Sunday, November 13, 2005
Cybersurf: First impression of WSIS phase two in Tunis
Script of a weekly radio insert broadcast on SAfm Radio in South Africa
Hello good morning and welcome to Cybersurf - this week coming to you directly from Tunis – on the northern tip of our African continent – where yours truly, is attending the World Summit on the Information Society or WSIS if you are into acronyms.
Why am I here, and why am I telling you about this mega conference?
There are two reasons really, if you are listening to this program you are probably interested in the Internet – and the main topics of discussion here concern who will manage the internet and how can more people get access to it.
The second reason you should be interested in the Summit is because it involves your tax money – yes, our government is heavily committed to the WSIS process and has been one of the leaders in shaping the outcome of this meeting.
The Department of Communications has set up a large, impressive stand in the exhibition hall; Lyndall Shope Mafole, Director General of that same department has been chairing one of the two sub-committees drawing up the final documentation for the Summit; three government departments – Communications, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology - are sending high level delegations; South Africa is also one of the most generous contributors to the special fund set up to help cover the cost of this UN Conference and finally President Thabo Mbeki – head of the South African, delegation will be one of the Keynote speakers at the first plenary session of the Summit on Wednesday.
Tunisia is normally a very security conscious country, but in keeping with the war against terrorism; following suicide bomb attacks in several Middle Eastern countries and recalling the fact that they are expecting forty five heads of state for the summit – you can well imagine how beserk they have gone on security.
There are thousands of Tunisian security people – police and military – all over the city, while in the Conference centre, UN police work together with the locals to make life very uncomfortable for people in general, but for media in particular. They X-ray everything, make you take off your belt and shoes and go through your bags at every opportunity – so just try to imagine how excited they get with my radio equipment.
The trickiest topic under discussion here concerns Internet Governance – it took delegates weeks to come up with a working definition of the term, but it’s really about who should run the Internet. To put it very bluntly, I think that it galls the rest of the world to know that essentially the US government runs the ‘Net through ICANN – the Internet Corporation on Assigned Names and Numbers.
Most countries want the status quo to change – the African lobby says – and I quote – “We are convinced that there is a need for a progressive process towards a new transparent democratic and multi-lateral framework” end of quote.
In other words – we need change.
Until recently the UK appeared to be the only significant supporter of the US position, but in September even the Brits said that “adjustments need to be made”.
So will the US give up control of the internet? I don’t think so – but I am certain that by the end of this Summit on Friday, a new international body will be created to discuss and formulate Internet policy.
And so we come to the end of the Tunis edition of Cybersurf. Listen for more on the Summit during our current affairs shows this week.
Hello good morning and welcome to Cybersurf - this week coming to you directly from Tunis – on the northern tip of our African continent – where yours truly, is attending the World Summit on the Information Society or WSIS if you are into acronyms.
Why am I here, and why am I telling you about this mega conference?
There are two reasons really, if you are listening to this program you are probably interested in the Internet – and the main topics of discussion here concern who will manage the internet and how can more people get access to it.
The second reason you should be interested in the Summit is because it involves your tax money – yes, our government is heavily committed to the WSIS process and has been one of the leaders in shaping the outcome of this meeting.
The Department of Communications has set up a large, impressive stand in the exhibition hall; Lyndall Shope Mafole, Director General of that same department has been chairing one of the two sub-committees drawing up the final documentation for the Summit; three government departments – Communications, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology - are sending high level delegations; South Africa is also one of the most generous contributors to the special fund set up to help cover the cost of this UN Conference and finally President Thabo Mbeki – head of the South African, delegation will be one of the Keynote speakers at the first plenary session of the Summit on Wednesday.
Tunisia is normally a very security conscious country, but in keeping with the war against terrorism; following suicide bomb attacks in several Middle Eastern countries and recalling the fact that they are expecting forty five heads of state for the summit – you can well imagine how beserk they have gone on security.
There are thousands of Tunisian security people – police and military – all over the city, while in the Conference centre, UN police work together with the locals to make life very uncomfortable for people in general, but for media in particular. They X-ray everything, make you take off your belt and shoes and go through your bags at every opportunity – so just try to imagine how excited they get with my radio equipment.
The trickiest topic under discussion here concerns Internet Governance – it took delegates weeks to come up with a working definition of the term, but it’s really about who should run the Internet. To put it very bluntly, I think that it galls the rest of the world to know that essentially the US government runs the ‘Net through ICANN – the Internet Corporation on Assigned Names and Numbers.
Most countries want the status quo to change – the African lobby says – and I quote – “We are convinced that there is a need for a progressive process towards a new transparent democratic and multi-lateral framework” end of quote.
In other words – we need change.
Until recently the UK appeared to be the only significant supporter of the US position, but in September even the Brits said that “adjustments need to be made”.
So will the US give up control of the internet? I don’t think so – but I am certain that by the end of this Summit on Friday, a new international body will be created to discuss and formulate Internet policy.
And so we come to the end of the Tunis edition of Cybersurf. Listen for more on the Summit during our current affairs shows this week.
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