Global Policy Forum

Letter on the ODS to Mr. Nitin Desai

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World Federalist Movement
September 18, 2003

Mr. Nitin Desai
Special Adviser to the Secretary General
for the World Summit on the Information Society

Dear Mr. Desai,

I congratulate you on your being selected by the Secretary General to be Special Adviser for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). First, I know I speak for many other non-governmental organizations in expressing, our deepest gratitude and appreciation for your extraordinary contributions as Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs.

I am writing to ask you to support, within the framework of the WSIS, completing the effort this year to secure NGO access to the UN Official Documents System (ODS, formerly Optical Disk System). As you may know, the Secretary General has been trying to offer this service and access to NGOs, but it reportedly has been cut in the General Assembly 5th committee negotiations at the last minute. Please see the enclosed memo prepared by the Global Policy Forum for more information.

NGO access to the ODS would greatly further the capacity of civil society organizations from developing countries and others located far from the UN headquarters to contribute to UN processes and, thereby, encourage participation of these under-represented groups.

WFM, along with Global Policy Forum, Amnesty International and many other organizations has been working towards this goal for many years. Earlier this year we sent Secretary General Annan and other UN officials* a letter that provides background and rational for universal access to the ODS as well as the present status of making this technology available. We are attaching copies of these letters.

As the WSIS affirms, dissemination of information through the Internet is providing new means and opportunities for NGO participation. The UN should be a leader in encouraging and employing these new methods. Universal access to the ODS would be a significant step.

We hope that in your capacity as Special Adviser for the World Summit on the Information Society you will emphasize the importance of universal and free access to the ODS.

Sincerely,
William R. Pace

* In May 2003, letters regarding funding for universal access to the ODS were sent to Secretary General Annan and Assistant-Secretary General Sorensen. Copies of the letter were sent to Kenyan Ambassador Bob Jalang'o, Chair of the UN Working Group on Information and Mr. Sarbuland Khan, Executive Coordinator of the UN ICT Task Force.

More Information on NGOs
More Information on NGOs and the UN
More Information on NGOs and the UN Official Documents System

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FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.