Jordanian representation from the public and private sector highlight its emerging role in the Information Society

This landmark event, featuring focused dialogue between public, private, and civil society leaders was co-chaired by Pascal Couchepin, President of the Swiss Confederation and Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, Geneva.

The Executive Roundtable was designed to set the tone of the WSIS, shape a future agenda for the Information Society, and convene leadership on the issues. Focused on reform to enable an information society, the roundtable highlighted and articulated issues on the global agenda and convened leadership for the process between Geneva, Tunis, and beyond in a pragmatic and multistakeholder format.

Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, presented a Keynote Address emphasizing the need for addressing critical issues including human resource development through education and the development of legal frameworks that are investment friendly.

Moderated by James Rubin, Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, the roundtable tackled in workshop style four key issues, being:

• Finding the appropriate technology mix to address the digital divide, chaired by Joaquim Chissano, President of Mozambique;

• Internet Governance: Beyond the Impasse, chaired Nicholas Negroponte, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;

• Extracting Value From Globalization: How ICT-enabled services create opportunities and strengthen competitiveness, chaired by Dr. Fawaz Zu'bi, The Jordanian Minister of Information and Communications Technology and Minister of Administrative Development.

• Connectivity for the Next Five Billion, chaired by Jai Naidoo, Chariman of the Board, Development Bank of Southern Africa.

The roundtable featured government leaders, including the Presidents of the Swiss Confederation, Republic of Senegal, Republic of Mozambique, and the Republic of Latvia. It also included leaders from the private sector, including the International Chairman of Accenture, Chairmen of EasyGroup, Eutelsat, and Chief Executives/Presidents from ICANN, VISA, and Swisscom, as well as Jose Maria Figueres, Chairman of the United Nations ICT Task Force. In total, 40 global leaders from business, government, and civil society participated by special invitation.

"The global dialogue has become much more inclusive, and developing countries choosing to shape their own destinies are finding opportunities to engage in that dialogue" said HE Dr. Fawaz Zu'bi, who presented Jordan's accomplishments and action plan for the creation of an information society in Jordan. "The fact that Jordan's public and private sectors were both selected to participate is a testament to the respect that Jordan's ICT development model is gaining worldwide. It is clear from the proceedings of the roundtable that Jordan is on the right track to realizing its ICT aspirations".

Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International and Company, was also among the participants, contributing to the outcomes of the dialogue on Internet Governance, an emerging challenge that the WSIS is tackling.