The proposal argued that the voluntary Digital Solidarity Fund's exact role in financing ICT is unclear. APC also went ahead to state that:
"Many developing countries are hindered in their access to the global economy by the inadequate state of their ICT backbone infrastructure in a new global context, where the global economy runs on global information networks. There is a compelling argument that the extension of network infrastructure in developing countries is a global public good that benefits everyone because of the value of network externalities. The value of the global information network increases in value as more national networks and individual users are added. It is not simply a matter of ICT access being increased within developing countries but also a matter of increased access to the markets of developing countries and of developing country access to global markets.

"In developed countries, it has been estimated that during the telecoms boom of the 1990s, around $150 billion was spent building unnecessary telecoms networks in America and another $50 billion elsewhere. Building ICT networks in the developing world will not cost anything like these figures. A recent DFID study has shown that building regional ICT infrastructure backbone networks in Africa will cost between $500-1000milion. This is eminently achievable."

In detailing the core of its proposal, the APC stated that, "what is needed is not a new fund but a mechanism for mobilizing new financial resources to achieve a finite goal - the extension of ICT backbone networks in the developing world, where risk and reward are uncertain. What is required is the deployment of sufficient public finance to provide incentives for the private sector to engage in public-private partnerships to build the required infrastructure. At the same time, a mechanism for providing incentives to developing country governments to create enabling policy environments for the use of the infrastructure in a non-discriminatory and cost-effective manner is also needed."

APC argued that the World Summit on the Information Society's Declaration and Plan of Action provides a new context for such a body to be established because it recognizes the role of four constituencies that are integral to the successful building of the Global Information Society: governments, the private sector, civil society and international institutions. The proposal stated that, "the Association for Progressive Communications proposes the establishment of a multi-stakeholder body, a Global ICT Infrastructure Alliance to undertake the tasks mentioned ..." APC also stated that a, "global ICT Infrastructure Alliance will be able to achieve greater collaboration between public and private sector entities in a non-competitive framework, which is not possible through FDI or most public-private partnerships".

Five months after the proposal was made, it appears that the attention of the world is being drawn in the direction of the proposed Global Alliance. In a draft paper titled, "Principles/elements for the establishment of a Global Alliance for ICT and Development" and dated April 1 2005, stakeholders have been invited to "provide their inputs, comments, suggestions and ideas for the further development of these initial elements that will be taken up at the open consultations in Dublin to be held on 13 April 2005 that will be held in conjunction with the Eighth meeting of the United Nations ICT Task Force". The paper also expresses a very strong linkage between the Millennium Summit + 5 and the World Summit on the Information Society. The Alliance would meet the need and demand for an inclusive global forum and platform for policy dialogue and consensus-building; facilitate the creation and inter-linkage of networks; will not have an operational role; and will catalyze innovative, forward-looking multi-stakeholder partnerships across the spectrum of ICT4D policy.

The Alliance would function under the patronage and leadership of the Secretary-General of the United Nations but will maintain administrative, budgetary and thematic autonomy with support for establishment of the Alliance (including the start-up phase which is being spearheaded by the United Nations). The Working Document reveals that "the Alliance would comprise a General Forum, Executive Board, and Secretariat. Members of the Executive Board would be elected for a period of 1-2 years by the General Forum with a view to a balanced representation of all key stakeholders, with rotating leadership and membership of the Executive Board. The Alliance would have a ten-year term through 2015 and it would be great for stakeholders (governments, civil society, private sector, international organisations, etc) to note the timeline for preparation, establishment and launch of the Global Alliance, as quoted below.

• 29 March 2005: Principles submitted to Task Force Bureau
• 1 April: Principles submitted to Task Force Members
• 6 April: Principles posted on the Task Force open website for comment
• 15 April: Meeting of the ICT Task Force adopts:
  1. the key elements of the principles of the Alliance
  2. the timeline for its establishment
  3. the remit and composition of a balanced and representative multi-stakeholder “start-up” group that would lead the process of further consultations aimed at ensuring broad buy-in and support for the concept, and of the finalization of the Alliance charter
• Mid-May: Proposal submitted to the Secretary-General for approval of the key elements, as well as the establishment of the “start-up” group
• 13 September: The UN ICT Task Force organizes a high-level multi-stakeholder round table immediately prior to the MS+5 at the United Nations in New York. The establishment of the Alliance will be announced in the course of the round table
• 14-16 November: The Alliance is formally launched at a special side event during the Tunis phase of WSIS

Your participation could help define the success-rate of the alliance and the eventual gain for the global Information Society -- especially those who are presently underserved.

References:
(1) Global Alliance Principles (Working Document)
(2) Global ICT Infrastructure Alliance proposal (Association for Progressive Communications)