V 280.05.2008 11 am9pm.
Draft Resolution for adoption by the Council1
The Commission on Science and Technology for Development recommends to the
Economic and Social Council the adoption of the following draft resolution:
Assessment of WSIS-implementation 2008
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling the outcome documents of the World Summit on the Information Society,
(provisionally agreed)
Recalling the importance of removing barriers to bridging the digital divide,
particularly those that hinder the full achievement of the economic, social and cultural
development of countries and the welfare of their people, in particular, in developing
countries,
Recognizing the efforts by all stakeholders to implement the outcomes of the two
phases of the World Summit on the Information Society, (provisionally agreed)

Welcoming specifically the efforts of the UN agencies and programs and of all
regional commissions in implementing the WSIS goals, commitments and
recommendations, (provisionally agreed)
Recognizing the important role of Governments, as well as business and civil society
entities including academia and local authorities in the shaping of the future of the
information society,
Recalling its resolution 2006/46 on the follow-up to the World Summit on the
Information Society and the mandate given to of the Commission on Science and
Technology for Development to assess the implementation of WSIS at the regional
and international level, (provisionally agreed with the exception)
Recalling also the 2001 Human Development Report “Making new technologies work
for human development” and its propositions, which remain valid today,
(provisionally agreed)
Recalling General Assembly resolution 57/270B and Councilits resolution 2007/29,
(provisionally agreed)
Taking note of the Report of the Secretary-General on Progress made in the
implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the
Information Society at the regional and international levels contained in ref. #,
(provisionally agreed)
Taking note Welcoming the multi-stakeholder input provided by the Global Alliance
for ICT and Development to the Commission at its eleventh session;
1 This draft resolution is proposed to the CSTD by El Salvador, Finland, France, Latvia, Switzerland

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Noting also that ITU has adopted the theme “Connecting Persons with Disabilities:
ICT Opportunities for All” to celebrate this year’s World Telecommunication and
Information Society Day of 17 May 2008, (provisionally agreed)

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A. Evolving challenges and opportunities (provisionally agreed)
1. Observes that the digital divide is decreasing in some aspects and increasing in
othersa change in nature of the digital divide: While overall the digital divide may be
shrinking, a new form of digital divide is emerging in terms of difference in quality
and speed of access to ICTs;
1bis. Observes the continuing relevance of assisting developing countries in their
efforts to overcome the digital divide with regard to both access and capacity;
2. Observes that the disparity in cost and quality of access prices and quality between
developed and developing countries continues: In developed, high-income
economies, the average cost of a broadband connection is significantly less than in
developing countries, both in nominal terms and as a percentage of the average
monthly income; (provisionally agreed with marked exception)
2bis. Observes that there exists a gender divide in quality and sophistication of
access to the internet in both developed and developing countries.
2third. Observes that there is a need for equal participation of women and men in
accesing the Internet and in the building of the Information Society, in both developed
and developing countries;
3. Observes further the strong growth of mobile telephony subscriptions, especially in
developing countries; (provisionally agreed or merge with op1)
4. Observes Notes with concern thea growing number of incidents affecting global
network safety and security and provoking service blackouts outages in large regions
of the world; (provisionally agreed)
5. Observes that governments work and their remarkable efforts to reduce the digital
divide by encouraging technology investment in underprivileged areas has largely
fallen short and that available Universal Access Funds are underused due to
regulatory barriers, policy gaps and insufficient demand targeting;
5. Observes that governments work and their remarkable efforts to reduce the digital
divide by encouraging technology investment in underprivileged and less profitable
areas has largely fallen short and that available Universal Access Funds are underused
due to regulatory barriers, policy gaps and insufficient demand targeting;
alt5bis. Observes that while in some instances government efforts to encourage
technology in underprivileged and less profitable areas has not kept pace with private
sector investment, technology still has increased and expanded across all sectors at a
dramatic pace. G overnment directed Universal Access Funds are sometimes
underused due to regulatory barriers, policy gaps and insufficient demand targeting.
Further, sometimes Universal Access Funds simply do not reflect the economics of
new technologies and actual consumer needs. (op 5 and op alt5 to be merged. See
op11. consistent terminology)
6. Observes further that although many governments have developed national ICT
policies, information society as well as development strategies, in many countries

