The Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) and the WSIS

The Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) with its world-wide network of partners is an excellent platform for the discussion of all topics related to ICT for development - one of the main aspects of the WSIS.

GKP regroups members of the government sector, the private sector, from civil society as well as international organisations - representing the international, the national and grass-roots levels - and hence is a truly broad-based network. Also, GKP is a demand-driven network as its focus is substantially influenced by members from developing countries.

In short, GKP and WSIS are natural partners. The knowledge and experience of the presently 93 GKP members in ICT for development are a valuable in-put for the WSIS. In return, GKP's role in advocacy, aims at the WSIS as one of the major platforms to amplify the voices of stakeholders from the developing world.

GKP's Advocacy role has been highlighted with the launch of the GKP Strategy 2005 at the Annual Meeting held in Addis Ababa. GKP's vision is one of "a world of equal opportunities where all people are able to use and access knowledge and information to improve their lives."

Based on GKP's strengths and experiences, the Strategy 2005 focuses on:

• Facilitating advocacy and amplifying the voices of stakeholders from the developing world in Global Policy Dialogues on ICT for Development

• Providing services that enhance members' individual and collective efficiency and effectiveness by operating as a broker for knowledge, services, resources and relationships

• Increasing the availability of information and knowledge on ICT for development and empowerment, and promoting regional exchange

In the area of advocacy, the GKP Strategy puts particular emphasis on universal access to ICT. An equitable and global Information Society can only be achieved when all have access to the relevant technologies. Linked to the question of access is the availability of adequate and functional financing mechanisms and facilities. Furthermore and equally relevant, the issue of local content in order to avoid that the South simply becomes a consumer of information created by the North.

The Strategy also highlights youth and gender as particularly important advocacy groups and aims to give their voices the necessary weight.

With regard to the WSIS, GKP's advocacy activities have already started.

The first in a series of Regional Network events was hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on behalf of GKP in April 2002. Another regional event was hosted by the National IT Council of Malaysia (NITC) and took place in early June, focusing on ICT & Governance. The regional events are ideal platforms for active discussions by regional stakeholders on key challenges, opportunities and constraints relating to the Information Society. They allow to develop a common vision and understanding for the region and to bring these positions into the WSIS process more effectively.

GKP, ECA and other GKP members also co-organized two pre-conference events at the African Regional Conference in preparation of the WSIS in Bamako (25 - 30 May 2002): a Media Forum and a Business Forum - both of which have resulted in the creation of a network. Other GKP co-organized events are planned for the World Summit on Sustainable Development to explore the links between the two summits and the contribution and role of ICT with regard to sustainable development.

In addition to these specific events and initiatives, GKP's activities in general can be a powerful means to bring the positions of the disadvantaged into the global policy dialogue and to profit from the experiences and lessons learnt from other like-minded actors in other developing countries. The South-South information exchange is of particular importance and it takes place within GKP. We invite you to join.

For more details: www.globalknowledge.org
email: gkps@gkpsecretariat.org.my