ITU to join Brazil Internet governance gathering

Secretary-General Touré will represent UN on High Level Multistakeholder Committee

Geneva, 20 February 2014 – ITU will participate in Brazil’s ‘Netmundial’ Global Multistakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance, which will take place in Sao Paolo from April 23-24, 2014.
ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun I. Touré will join the High Level Multistakeholder Committee (HLMC) as one of two representatives of the United Nations, alongside Wu Hongbo, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

Chaired by Brazilian Minister of Communications Paulo Bernardo Silva, the HLMC will be responsible for overseeing the overall strategy of the meeting and fostering the involvement of the international community. Comprising 26 members, including the two representatives appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Committee will be composed of Ministerial-level representation from 12 governments and 12 members of the multi-stakeholder community (three each from civil society, the private sector, academia and the technical community).
Dr Touré praised Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff for taking the initiative to further open and inclusive dialogue on efforts towards ensuring trust and confidence in the Internet, which is now recognized by countries worldwide as a critical resource for growth and ongoing socio-economic development.
“I welcome the responsibility of representing the UN system on the HLMC, alongside Under Secretary-General Wu of UNDESA,” said Dr Touré. “Today’s knowledge-driven Information Society has been built on the development and expansion of the Internet. I commend the pioneering vision and dedication of all stakeholders involved in the creation of this extraordinary resource, including the technical and academic communities and civil society.”
“Today’s Internet is a global public good, the value and utility of which can only be further developed and protected through the involvement and goodwill of all stakeholders,” Dr Touré continued.  “As our physical and cyber worlds overlap, there is increased need for high-level dialogue that addresses emerging challenges, including the need to ensure that the Internet remains a secure space that supports human rights, economic development, rule of law and good governance.”
In 2003 and 2005, ITU worked alongside the entire UN family, the business community and civil society to organize the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in two phases. Each phase marked the culmination of many months of consultation and negotiations among as many as 20,000 participants from government, civil society, the private sector, academia and international organizations.
The world’s first truly open, inclusive multi-stakeholder global meeting on ICT policy, WSIS led to an internationally-negotiated working definition of ‘Internet governance’. It also succeeded in securing international consensus on a set of broad principles for the transparent and democratic management of this critical global resource. The forthcoming 10-year anniversary of WSIS is a key milestone and offers a unique opportunity for the world to take stock and review the implementation of the WSIS principles.
ITU welcomes Brazil’s timely efforts to facilitate a global dialogue on these important matters and looks forward to transparent, open, constructive and meaningful discussions that are inclusive of all nations and stakeholders, from developing and developed countries alike, with a view to ensuring a better, more secure Internet for all.
Learn more about the WSIS process and WSIS Forum: http://groups.itu.int/wsis-forum2012/Home.aspx
More information on the Brazilian event can be found at: www.netmundial.org