Success of the Special Session of the DSF at the Tunis Summit

The time for talking is now over, we must take action», said Alpha Oumar Konaré, Chairman of the African Union Commission, in closing the Global Digital Solidarity Fund Special Session at the WSIS, on the 16th of November 2005. The meaning of those words became evident in the light of the DSF presentation, during which satellite communication was secured between the Tunis Exhibit Centre and two DSF pilot projects in Burkina Faso and Burundi. The dialogue established between on-site medical personnel and the participants of the conference demonstrated the potential of ITC develop the Tele-medicine and Tele-education programs, which are at the heart of DSF’s activities.

The Heads of State attending the Special Session reaffirmed their will to fight against the digital divide and to support the Fund as a way to ensure this goal. «This concept is in total rupture with previous methods,» commented S.E. Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal. «Africa will be able to take great leaps towards modernity thanks to Internet access to scientific and technological information».

These views were shared by Nigerian President S.E. Olusegun Obasanjo; «Our continent has many problems and we need information technologies to help resolve them. I am convinced that the DSF will be a catalyst in attaining our objectives. I am happy to see how these projects have started». Calling upon all countries to support the DSF, he announced Nigeria’s commitment to setting up a regional African office.

This idea was also supported by S.E. Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, the First Lady of the Dominican Republic. «Thanks to the Fund, we can unite our efforts in making the change from the industrial society to the information society. We invite all governments to support the DSF : it is an opportunity for all developing countries.» She concluded by announcing the Dominican Republic plans to organize a Summit of Latin American countries to address the digital divide.

The Mayors of Geneva and Lyon, Manuel Tornare and Gerard Collomb, reminded us of the role of local authorities in the struggle against the digital divide. Words to be followed by concrete action, through the launch of a world conference on digital solidarity financing, scheduled to take place in Lyon in the autumn of 2006.