16 January 2004
Tunis — Preparations for the World Summit on the Information Society to be hosted by Tunisia in the year 2005, was the main topic of a special cabinet meeting chaired today by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Discussion focused on the organizational aspects of this international event and the different stages of preparation," said the Tunisian news agency TAP.
According to the wire service, President Ben Ali recommended "adequate preparation for this event, working to increase awareness about the importance of the Tunis phase and ensuring the wider participation of various parties, including governments, civil society, the private sector and international organizations."
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is structured in two phases. The first phase was hosted by Switzerland, from 10 to 12 December 2003. The second phase will be hosted by Tunisia in November 16-18, 2005.
Addressing the closing session of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), December 12, 2003, Tunisian President Ben Ali had emphasized the role that should be assumed by civil society and the the private sector, in coordination with governmental parties during the preparation of the Tunis Summit. He called on all parties to "contribute, with their customary sense of initiative and creativity, to coordinating and unifying efforts with governmental parties during the preparation of the Tunis Summit."
He also expressed his hope that "the Tunis meeting will constitute a historic landmark materializing our aspirations for progress and welfare for all humanity".
Tunisia had taken the initiative of calling for a world summit under the United Nations auspices, in 1998, in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA).
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