[AfrICANN-discuss] APC launches new book on WSIS, developing countries and civil society: Time for lessons learned

Anne-Rachel Inné annerachel at gmail.com
Thu Sep 13 12:36:47 SAST 2007


Internet & ICTs for Social Justice and Development News

APC launches new book on WSIS, developing countries and civil society:
Time for lessons learned

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay -- The World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS) has been roundly criticised in the past and this new study from
APC concludes that the summit "is not the best starting point for new
action." So, what is the point of looking at how developing country
delegations and civil society fared at the summit? Because, says the
author "it is always important to learn from experience – particularly
where it did not deliver up to expectations."

The book "Whose Summit? Whose Information Society? Developing
countries and civil society at the World Summit on the Information
Society", commissioned by APC and written by David Souter draws on
participants' observations, detailed interviews with forty key actors
and case studies of experiences rooted in five developing countries.

WSIS holds many lessons for developing countries and civil society
organisations aiming to exert greater influence in international ICT
decision-making fora. Some lessons demonstrate what worked well – such
as the highly successful, multi-stakeholder Internet Governance Forum
(IGF). The majority illustrate what did not work so well – not least,
holding a four-year long meeting on such a fast-changing topic.

    * Read a one-page introduction.
    * Interview with "Whose Summit? Whose Information Society?" author
David Souter to discuss the study's findings, as well as what lessons
can be gathered from the WSIS experience – for developing countries,
civil society, and in general by APCNews.
    * Download the full book here [in English; pdf format].
    * Download the abridged versions (part of APC's Issue Papers
series) in English, Spanish and French:


Five case studies of experience in five developing countries were
commissioned for the main report:

    * Bangladesh case study
    * Ecuador case study
    * Ethiopia case study
    * India case study
    * Kenya case study


Author: --- (APCNews)
Contact: communications at apc.org
Source: APCNews
Date: 09/12/2007
Location: MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay
Category:



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