Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of the Government of Poland, I would like to thank the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations and, in the first place the Tunisian Government for their major contributions in preparing the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

Mr. President,

As we well know the objective of the WSIS process was not to discuss the utilizing of ICT’s or to consider their axiomatic value but to find a way to build digital solidarity and to develop and expand the Information Society. We believe that thanks to the Tunis Summit a responsible and balanced dialogue among all the WSIS shareholders has been launched to facilitating the attainment of this aim.

The final documents of the Summit confirm and reflect the engagement of all participants: governments, international organizations together with the private sector and civil society in the WSIS process. Their adoption does not mean the end of this process. It is only the second phase of the Summit that is coming to an end. We should already prepare ourselves for the next stage in order to establish effective mechanisms of implementation and follow-up of the Summit recommendations.

At present the majority of people in the world are not benefiting from the new technology. A digital divide separates the rich and the poor countries. But there is also a division between the old and the young and between the educated and those without the benefit of education. It is the task of all of us to come up to bridge such a digital divide.

Mr. President,

The Internet and other ICT’s technologies can be a reliable means of diving more substance to the idea of sustainable development. In particular, they can be an effective tool for forecasting and preventing global threats. In fact, the challenges, which the world is facing, justify the need to build up a widely and freely accessible world information network. Such a network could serve to provide monitoring, forecasting and early warning capacity with regard to natural and man-made disasters and thus help to implement the principles of sustainable development.

Such a network would be vital in shaping sustained economic growth and fair globalisation.

Mr. President,

As we all know the question of Internet governance is of special significance. We welcome in this respect the intention to assess the adequacy of present Internet governance arrangements and to develop a more detailed understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of all actors. This will enable us to identify those issues that have been already dealt with satisfactorily within the existing structures and to concentrate on the issues which require further coordination or co-operation.

Bearing this in mind, Poland is of the view that the existing mechanisms regulating the functioning of the Internet are performing quite well. Nevertheless, in the face of new challenges, we recommend their improvement by allowing the contribution of all interested stakeholders for the sake of development and better use of the Internet.

The development of the information and communication technologies like in general the economic and social progress is possible only through guaranteeing freedom of speech, respecting the principles of democracy and taking responsibility by each country for observing the fundamental freedoms and human rights within its borders.

Allow me, summing up, to re-iterate the readiness of the Republic of Poland to endorse the conclusions adopted at this Summit and to actively pursue their implementation, drawing on all its resources and potential.

Thank you for your attention.