To mark the presentation of the World Information Society Award to the originator of the DSF, the Fund’s president, Guy-Olivier Segond, takes stock of past achievements and future challenges

The DSF held its first Foundation Board meeting on 20 March 2006. Where do matters stand at this point?

During the early months of its existence, the Fund has found good general acceptance of a one percent digital solidarity contribution on local collectivities’ public procurement in the field of information technology. In concrete terms, the Secretariat is now concentrating on consolidating its structure. All the while it has been fine-tuning the modalities for financing the Fund and its activities, before enlisting broad political support in the international community. This is now substantiated by the financing of the first projects in Africa and Asia.

What are the challenges in the medium term?

Contributing to digital solidarity can give rise to legal problems in some countries on account of the local collectivities’ statutes. To overcome these, we need to conclude an international treaty by virtue of which the signatory States authorize local collectivities to make the contribution. International discussions on new mechanisms of financing for development are now under way, with the participation of the Fund.

Is the private sector happy with the «one percent digital solidarity» principle?

The decision to apply the contribution is made by the local collectivities, but it is important that private enterprise should appreciate how the system works: clearly stated in the calls for bids, the contribution is collected in the information technology sector to finance insolvable demand, being subject to neither interpretation nor negotiation. It is neither a tax nor a gift, but an investment in future markets giving entitlement to the «digital solidarity» label.

Senegal President H.E. A. Wade has received the World Information Society Award for his initiative to create the DSF. What does this award mean to you?

The Award acknowledges the importance of President A. Wade’s action. As the bearer of the African Union’s initiative to transform the digital divide into digital solidarity, he formulated a vision and a project which he presented to the international community. The Fund is thus pleased and proud that the action of its Founding Father should be acknowledged in this way by the first World Information Society Award.