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(WSIS-II/PC-3/DOC/8-E)
4.
We seek to reaffirm the commitments made in Geneva and build on them in
Tunis by focussing on Financial Mechanisms for bridging the digital divide, on
Internet Governance and related issues, as well as on follow-up and implementation
of the Geneva and Tunis decisions, as referenced in chapters two, three and four of
[the operational part of this document/the operational document: Tunis agenda for
action].
Key
principles
5.
We reaffirm our resolution in the quest to ensure that everyone can benefit
from the opportunities that ICTs can offer, by recalling that governments, as well as
private sector, civil society and the United Nations and other international
organizations, should work together to: improve access to information and
communication infrastructure and technologies as well as to information and
knowledge; build capacity; increase confidence and security in the use of ICTs; create
an enabling environment at all levels; develop and widen ICT applications; foster and
respect cultural diversity; recognize the role of the media; address the ethical
dimensions of the Information Society; and encourage international and regional
cooperation. We confirm that these are the key principles for building an inclusive
Information society, the elaboration of which is found in the Geneva Declaration of
Principles.
Develop-
ment
orientation
6.
We recognise that knowledge is vital to human existence and that
strengthening diffusion and exchange of knowledge would contribute to economic,
social and cultural development, and help all countries reach the internationally-
agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration.
7.
Furthermore, ICTs have made it possible for a vastly larger population than at
any time in the past to join in sharing and expanding the base of human knowledge,
and contributing to its further growth and application to education, health and science.
ICTs have enormous potential to expand access to quality education, to boost literacy
and universal primary education, and to facilitate the learning process itself and thus
lay the groundwork for a fully-inclusive and open information and knowledge
society.
8.
We also recognize that, [just as] the ICT revolution can have a tremendous
positive impact as an instrument of sustainable development[, in the absence of an
appropriate enabling environment at national and international levels, it could
reinforce and increase existing social and economic divisions, widen the gap between
rich and poor countries, between regions, and between individuals—including
between men and women].
9.
We reaffirm our commitment to removing all obstacles to bridging the digital
divide, particularly those that hinder the full achievement of the economic and social
development of countries and the welfare of their citizens, in particular, in developing
countries.
Alternate 9. We urge states to take steps to assist in overcoming obstacles to bridge
the digital divide, particularly those that impede the full achievement of the economic
and social development by the population of the affected countries and hinder the
well-being of their population.
10.
We shall strive unremittingly, therefore, to promote universal, ubiquitous,
equitable and affordable access to ICTs for people everywhere, to ensure that the
benefits are more evenly distributed between and within societies, and to bridge the
digital divide in order to create digital opportunities for all.
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