Slide1: THE NEED FOR A WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the ITU or its membership. Philippe CAPITAINE Chief External Affairs, ITU


Slide2: Some key Telecom. trends Fixed-lines Mobile The Internet The Divide Connectivity Telecom. divide Least developed countries THE WORLD SUMMIT


Slide3: Mobile Revolution Source: ITU World Telecommunication Indicators Database. 0 200 400 600 800 1'000 1'200 1'400 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 Mobile Fixed Lines Fixed Lines vs. Mobile Users, worldwide, Million


Slide4: Domestic fixed- line revenues, 59.2% International revenues, 8.8% Mobile service revenues, 21.2% Other (incl. Internet, leased lines, telex), 10.6% 1998 Telecom service revenue. Total = US$ 724b Telecom service revenue (1998) Source: ITU “World Telecommunication Development Report 1999: Mobile cellular” (forthcoming)


Slide5: 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 Service revenue (US$ bn) Domestic Telephone/fax International Mobile Other: Data, Internet, Leased lines, telex, etc Source: ITU. Projection of revenue growth (US$bn)


Number of Internet users: Number of Internet users Source: ITU.


Internet connectivity: Internet connectivity Asia / Pacific Latin America USA / Canada Europe Africa 56 Gbit/s 0.1 Gbit/s 0.5 Gbit/s Note: Gbit/s = Gigabits (1’000 Mb) per second. Source: ITU adapted from TeleGeography. 18 Gbit/s 0.4 Gbit/s 3 Gbit/s 0.2 Gbit/s


Slide8: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Mobile users Telephone lines Popul- ation High income Upper-mid income Lower-mid income Low income 280 million 490 million 912 million 6 billion 82 % 69 % 58 % 15 % Digital divide = Telecoms divide User distribution, by income group Source: ITU World Telecommunication Indicators Database.


LDCs falling further behind: Share of worldwide Internet Users: LDCs falling further behind: Share of worldwide Internet Users LDCs Share of world population = 10.6% Share of Internet users = 0.1% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 China Other low & lower- mid income LDCs


Slide10: World Summit on the Information Society


Slide11: WHY ITU/UN?


Legal background: ITU/PP-98Resolution 73: Legal background: ITU/PP-98 Resolution 73 Instructs the ITU SG to: Place the question of holding a world summit on the information society on the agenda of the ACC (April 99) To report to the ITU Council on the results of this consultation (June 99)


ACC 2000, 27-28 October: ACC 2000, 27-28 October Expressed its satisfaction to the ITU Draft Plan of Action; Stressed the need to have an early ITU decision on the venue (Host country) of the Summit.


Slide14: Direct reference to ITU by G 8


Proposed Themes: Proposed Themes 1. Building the infrastructure; 2. Opening the gates: universal and equitable access; 3. Services and Applications: the implications of the IS for economic, social and cultural development ; 4. The needs of the users (consumer protection, privacy & security); Content and the freedom to communicate; 5. Developing a Framework; 6. ICT and Education.


Slide16: WHEN & WHERE?


WSIS:Timing & Venue, Duration, Participation: WSIS:Timing & Venue, Duration, Participation 1st Phase: Geneva, 10-12 December 2003; 2nd Phase: Tunis, 2005 Duration: 3 days Participation: Head of States Head of UN Agencies, NGO’s, CEO’s Private Sector...


ITU Council 2001 – Res. 1179: ITU Council 2001 – Res. 1179 - endorsed the framework for the Summit in two phases - welcomed invitations from Switzerland and Tunisia - actively solicit funding - create Council Liaison Group


Slide19: Private sector ONG & Civil society Regional Meetings     ITU/WTDC ITU/PP-02 World Summit Geneva December 2003 World Summit Tunis 2005 G8 Dot Force ECOSOC ICT Task Force High Level Summit Organizing ommittee (HLSOC) Heads of UN Agencies Executive Secretariat Government staff UN Agencies staff Private Sector staff NGO’s & Civil Society staff           Preparatory Meetings (Prepcom) Preparatory Meetings (Prepcom) States coordination Bureau States Host Country Secretariat The preparatory process


Slide20: “…………….The aim of the World Summit is therefore to develop a common vision and understanding of the Information Society and to draw up a strategic plan of action for concerted development, primarily in order to reduce the digital divide. All countries, developing and developed nations, must work together to reach this goal. Switzerland, and in particular Geneva with its international opening, have always been involved, and will stay involved in bringing the benefits of the nformation technologies to everyone, and especially the developing countries. That is why Switzerland sees this Geneva 2003 Summit as an extraordinary opportunity to set up a framework of cooperation between governments, civil society and actors of economy.”     President Leuenberger GENEVA December 2003


Slide21: RESULTS?


Slide22: Goals of the world summit: Establish a framework for a harmonized understanding of the IS Strategic plan of action covering objectives and resources Identify the roles of all partners to ensure smooth coordination


Outcome: Outcome Declaration of principles, in order to express the political will that globalization of telecommunications must take account of harmonious evolution in policies, regulations, networks and services; Plan of action.


Slide24: http://www.itu.int/wsis/index.htm


Slide25: Thanks for your attention Philippe.capitaine@itu.int