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there is not enough adequate coherence and complementarity between national ICT
policies and national development and poverty reduction strategies. Especially in
poorer rural areas, the potential of the Internet and ICTs in general for development is
not yet fully used or understood. (provisionally agreed)
7. Takes note that the free pool of ipv4 addresses is expected to fully deplete between
the second quarter of 2011 and the third quarter of 2012; (provisionally agreed)
Recommendations
7. Calls on all stakeholders to increase efforts for funding and investment in ICTs, in
order to advance broadband access, including wireless access, in areas and countries
where it is still limited or non existant; (provisionally agreed)
7bis. Calls on all States to take steps with a view to the avoidance of, and refrain
from, any unilateral measure not in accordance with international law and the Charter
of the United Nations that impedes the full achievement of economic and social
development by the population of the affected countries, and that hinders the well-
being of their population, in particular the achievement of an inclusive information
society.
8. Calls on all stakeholders to increase efforts to reduce the disparity in access prices,
including through the establishment of local Internet Exchange Points, and theto
increase of the number of operators in order to enable competition, also at the
backbone level; (provisionally agreed)
9. Calls further on all stakeholders to continue the development and spread of easy to
use applications and services for mobile phones, especially applications that are useful
in rural areas and work with low bandwidth and high latency; (provisionally agreed
with marked exception)
10. Calls on all stakeholders to cooperate more closely in making global networks
universally accessible, more stable, resilient and secure and in overcoming
blackoutsoutages, incidents and attacks on these networks as fast and
sustainablesustainably as possible;
11. Recommends the design of mechanisms and policies which ensure adequate
infrastructure for universal access and a better use of Universal Access funds,
including the financing of ICT infrastructure in underserved regions and areas;
alt11. Recommends the modernization of mechanisms and policies so that the
economics of new technologies and actual consumer needs are the primary focus
when considering the best use of Universal Access funds. This principle should apply
whether ensuring infrastructure for universal access or the financing of ICT
infrastructure in underserved regions and areas; (to be seen with op 5 and alt 5)
11bis. Recommends the modernization of mechanisms and policies so that the
economics of new technologies and actual consumer needs are the primary focus
when considering the best use of Universal Access funds. This principle should
apply whether ensuring infrastructure for universal access or the financing of ICT
infrastructure in underserved regions and areas;

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12. Recommends the mainstreaming of national ICT-policies into national political
processesdevelopment and national poverty reduction strategies;, particularly into
national Poverty Reduction Strategies;
12bis.Recommends that International cooperation at all levels – including public,
private and corporate levels – is essential to help rural areas in accesingaccessing and
benefiting from Internet and ICTs in general; (provisionally agreed move to pp)
13ter. Notes the letter by UNUSG, on behalf of the UNSG, to all organizations
responsible for essential tasks associated with the Internet to report on the steps they
have taken towards enhanced cooperation in accordance with Art. 71 of the Tunis
Agenda for Information Society, and looks forward to the UNSG's report, based on
the received information, to the GA and ECOSOC.
12ter. Recommends to carry out actions geared towards promoting the adoption of the
IPv6 protocol at the public and private levels (provisionally agreed)
B. Successes of and shortcomings in the implementation of WSIS outcomes so far
(provisionally agreed)
13. TakesWelcomes the successnote with appreciation of the progress made so far by
of the Internet Governance Forum, its multi-stakeholder approach and its innovative
platform; (provisionally agreed)
13bis. Congratulates the Governments of Greece and Brazil for the successful
completion of the first and second IGF respectively. Extend its appreciation to the
IGF Secretariat. (provisionally agreed. Could it be moved to pp)
14. Welcomes progress towards developing multilingual capabilities on the Internet,
particularly the discussions within ICANN regarding the introduction of
Internationalized Domain Names;
15. Acknowledges the efforts of the Partnership for mMeasuring ICT for
dDevelopment to develop new indicators, especially in the field of ICTs and
education but notes the lack of indicators to measure progress towards achieving the
targets as set out in part B of the Geneva Plan of Action (provisionally agreed with
exception marked)
16. AcknowledgesTakes note of the efforts of the Regional Commissions in the
coordination of WSIS-implementation, in capacity building and measuring of ICTs;
(provisionally agreed)
17. Acknowledges the efforts of all Action Line Facilitators to organize meetings of all
Action Lines and commends specifically ITU and UNESCO for their efforts as lead
Facilitators and conveners of the Action Line Facilitator’s meetings; (provisionally
agreed)
17bis. Acknowledges the need for further improving the implementation of Action
Lines by all Stakeholders through reporting the achievement and obstacles
encountered by all countries; (similar to op 26)

