Global Digital Solidarity Fund, DSF-news Nr. 13,

Liberating political action - In the digital debate, one voice remains silent: that of the humanists. This absence would not be so worrying if ICTs were merely an instrument to further our economic development, but that is not the case. They are instilling a fundamental change in the way our societies function, in our relationships with other people and things, our relationship with culture and our perception of politics.

On Tuesday 6 November 2007, a new President was appointed to the global Digital Solidarity Fund, for a term of three years. At the 3rd meeting of the DSF Foundation Board, Alain Madelin, former French Minister of the Economy and Finance, took over from Guy-Olivier Segond, who had headed the DSF since its official launch in March 2005. As regards the vice presidency of the Fund, it will now be shared by two people: Mrs Nnenna Nwakanma of Nigeria and Mr John R. Gagain.

The DSF will present its innovative financing mechanism to the World Congress on Information Technology – WCIT 2008 – which will bring together the private sector, governments and civil society. The DSF is working on the assumption that businesses will need to access new ICT markets in regions with strong growth potential. Through the 1% digital solidarity contribution, the DSF proposes a simple and effective solution to enable insolvent markets to take part in the information society.

On 9 and 10 June 2008, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania will host an International Conference on Financing Digital Solidarity, which will be attended by all the members of the “5 + 5” group of countries. The Conference will aim to define concrete actions to reduce the digital divide within the framework for the “5 + 5” group and Mediterranean cooperation.

It will put forward the signature of a Convention on the 1% digital solidarity contribution. This one “will be the starting point for a society finally governed by a sense of solidarity”, according to the Mayor of Lyon and French Senator, and President of the World Digital Solidarity Agency. “Given that the amount of official development assistance is steadily decreasing, we must wholeheartedly accept the idea of innovative financing mechanisms for development. Indeed, this is essential if even a small part of the Millennium Goals is to be achieved.

The city of Malaga, a leader in the field of new technologies in the Mediterranean basin, will host a Conference of local authorities on digital solidarity on September 19th 2008. Interview of Francisco de la Torre Prados, Mayor of Malaga. “Through the DSF, we can be a big help in implementing international cooperation programmes at the local level.”