WSIS

WSIS
Name	World Summit on the Information Society
Abbrev	WSIS
Formation	2003, 2005
Founders	United Nations, International Telecommunication Union
Type	International summit series
Purpose	Multistakeholder policy on information society, Internet governance, digital divide
Headquarters	Geneva, Tunis

WSIS The World Summit on the Information Society convened global actors to address digital connectivity, Internet governance, and the digital divide. It brought together representatives from the United Nations, European Union, African Union, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund alongside private sector leaders from Microsoft, Google, Apple Inc., and civil society organizations such as Electronic Frontier Foundation and Association for Progressive Communications. The summit process produced influential multilateral documents adopted at assemblies in Geneva and Tunis, shaping dialogues at forums like the Internet Governance Forum and influencing initiatives by UNESCO, ITU, and World Health Organization.

Background and Origins

The origins trace to United Nations deliberations on information and communication technologies during sessions of the United Nations General Assembly and policy work by the International Telecommunication Union and United Nations Development Programme. Debates at the World Trade Organization and policy positions from national delegations including United States, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa informed the agenda. Civil society networks such as Global Voices and academic actors from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, and Harvard University contributed expertise. Pre-summit conferences and preparatory committees featured inputs from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, African Development Bank, and regional bodies like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Summit Process and Phases

The WSIS process unfolded in two main phases: the first phase at Geneva and the second at Tunis. Preparatory Committee meetings involved delegations from United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and developing country groups such as the Group of 77 and Non-Aligned Movement. Parallel stakeholder networks included representatives from International Chamber of Commerce, World Economic Forum, Internet Society, and networks of non-governmental organizations like Amnesty International and Transparency International. The post-summit agenda carried into follow-up mechanisms including the Internet Governance Forum and ad hoc coalitions with European Commission initiatives and projects financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Key Outcomes and Declarations

Key outcomes included the adoption of the Geneva Declaration of Principles and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, which articulated commitments involving United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, International Telecommunication Union, and United Nations Development Programme. The process emphasized objectives from the Millennium Summit and linked to Sustainable Development Goals promoted by the United Nations General Assembly and later by UN Secretary-General. Instruments emerging from the summits informed policy frameworks used by national regulators such as Federal Communications Commission and international treaties deliberated at forums involving the World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization.

Stakeholders and Governance

Governance relied on a multistakeholder model incorporating nation-states including delegations from Canada, Australia, Nigeria, and Indonesia; private entities such as Cisco Systems and Intel Corporation; and civil society actors like Human Rights Watch and Privacy International. Academic institutions including Stanford University and University of Cambridge provided research. Intergovernmental organizations including Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, African Union Commission, and Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean engaged in implementation. The model spawned ongoing dialogues within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization sector and coordination with International Telecommunication Union standard-setting.

Implementation and Impact

Post-summit implementation manifested through initiatives by World Bank financing, projects managed by United Nations Development Programme, and policy reforms at national agencies such as Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Egypt) and regulatory bodies like Office of Communications (Ofcom). It influenced capacity-building programs run by UNESCO and technology transfer projects with partners including Samsung and Huawei. The summit shaped academic curricula at institutions like London School of Economics and guided philanthropic strategies by entities such as the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. The establishment of the Internet Governance Forum created a recurring space for stakeholder engagement reflected in subsequent high-level meetings at United Nations Headquarters.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques centered on tensions between sovereign state control advocated by delegations from China and Russia and open Internet principles championed by United States delegations and organizations such as the Internet Society. Civil society raised concerns about representation and influence of corporations like Facebook and Microsoft. Disputes involved intellectual property positions promoted by World Intellectual Property Organization versus access advocates from Doctors Without Borders and Public Knowledge. Debates over surveillance, privacy, and human rights engaged actors including European Court of Human Rights and International Criminal Court commentators. Transparency controversies emerged regarding lobbying by multinational corporations and policy capture fears cited by advocacy networks like Access Now.

Category:International conferences