governance structure is
the best way to preserve the nature of the Internet as an innovative
medium.

  Gross will be available to answer questions at 11 a.m. EST (1600  
GMT).
To ask a question or make a comment, please register at  
iipchat () state gov
(mailto:iipchat () state gov). Questions and comments are welcome in  
advance
of and during the November 2 program.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.  Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)


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