Explanation of Position by Karen L. Morgan, Adviser, U.S. Mission to the United Nations, in the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly, on Information and Communications Technologies for Development, December 9, 2011

Karen Morgan, Adviser

New York, NY

December 9, 2011

AS DELIVERED

Mr. Chairman, the United States joins consensus on this resolution. It highlights the essential role that information and communications technologies play in development and recognizes the Internet Governance Forum’s important on-going contributions to internet governance.

The United States continues to believe that internet governance discussions and policymaking must continue to include the full range of stakeholders. This is a position that enjoys overwhelming consensus, and was enshrined in the IGF’s unique, inclusive structure. The value of that structure, and the contribution the IGF has made to international internet governance, was recognized by the Secretary General, and 97% of the respondents to his survey, who welcomed the IGF’s renewal under its present mandate.

The resolution’s invitation to the Chair of the Commission for Science and Technology for Development to convene a one-day meeting, including all stakeholders on equal footing, is another opportunity for Member States to engage in enhanced cooperation, as set forth by the Tunis Agenda.

Government cooperation on international Internet public policy issues is being enhanced as governments increase their participation in established international fora that have demonstrated expertise in addressing these issues.

Moreover, enhanced cooperation on critical Internet public policy issues continues to occur between relevant international fora such as the UNESCO-ICANN partnership to promote linguistic diversity on the Internet, the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Digital Development, and the IGF.

We are firmly convinced that the present resolution should remain tightly focused on bridging the digital divide as part of our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Finally, the United States remains concerned about the budgetary implications of this resolution. We believe that the one-day meeting convened by the CSTD in Geneva must be financed through existing resources in recognition of the constrained budgetary environment in which United Nations organizations currently operate.

Thank you.

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