Mocking the digital divide

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003 was the first international summit to focus on the global information and communication system. Ironically, the presence of 54 heads of government at the summit, including contingents from all the countries of Southasia, failed to attract much attention in the region's mass media. With a total of 10,808 participants at the summit and 176 countries signing the official declaration, the organisers hailed it as a historic step to bridge the digital divide. The reality, however, is more complex.

The WSIS traces its roots to 1998 when the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) resolved to take steps to place the prospect of holding such a summit on the agenda of the United Nations Administrative Committee on Coordination. In 2001, the UN General Assembly asked the ITU to assume leadership for the preparation of the WSIS. According to the terms of the UN General Assembly resolution, the aim of the WSIS was to bring together governments, non-governmental organisations, civil society entities, industry leaders and media representatives to shape the future of the global information society. The WSIS was officially aimed at harnessing the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) to promote the development goals of the UN General Assembly. It was to frame policies as well as practical measures to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor countries. A pre-summit press release stated that the WSIS would focus on how to close the 'digital divide' in key areas of connectivity and computerisation.