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The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 10-12 December 2003, is expected to adopt a Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action on the Information Society and to address a wide range of themes in this regard.The Summit will be attended by representatives of 191 Member States of the United Nations, international organizations, civil society and the private sector.

During the WSIS, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will be holding a round table on the theme: Six years of bridging the rural digital divide. This will provide an opportunity for sharing experience and lessons learned, and for involving people from many different backgrounds in developing a people-centred strategy for using information communication technology (ICT) to help eradicate poverty in the rural areas of the world.

I am pleased to invite you to attend the roundtable, which will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday 11 December 2003, in Meeting Room Q at GENEVA-PALEXPO, Exhibition and Conference Centre, Chemin Edouard Sarasin, Grand-Saconnex, CH-1218 Geneva, Switzerland.

A specialized agency of the United Nations, IFAD is dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in the rural areas of developing countries. Through low-interest loans and grants, IFAD develops and finances projects that enable poor rural people to overcome poverty themselves.

Since 1978, the Fund has invested USD 7.7 billion in more than 630 rural development projects in 115 countries and territories around the world. These projects have enabled over 250 million small farmers, herders, fisherfolk, landless workers, artisans and indigenous peoples to make a better life for themselves and for their families. IFAD tackles poverty not merely as a financier, but as an advocate of the rural poor. IFAD’s projects help to reduce poverty in some of the world’s most remote and fragile areas, and among its poorest and most marginalized people.

IFAD uses ICTs and other communication channels to enable poor rural people, governments, project staff, donors and others to exchange information, knowledge, experiences and lessons learned. Most of its experience in the use of ICTs for development has been related to the development of regional networks, which link IFAD projects and facilitate the sharing of information and experience, and to the development of thematic information services, in particular, the Rural Poverty Knowledgebase. IFAD is both eager to share its experience and to learn more on how to use ICTs to fight poverty.

Presentations will be made at the round table on the ways in which IFAD shares its experience through its Rural Poverty Knowledgebase and electronic networks in Africa (FIDAFRIQUE), Asia and the Pacific (ENRAP), and Latin America and the Caribbean (FIDAMERICA).

On my own behalf and that of the Fund, allow me to voice the hope that our roundtable will be honoured by your presence and participation.

Sincerely Yours,

Phrang Roy
Assistant President, External Affairs Department

Panelists

• Rodney Cooke, Director, Technical Advisory Division, IFAD
• Djiby Diop, Portfolio Manager, United Nations Office for Project Services – representing FIDAFRIQUE
• Germán Escobar, Vice-President, International Farming Systems Research Methodology Network (RIMSIP) – representing FIDAMERICA
• Michael Furminger, CISCO Education Specialist, CISCO
• Carl Greenidge, Director, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation, (CTA), ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement, The Netherlands
• Alfonso Gumucio Dagron, Managing Director, Communication for Social Change Consortium
• Renald Lafond, Team Leader, PAN Networking Program, International Development Research Centre – representing ENRAP
• Anton Mangstl, Director, Library and Documentation Systems Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Dylan Winder, Rural Livelihoods Adviser, ICD Team, Information Division, Department for International Development (DFID)
• Chin Saik Yoon, Chief Editor of the Digital Review of Asia Pacific and Publisher and Managing Director of Southbound
  

Agenda | Arabic version (PDF) | English version (PDF) | French version (PDF) | Spanish version (PDF) | Contact information