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'''WSIS''' ('''World Summit on the Information Society''') was a two phase summit endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly under Resolution 56/183 to create a global multi-stakeholder platform to resolve the issues confronting information and communication technology.  The first phase of the summit was held in 2003, and the second in 2005; more than 19,000 individuals from 174 countries participate in the event.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/wsis/basic/about.html www.itu.int]</ref>

'''WSIS''' ('''World Summit on the Information Society''') was a two phase Summit endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly under Resolution 56/183 to address the whole range of relevant issues related to the Information Society, through the development of a common vision and understanding of the Information Society and the adoption of a Declaration and a Plan of Action for Implementation by Governments, International Organizations, civil society and business entities.  WSIS was an intergovernmental Summit like all Summits of the UN System. It was not a real multistakeholder event, but it was probably the most inclusive of all UN Summits (with International Organizations, civil society and business entities playing an important role in the preparation and discussion) and went to the limits of what Global Governance (within the UN System) can mean today. The first phase of the Summit was held in Geneva in 2003, and the second in Tunis in 2005; WSIS was the biggest global gathering up to now regarding the Information Society, more than 19,000 individuals (heads of State and Government, diplomats, representatives from International Organizations, from civil society and from business entities) from 174 countries participated in the Tunis event.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/wsis/basic/about.html www.itu.int]</ref>

==Background==

==Background==

The [[ITU|International Telecommunications Union]] (ITU) initiated the idea of conducting the World Summit on the Information Society in 1998 via Resolution 73. In 1999, the United Nations Secretary General expressed enormous support to the proposed summit and created the framework for the summit under Resolution 56/183. The resolution also defined the role of ITU in cooperation with other interested organizations and partners. By 2001, ITU led the preparations for holding the WSIS and decided to conduct it in two phases.The first phase of the summits was to be held in Geneva on December 10-12, 2003 and the second phase in Tunis on November 16-18, 2005.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/wsis/basic/background.html WSIS Background and Origins]</ref>

The idea of holding a UN Summit on the Information Society had been floating in diplomatic circles already for some time in the late 1990s. UNESCO was thinking about holding such a Summit, but the political situation at UNESCO (in political conflict with the USA) was not conducive for such a proposal. In 1998, Tunisia initiated the idea of conducting a World Summit on the Information Society at the [[ITU|International Telecommunications Union]] (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference of Minneapolis. While the first tunisian draft of the resolution was talking about an information technology Summit (clearly an ITU theme), the final draft adopted by ITU as Resolution 73 of the Minneapolis Plenipotentiary Conference went beyond mere technology and spoke about the Information Society as a whole (which meant a UN Summit going beyond the boundaries of ITU and involving the UN system as a whole). In 1999, the United Nations Secretary General expressed enormous support to the proposed Summit and in early 2002 the UN General Assembly created the framework for the Summit under Resolution 56/183. UN General Assembly Resolution 56/183 adopted the idea of a Summit in two phases. The two phases were a novelty for UN Summits. The main reason was that two countries, Tunisia and Switzerland, offered to hold the Summit, Tunisia as it had initiated the idea of the Summit at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference of Minneapolis and Switzerland because it is the host country of ITU since 1865. Resolution 56/183 also defined the role of ITU as the lead agency for the Summit in cooperation with all other interested organizations and partners of the UN System. By 2001, ITU started the preparations for holding the WSIS (with 3 PrepComs each for the Geneva and the Tunis phase). The first phase of the Summit was held in Geneva on December 10-12, 2003 and the second phase in Tunis on November 16-18, 2005.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/wsis/basic/background.html WSIS Background and Origins]</ref>

==High-Level Summit Organizing Committee==

==High-Level Summit Organizing Committee==

The High-Level Summit Organizing Committee (HLSOC) was established with the support of UN Secretary General [[Kofi Annan]] to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations in the preparation, organization and holding of WSIS. The ITU Secretary General served as Chairman of HLSOC, and it was further composed of a representative of the UN Secretary General and Executive Heads of other international organizations such as the [[WIPO|World Intellectual Property Organization]] (WIPO), World Bank, [[WTO|World Trade Organization]] (WTO), [[ILO|International Labor Organization]] (ILO), [[UNDP|United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP), etc.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/wsis/basic/roles.html HLSOC]</ref>

In order to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations family in the preparation, organization and holding of WSIS, a High-Level Summit Organizing Committee (HLSOC) was established under the patronage of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Composed of a Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Executive Heads of the FAO,  IAEA,  ICAO,  ILO, IMO, ITU,  UN Regional Economic Commissions, UNCTAD,  UNDP,  UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCHR, UNHCR,  UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFP, WHO,  WIPO, WMO,  World Bank, WTO, it also included IADB, IOM, OECD, UNFIP, UNITAR, UNV as observers. The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union served as Chairman of HLSOC.

