105. We request that ECOSOC oversees the system-wide follow-up of the Geneva and Tunis outcomes of WSIS. To this end, we request that ECOSOC, at its substantive session of 2006, reviews the mandate, agenda and composition of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), including considering the strengthening of the Commission, taking into account the multi-stakeholder approach.

The Economic and Social Council
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Taking note of of General Assembly resolution 60/252 which requests the Council to oversee the system-wide follow-up of the Geneva and Tunis outcomes of the WSIS and to that end request the Council , at its substantive session of 2006 to review the mandate, agenda and composition of the CSTD, including the strengthening of the Commission, taking into account the multi-stakeholder approach:
Encourages Governments to take into account the findings of the Commission, and to this end :
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Requests United Nations entities engaged in the implementation of the Geneva and Tunis outcomes of the WSIS to collaborate closely with the CSTD by providing it with periodic reports on the progress made in the implementation of the main themes and action lines of WSIS, with a view to enable the Commission to monitor, review and appraise progress achieved and problems encountered in the implementation, and to advise the Council thereon, and;
Explore , in collaboration with other partners, the possibility of undertaking a global review of experiences in open access regimes, especially with regard to free and open source software and open academic and scientific journals and ;
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Recognizing that the organization of the work of the Commission should contribute to advancing the implementation of the science and technology related commitments contained in the paragraph 60 of the outcome of the 2005 World Summit, ( note: related to weapons of mass destruction ) and the system-wide follow-up to the WSIS.
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Requests the Commission, while continuing with its existing science and technology for development mandate, to enhance the future work programmes to include follow-up to the outcome of the 2005 World Summit and WSIS, in accordance with paragraph 105 of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society; and Decides that the theme for the 2006-2008 review and policy cycle will be : "Promoting the building of a people-centred, development-oriented and inclusive information society with a view to enhancing digital opportunties for all people. Special Emphasis will be made on developement dimensions of information and communication technologies; including risk-benefit analysis to bridge the digital divide.

Note from CONGO ( CSB executive secretariat, July 4, 2006 ) : The ECOSOC substantive session will address during its July 2006 session the 'review of the mandate, agenda and composition of the Commission of Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), including considering the strengthening of the Commission, taking into account the multi-stakeholder approach' (paragraph 105, Tunis Agenda).
As one of the outcome of the ECOSOC informal consultation process on the future role of the CSTD in the follow-up to WSIS (13 February and 16 May), it was agreed that a working group would be convened to explore various options on the CSTD review. We have been informed yesterday that this working group would be convened in Geneva, parallel to the Plenary meeting of the ECOSOC substantive session, from 11 July onwards (possibly until 13 July 2006), and that it will be open to all NGOs in ECOSOC consultative status, as well as to a certain number of other WSIS accredited NGOs (see below). This will take place just after the examination by ECOSOC of the SG report on 'modalities of the inter-agency coordination of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes including recommendation on the follow-up process' and the report of the 9th CSTD session (May 2006). The ECOSOC decision regarding the CSTD review might be adopted at the very end of the ECOSOC session on the basis of the draft negotiated in the working group.
Calendar:
10 July: consideration by ECOSOC of the SG report on inter-agency coordination of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes including recommendation on the follow-up process and of the report of the 9th session of the CSTD.
11 July onwards (depending on the progress of the discussions, possibly until 13 July): meetings of the open ended working group on the review of the CSTD.
Action on all outstanding draft proposals (dates depending on the progresses of the discussions).

• Provisional programme of work

Report by Renate Bloem, President of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO):
The objective of this Intercessional Panel was to discuss, prepare and make recommendations to the next session of the CSTD to be held in May 2007 under the same theme and in view of its new mandate of system-wide follow up of WSIS. In addition, the panel also allocated space to continued discussion on the traditional role of the Commission and proposed and created in this context a WG on Africa.
CONGO we had invested quite some effort to make this Panel as inclusive as possible for all stake-holders. Unfortunately, ECOSOC has not yet endorsed the list of CS WSIS accredited entities, and will do so only – as we heard now – in its resumed session at the beginning of 2007.
However, the UNCTAD Secretariat had invited as resource, experts or other a few CS participants, including Parminder Singh and Delphine Nana, in addition to ECOSOC NGOs. The good news is that as CS we could fully participate in the discussion, not only in giving presentations, but on an equal footing with governments and UN Officials in the debate. The CS gave a good presentation during the Opening. There was indeed a very open spirit of welcome towards all actors.
Parminder and myself were invited to participate in a small drafting group to hammer out some of the proposals       emanating from the discussion.
Ambassador Karklins in his introductory statement and later Chile and Brazil, very engaged, made it clear that this Commission is a follow up Commission, distinct from implementing mechanisms. But to do its job, it will receive information from all WSIS implemenation mechanisms, including from the ALFs, IGF, Global Alliance, Regional Commissions and any other actor, in order to assess and make policy recommendations to ECOSOC.
In the CONGO statement I had asked for a trust fund for NGO participation. We were pleased to hear from Charles Geiger that Switzerland has already contributed and ask other governments to follow. More detailed information will follow.

Also today, the Council approved a draft decision concerning enlargement of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, by the inclusion of 10 new members. Three of those seats would be allocated to the Group of African States, two to the Group of Asian States, one to the Group of Eastern European States, two to the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States and two to the Group of Western European and other States.
By other provisions of that text, the terms of office for the new members would coincide with existing terms of membership, with dates to be determined for each region by lottery. The election of the 10 new members would be held at the organizational session in February 2007. The Council agreed, however, to defer consideration of remaining matters, contained in the report of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (document E/2006/31), until that date. »