The UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) has been mandated to oversee and review the UN system-wide follow-up of WSIS outcomes. For this additional task, the CSTD has been strengthened and enlarged by ten members, and institutional arrangements have been adopted to facilitate the participation of the private sector and civil society in its activities. Switzerland has been a member of the CSTD since early 2006, with OFCOM leading the Swiss delegation.
OFCOM and the CSTD
On the initiative of OFCOM, Switzerland applied for a vacant seat of the Western European Group in the CSTD and has now been a member of the CSTD since early 2006. OFCOM coordinates its activities within the framework of the CSTD in close cooperation with the FDFA, the SDC and SECO and relevant non-state players.
The CSTD and its function in the WSIS follow-up process
The CSTD is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. It is located in Geneva and receives secretariat support from UNCTAD.
In accordance with the decision taken during the second phase of WSIS in Tunis in 2005, ECOSOC defined in its resolution 2006/46 of July 2006 the structure of the UN system-wide follow-up of WSIS outcomes. These activities will be undertaken in the context of its annual review of the implementation process and during follow-up of major UN summits. The CSTD supports the Council as the focal point for the WSIS follow-up.
In order to enable the CSTD to perform this new and additional task, ECOSOC decided to strengthen the commission and to enlarge it by ten additional members who were elected in February 2007. In order to ensure the meaningful engagement of non-governmental stakeholders in the WSIS follow-up process, arrangements were developed to enable the participation of NGOs and interested representatives from the private sector and civil society in the work of the CSTD.
Last modification 23.04.2008