« Together let’s build and inclusive digital future »

Senator Mayor Gérard Collomb gives the « Lyons declaration » to Kofi Annan, Lyons,december 2003, World Summit of Local Authorities on Information Society

What is digital solidarity ? Cooperation within the IT and telecommunications domain between local actors from both north and south nations. Digital solidarity promote an inclusive and sustainable information society. The idea of digital solidarity arose from two observations at the Lyon-Geneva and Bilbao-Tunis WSIS : ■ information and communications technologies (ICT) constitute powerful leverage for social development ■ the market cannot be the only way to provide universal access to digital goods and services. Digital solidarity aims to break with the notions of technical dependence and welfare assistance. It targets in priority a reinforcement of the local technical capabilities of the population by basing its action on city to city cooperation and Public and Private Partnerships (PPP).

The Digital Solidarity Fund and Agency were created in 2005 following the WSIS to answer important needs for funding, expertise, catalyse and networking that were not met by existing partners and institutions. These needs essentially concern capacity building for digital skills at the local community level. For the key issues of the information society – access, uses, contents – the reinforcement of local capability is an essential element. By itself, access to large telecommunication infrastructures is insufficient because the digital divides are multiple : ethnic, economic, cultural, cognitive, sociological, geographical, etc. Major international stake-holders are not organized to sustain local community projects that concern capacity building : development of training, uses, contents production and sustainable development process. Reinforce digital capability for local actors

Catalyse a multi-stakeholder dynamic

Development of the information society presents both risks and opportunities for the environment . In close collaboration with the networks of sustainable development, the DSA and DSF systematically integrates considerations of sustainability in its projects. Computers 2.0 and E-Waste projects : creation of sustainable IT equipment recycling based on solidarity. With different local and international partners, DSA and DSF are working toward the creation of a sustainable and inclusive label for this second hand equipment. This innovative project features a triple value chain: - environmental, by prolonging the equipment lifecycle; - social, by creating jobs that promote social integration; - solidarity-based, by working against digital illiteracy. ICT and energy efficiency : digital solidarity at the service of the battle against climate change. Sustainable development and digital solidarity

This world conference on digital solidarity will focus on three main issues : ■ Redefining the main priorities of digital solidarity particularly through 3 flagships projects : telemedicine, digital education and the reuse of computers ■ Improving and promoting innovative financing mechanisms required for digital solidarity ■ Structuring the Fund and the Agency to enable them to fulfil their role as a catalyst for multi-stakeholder partnerships. Lyons conference on digital solidarity november 24th ■ 250 very high level multi-stakeholders participants ■ Under the Presidency of the French President during its presidency of UE ■ One day before ICT 2008 in Lyon, 6 days before Doha UN Conference on innovative financing for developpment.

Jean Pouly, Executive Secretary [email_address]