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18. Observes that the architecture for WSIS implementation as defined in the Tunis
Agenda for the Information society is rather complex and that despite the efforts of
the Action Line Facilitators, the principle of Action Line Facilitation set out in the
Tunis Agenda has encountered difficulties in involving participation of all
stakeholders, in particular those from developing countries; ()
18bis. Notes with concern that some Action Line facilitations have encountered
difficulty in involving participation of all stakeholders, largely due to lack of funds to
finance the participation of NGOs and civil society representatives; (18 & 18bis to be
merged?)
18terbis. Reaffirms that all governments should have an equal role and responsibility
for international Internet Governance and for ensuring the stability, security and
continuity of the Internet. (move to the top to IG? And use the whole par?)
Recommendations
19. Recommends that the international community preserves continues to engage in
the Internet Governance Forum as a multi-stakeholder discussion forum focussed on
public policy issues related to internet governance and avoid duplication with the
WSIS action line implementation process ()
19bis. Recommends the need for enhanced cooperation in the future, to enable
governments, on an equal footing, to carry out their roles and responsibilities, in
international public policy issues pertaining to the Internet;
19ter. Recalls article 71 of the Tunis Agenda and decides to request the UN Secretary
General to express his own views on the enhanced cooperation and to discuss with the
UN membership possible activities and courses of action for starting the enhanced
cooperation process;
20. Encourages the collaboration among all stakeholders, including international
organisations, consistent with their mandate and existing budgetary resources, with
regard to multilingualization of the internet (provisionally agreed)

21. Recommends the creation of benchmarks and indicators in order to track progress
towards the attainment of the specifics goals and targets set out in part B of the
Geneva Plan of Action; (provisionally agreed. Put reference to Partnership for
Measuring the Information Society)
22. Recommends that Action Line Facilitators, in cooperation with all stakeholders,
should establish milestones, deadlines and calendars for their Action Line, taking into
account the WSIS outcome documents; (provisionally agreed)
23. Stresses the need to develop a set of ICT impact indicators at the individual,
household and community level, in a gender disaggregated manner, and as per other
social differentials recognising special vulnerabilities and needs, in order to deepen
the understanding of the relation between ICTs and the development agenda and to
measure the effect of ICTs on empowerment, increased opportunities and increased
security standard of living of poor marginalised groups and communities, and of
disadvantaged people; (check the name, reflect wsis language)

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24. Recommends to Lead Agencies to conduct open multistakeholder consultations to
increase the visibility, participation, empower more stakeholders to mobilize financial
resources to attend and effectiveness of the cluster of activities organized around the
World Telecommunications and Information Society day every year. that Action Line
Facilitation should be reviewed by all Action Line Facilitators in cooperation with all
stakeholders, so as to make the facilitation process more effective, and invites all
Action Line Facilitators, especially ITU, UNESCO and UNDP to consider the
reallocation and the clustering of Action Lines;
24bis. Recommends that a facilitation mechanism should be established for the
Financial Mechanisms for meeting the challenges of ICT for development in the same
consultations mentioned in par 24, to consider official development assistance,
multistakeholder partnerships, innovative financial mechanisms and infrastructure and
international interconnection costs, among others.
24ter. Recommends that the implementation of C7 e-science action line should be
coordinated closely with the CSTD. (provisionally agreed)
25. Recommends the introduction in the facilitation process, of electronic working
tools like mailing lists, web 2.0 applications, observatories and clearing house models
in order to enhance multi-stakeholder participation, in particular from developing
countries; ()
26. Recommends further that in the reporting process to the CSTD Secretariat as set
out in Resolution 2007/8, Action Line Facilitators could make themselves a first
assessment of the progress achieved, but also of thebring to the attention of the
Commission obstacles and difficulties encountered, by all stakeholders on the
commitments and recommendations contained in their respective Action Line at
regional and international level and make proposals for possible action to the CSTD,
whenever deemed necessary; (provisionally agreed)
27. Invites all actors and institutions involved in the follow-up and implementation of
and follow-up to WSIS to further clarify their respective roles and strengthen the
mutual information about and complementarity of their work in orderimprove
information sharing and build synergies in order to make the most effective use of the
resources available for the implementation of and follow-up to WSIS. ()
C. Other recommendations
3128. Recommends that all stakeholders should redouble their efforts to implement
the Summit vision of a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented
information society, so as to enhance digital opportunities for all people in order to
help to bridge the digital divide. (provisionally agreed)
2829. Calls on all stakeholders, in the interest of future generations, to give due
attention to digital preservation; (provisionally agreed exception marked)
2930. Calls further on all stakeholders to increase efforts to adherence, accession and
implementation the ICT accessibility concept as spelled out in the UN Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 9 ();

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3031. Invites the international community to make voluntary contributions to the
special trust fund established by UNCTAD to support the review and assessment
work of CSTD regarding WSIS follow-up; (provisionally agreed)
31. Recommends that all stakeholders should redouble their efforts to implement the
Summit vision of a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information
society, so as to enhance digital opportunities for all people in order to help to bridge
the digital divide.
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