Lyon declaration for digital solidarity

Concerned by the persistence of a digital gap which hinders countries’ capacity to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s),

Worried about the very low rates of Internet access in the least developed countries, particularly in Africa,

Encouraged by recent technological developments and growing awareness among actors, particularly local authorities,

Convinced that information and communication technologies (ICT’s) are powerful drivers of development,

Persuaded that ITC contribute strongly to peace, cultural dialogue and economic development, and that they foster the growth of the exchanges and production of goods and services and the promotion of trade and investment,

Anxious to implement the proposals made by the UN World Summits on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva in December 2003 and in Tunes in November 2005,

Convinced that the transition from an industrial society to an information society raises the prospect of new forms of solidarity “for” but also “by” digital technologies,

Grateful for the work of the Fund and the World Digital Solidarity Agency since they were launched in Geneva in March 2005,

Happy with the decision in principle made by 135 states to support the “voluntary contribution of 1% towards digital solidarity”, but calling for its concrete implementation,

Welcoming the decisions adopted at the Sommet de la Francophonie, the Islamic Summit (OIC), the Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the CEDEAO, the Pilot Group on Solidarity Contributions for Development, the Summit of Mediterranean Cities and at many groupings representing African and international civil society in favour of the voluntary contribution of 1% towards digital solidarity,

Acknowledging the new forms of finance for digital solidarity enabled by the use of the Internet, and the specific initiatives launched by governments, international organisations, development banks, companies, foundations, local authorities and charities,

Convinced that the permanent networking of the main public and private digital actors provides a catalyst for a range of synergies and the emergence of projects tailored to local realities,

Welcoming the work carried out at the workshops and plenary sessions of this first World Conference for Digital Solidarity (see appendices).

We ask the Fund and the World Digital Solidarity Agency:

• To group together their initiatives in order to construct as soon as possible a new international structure with the particular responsibility for implementing this declaration

• To continue to mobilise all the digital solidarity actors who gathered in Lyon, and to put in place a permanent forum for dialogue

• To support the project to organise a 2009 World Digital Solidarity Day on the Internet

In this context,

• We commit to support these efforts by providing the resources needed to achieve these objectives, particularly through e-Education, telemedicine and IT recycling programmes,

• We strongly urge all the public or private entities concerned to join this initiative and to make their contribution to the development of these activities,

• We also call on states, public and private entities and local authorities to apply the 1% digital solidarity principle.

Finally, we ask:

• The Mayor of Lyon and the President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Authority respectively to communicate this declaration to the President of the “United Cities and Local Governments” (UCLG) and to the President of the “Forum of Global Associations of Regions” (FOGAR), and to urge the members of these two organisations to subscribe to this initiative.

• The Deputy Secretary-General of the UN responsible for innovative development finance to communicate this declaration to the United Nations Conference on Financing for Development, to be held in Doha on 29 November 2008.

• The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union to communicate this declaration at the WSIS Tunis + 3 meeting.

• The President of the French Republic to present the results of this conference to the members of the European Union, the members of the G8 and at the Doha Conference, and to call on them to participate in this shared effort.

• The President of the Republic of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, in his capacity as representative of the Commission for Infrastructures and Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) of NEPAD, to present the recommendations of the Lyon Conference to his peers in the African Union in order to boost AU membership of the Digital Solidarity Fund.