The WSIS Forum 2016 represents the world's
largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community.
The WSIS Forum, co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in
close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line
Facilitators/Co-Facilitators (UNDESA, FAO, UNEP, WHO, UN Women, WIPO, WFP, ILO, WMO, UN, ITC, UPU, UNODC, and UN Regional
Commissions) has proven to be an efficient mechanism for
coordination of multi-stakeholder implementation activities,
information exchange, creation of knowledge, sharing of best
practices and continues to provide assistance in developing
multi-stakeholder and public/private partnerships to advance
development goals. This forum will provide structured
opportunities to network, learn and participate in
multi-stakeholder discussions and consultations on WSIS
implementation.
The WSIS Forum builds upon the outcomes of the UN General Assembly
Overall Review of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes (UNGA
Resolution 70/125), which recognized the necessity of holding this
Forum on an annual basis and called for a close alignment between
WSIS and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) processes. The WSIS
Forum will therefore serve as a key forum for discussing the role of
ICTs as a means of implementation of the Sustainable Development
Goals and targets, with due regard to the global mechanism for
follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development (UNGA Resolution A/70/1).
The WSIS-SDG Matrix developed by UN WSIS Action Line Facilitators
will serve as the mechanism to map, analyse and coordinate the
implementation of WSIS Action Lines, and more specifically, ICTs as
enablers and accelerators of the SDGs.
ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP welcome all WSIS Stakeholders to the
WSIS Forum 2016 to be held from 2–6 May 2016. This event builds
upon the tradition of annual WSIS May meetings, and its format is
the result of open consultations with all WSIS Stakeholders.
Emerging trends in 11 WSIS Action Lines both in terms of Policy and
Technology are produced as an Outcome of WSIS Forum in a
multi-stakeholder environment on an annual basis. The WSIS Forum
2016 Open Consultation Process on the Thematic Aspects and
Innovations on the Format aims at ensuring the participatory and
inclusive spirit of the WSIS Forum 2016 by actively engaging
governments, civil society, the private sector and
intergovernmental organizations in the preparatory process. The
Agenda and Programme of the WSIS Forum will be built on the basis
of the official submissions received during the Open Consultation
Process.