===Members of HLSOC===

==The WSIS Executive Secretariat==

'''WSIS Executive Secretariat (ITU)'''

The WSIS Executive Secretariat was run by ITU under the responsibility of the Secretary General of the ITU and Secretary General of the Summit, Mr. [[Yoshio Utsumi]]

* Mr. [[Yoshio Utsumi]]- Secretary General of WSIS and Secretary General of ITU

* Mr. [[Pierre Gagne]], Executive Director, Geneva Phase

* Mr. [[Alain Clerc]] and Ms. [[Louise Lassonde]], Head Civil Society Division

Other members of the Executive Secretariat include:

 

 

 

Other members of the Executive Secretariat included:

* Mr. [[Art Levin]], Chief of the ITU Coordination,  External Relations and Communication Units

* Mr. [[Art Levin]], Chief of the ITU Coordination,  External Relations and Communication Units

* Dr. [[Tim Kelly]], Chief of ITU Strategy and Policy Unit

* Dr. [[Tim Kelly]], Chief of ITU Strategy and Policy Unit

* rules applicable to DNS system

* rules applicable to DNS system

During the Geneva meeting, EU IT Commissioner [[Viviane Reding]] warned that the internet will not succeed if governments will not be able to agree on a multilateral approach on Internet governance. According to her, it is possible for countries like China, Russia, Brazil and Arab nations to operate their own versions of the Internet. She said, ''"We have to have a platform where leaders of the world can express their thoughts about the Internet, If they have the impression that the internet is dominated by one nation and it does not belong to all the nations then the result could be that the Internet falls apart."'' The proposal of the EC was supported by some countries like China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, however a majority of countries were uncomfortable with the proposal and rejected it.<ref>

During the Geneva meeting, EU IT Commissioner [[Viviane Reding]] warned that the Internet will not succeed if governments will not be able to agree on a multilateral approach to Internet governance. According to her, it is possible for countries like China, Russia, Brazil, and Arab nations to operate their own versions of the Internet. She said, ''"We have to have a platform where leaders of the world can express their thoughts about the Internet, If they have the impression that the Internet is dominated by one nation and it does not belong to all the nations then the result could be that the Internet falls apart."'' The proposal of the EC was supported by some countries like China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, however, a majority of countries were uncomfortable with the proposal and rejected it.<ref>

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2005/oct/12/newmedia.media EU says internet could fall apart]</ref>

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2005/oct/12/newmedia.media EU says internet could fall apart]</ref>

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carld Bildt strongly criticized the recommendation of the EC. He said, ''"It would be profoundly dangerous to now set up an international mechanism, controlled by governments, to take over the running of the Internet. Not only would this play into the hands of regimes bent on limiting the freedom that the Internet can bring, it also risks stifling innovation and ultimately endangering the security of the system."'' According to him, the EC seem to have gone too far in its proposal to set up a mechanism that would limit the access to the internet. He pointed out that ''"Europeans should be as keen as anyone to preserve the essence of a system that has worked amazingly well."''<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/10/opinion/10iht-edbildt.html Keep the Internet free By Carl Bildt]</ref>

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carld Bildt strongly criticized the recommendation of the EC. He said, ''"It would be profoundly dangerous to now set up an international mechanism, controlled by governments, to take over the running of the Internet. Not only would this play into the hands of regimes bent on limiting the freedom that the Internet can bring, but it also risks stifling innovation and ultimately endangering the security of the system."'' According to him, the EC seems to have gone too far in its proposal to set up a mechanism that would limit access to the Internet. He pointed out that ''"Europeans should be as keen as anyone to preserve the essence of a system that has worked amazingly well."''<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/10/opinion/10iht-edbildt.html Keep the Internet free By Carl Bildt]</ref>

In 2025, the U.N. General Assembly will conduct a review of the outcomes of the WSIS, called WSIS+20, to assess progress and identify challenges and areas for continued focus. The review in 2015, WSIS+10, resulted in an Outcome Document, which reconfirmed the WSIS Tunis Agenda. The WSIS+20 Review is not an isolated process within the U.N. It will place after several other concurrent processes have concluded, each of which could affect WSIS+20. They include the [[Global Digital Compact]],<ref>[https://www.un.org/techenvoy/global-digital-compact GDC, UN]</ref> the Internet Governance Forum, the Leadership Panel, the Open-Ended Working Group ([[OEWG]]), and the Ad-Hoc Committee ([[AHC]]).<ref>[https://itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/government-engagement-ge/ge-012-13-03-2023-en.pdf ICANN GE on WSIS+20]</ref>

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Organizations]]

[[Category:Organizations]]