UNCTAD has participated actively in the first and second phases of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS).

UNCTAD, together with other international and regional organizations, has emphasized the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in promoting economic development, trade and enterprise competitiveness. It has highlighted the importance of developing and implementing ICT strategies for development and measuring the information society.

To draw attention to these issues, it co-organized several events, including:

• Two side events during the Geneva 2003 WSIS on:
1. Monitoring the Information Society
2. National ICT/e-strategies and policies [PDF]


• Two Thematic Meetings during the preparatory process for Tunis 2005 WSIS on:
1. "Economic and Social Implications of ICT", Guatemala, 17-19 January 2005
2. "Measuring ICT for Development", Geneva, 7-9 February 2005

The outcomes of these meetings were submitted to the preparatory process for the second phase of WSIS:

• "Economic and Social Implications of ICT" [PDF], joint contribution to the Group of Friends of the Chair document for WSIS PrepCom2
• "Measuring ICT for Development" [PDF], joint contribution to the Group of Friends of the Chair document for WSIS PrepCom2