DECISION ON THE WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY
(Doc. EX.CL/173 (VII))
The Assembly:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report presented in this regard;
2. RECALLS the various decisions of the African Union on the World Summit on Information Society, particularly the decisions of its 2nd and 3rd sessions held, respectively in Maputo in July 2003 and Addis Ababa in July 2004;
3. RECALLS ALSO the UN General Assembly resolutions Nos. 183/56, 238/57 and 220/59;
4. RECOGNIZES the growing importance the international community in particular attaches to the 2nd phase of the World Summit on Information Society to be held in Tunis to bridge the digital gap into digital prospects and modern Information and communications technologies as a strategic tool for development;
5. TAKES NOTE of the progress made in preparing for the Tunis phase and the results achieved during the meetings of the Preparatory Committee in June 2004 and February 2005, respectively as well as Africa's impressive participation in them. In this respect, African countries are called upon to continue their effective participation in future meetings of the Committee, particularly the 3rd meeting scheduled in Geneva in September 2005 in order to achieve the internationally desired results and to reflect Africa's interests in the recommendations and conclusions of the Tunis Summit appropriately;
6. COMMENDS the effective role played by Africa in the preparatory phases of the Tunis Summit at the continental level through the Bamako 2003, Accra 2005 and Cairo 2005 meetings. And URGES African countries are invited to continue their coordination and exchange of views at the continental level to ensure fruitful and more effective participation in the preparations for the Summit, particularly in the meeting slated for Dakar in July 2005 to finalise the African common position document on world good governance of the internet;
7. REQUESTS the Commission to consider the organization of a meeting of Ministers of Information and Communication Technology to examine and adopt an African Plan of Action for the culmination of the preparations for the Tunis Summit into results that reflects the aspirations of the African Peoples and the establishment of the best mechanisms for the follow-up and implementation of the African Plan of Action, thereby ensuring the achievement of the development goals of the Continent;
8. INVITES member States and African Governments to participate in the World Summit on Information Society to be held in Tunis at the highest level and also URGES the civil society and the private sector to participate in parallel events during the Summit;
9. FURTHER INVITES Member States, Governments and Regional and International Organizations to support and contribute to the financing of the Digital Solidarity Fund.