I.
BACKGROUND
1.
The impetus for the Summit began with a resolution introduced by Tunisia and adopted by the
1998 Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The 2001
session of the ITU Council considered the Report of the Secretary-General and in Resolution 1179
(Ref. C2001/114), endorsed the framework for a Summit in two phases, with the first phase in
Geneva in 2003 and the second phase in Tunis in 2005. The Decision of the ITU Council was
endorsed on 21 December 2001 by the UNGA (UN General Assembly) in Resolution 56/183,
which welcomed the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society at the highest
possible level under the high patronage of the UN Secretary General, with the ITU taking the lead
role in its preparations. The resolution supported the framework for the Summit in two phases,
which has been endorsed by the ITU Council.
2.
The UNGA Resolution further recommended that preparations for the Summit take place
through an open ended intergovernmental Preparatory Committee that would define the agenda of
the Summit, decide on the modalities of the participations of stakeholders in the Summit and
finalize both the draft declaration and the draft plan of action. It also invited the ITU to assume the
leading managerial role in the Executive Secretariat of the Summit. In December 2002, the UNGA
adopted Resolution 57/238, which reaffirmed the support for the Summit previously expressed in
Resolution 56/183. At its 59th session, the UNGA adopted Resolution 59/220, which endorses the
declaration of principles and Plan of Action as adopted by the Summit on 12 December 2003. The
Resolution welcomes the establishment of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) and
the Task Force on Financial Mechanisms (TTFM) set up in accordance with the decisions of the
first phase of the Summit and calls for an active contribution of all stakeholders to the preparatory
process of the Tunis Phase of the Summit as well as to the Summit scheduled on 16-18 November
2005.
II.
OUTCOME OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE
INFORMATION SOCIETY
3.
The first phase of the Summit took place in Geneva on 10-12 December 2003. The Geneva
Phase adopted a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action. Several issues were deferred to the
second phase of the Summit. The Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action called upon the
Secretary-General of the UN to establish a Working Group on Internet Governance and a Task
Document WSIS-II/PC-3/DOC/2-E
7 September 2005
Original: English
Yoshio Utsumi
Chairman, High-Level Summit Organizing Committee
Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union
REPORT ON ACTIVITIES LEADING TO PREPCOM-3
OF THE TUNIS PHASE OF THE SUMMIT