Recognizing WSIS Impacts

Unless it acknowledges key characteristics of the Internet, the World Summit on the Information Society will easily undermine it

PP Resolution 178


PP RESOLUTION 178 (Guadalajara, 2010)

ITU role in organizing the work on technical aspects of telecommunication networks to support the Internet

The Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (Guadalajara, 2010),

  • considering
    • a) that the construction of the information society demands the decisive cooperation and involvement of the entire world, as its consolidation will certainly exert a positive impact on bridging the digital divide;
    • b) that one of the first steps to be undertaken is to establish an environment for the ITU Member States and Sector Members to explore ways to advance in the process towards enhanced cooperation within ITU and address and define new mechanisms for accomplishing its emerging role and responsibilities,
  • considering further
    • a) that a crucial part of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society lies in the “Implementation and follow-up” section, where the premises, guidelines and activities of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) are clearly expressed;
    • b) that ITU has been appointed in the “Implementation and follow-up” section of the Tunis Agenda as one of the possible moderators and facilitators for the action lines established by WSIS;
    • c) that both the World Telecommunication Development Conference (Doha, 2006) and the Plenipotentiary Conference (Antalya, 2006) recognized the leading role that ITU shall play in regard to WSIS Action Lines C2 (Information and communication infrastructure) and C5 (Building confidence and security in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs)),
  • noting
    • a) the need to strengthen the Union with structures that allow continuous improvement of its work as facilitator of WSIS directives;
    • b) the importance of telecommunication networks and services as a support to Internet interoperability;
    • c) the historical capacity of the Union for bringing together various agents of the telecommunication sector, i.e. administrations and private entities, in the development of technical recommendations for telecommunication networks;
    • d) the need to establish focal points within the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) for the relevant WSIS action lines (pursuant to Resolution 75 (Johannesburg, 2008) of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA)), so as to enable all ITU members to work, in a coordinated and transparent manner, on the development of the technical aspects of telecommunication networks for supporting the Internet, in order to help advance network evolution, capacity, continuity, interoperability and security, through contribution-based work,
  • keeping in mind
    • a) Article 17 of the ITU Constitution, which outlines the functions of ITU-T: “The functions of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector shall be, bearing in mind the particular concerns of the developing countries, to fulfil the purposes of the Union relating to telecommunication standardization, as stated in Article 1 of this Constitution, by studying technical, operating and tariff questions and adopting recommendations on them with a view to standardizing telecommunications on a worldwide basis”;
    • b) Article 13 of the ITU Convention, which sets out the responsibilities of WTSA, detailing that:
    • “3 In accordance with No. 104 of the Constitution, the assembly shall:
      • …
      • f) decide on the need to maintain, terminate or establish other groups and appoint their chairmen and vice-chairmen;
      • g) establish the terms of reference for the groups referred to in No. 191A above; such groups shall not adopt questions or recommendations”,
  • resolves
    • that ITU shall continue to adapt, working in a coordinated and transparent manner on development of the technical aspects of telecommunication networks for supporting the Internet, in order to help advance network evolution, capacity, continuity, interoperability and security, through contribution-based work,
  • instructs the Secretary-General and the Directors of the Bureaux
    • to continue taking all necessary measures for ITU to fulfil its role in organizing the work on aspects of telecommunication networks to support Internet,
  • invites Member States and Sector Members
    • to participate in and provide contributions related to the evaluation mentioned in
    • “instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, in consultation with the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group” 2 above,
  • instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, in consultation with the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group
    • 1 to convene open consultations about contributions that ITU-T could provide to the implementation of WSIS;
    • 2 to evaluate and present a proposal on adjustments to the current structure of ITU-T, in order to fulfil the directive set forth in resolves above, by possibly suggesting the creation of a specific study group or other group on these matters;
    • 3 to submit, for WTSA-12, the conclusion of the evaluation mentioned in item 2 above,
  • invites the 2012 world telecommunication standardization assembly
    • 1 to analyse the report by the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau and the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group and contributions from Member States and Sector Members, and decide on the adjustments to the structure of ITU-T, in order to reach the objective of improving the technical work, within ITU-T, on the development of the technical aspects of telecommunication networks for supporting the Internet;
    • 2 to take the necessary action, as appropriate, regarding the establishment of a study group or other appropriate group in order to achieve the objectives mentioned in resolves above.

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