DOC

MINUTESPUBLIC POLICY WORKING GROUP

9:00 12:30 AMTuesday, May 18, 2004

Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)WITSA Conference Room

Athens, Greece

1 Chairman’s Remarks and Approval of Minutes. David A. Olive, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 9:00am. Adrian Schofield (IISA) made a motion to approve the minutes, and was seconded by Harris Miller (ITAA). The minutes were approved unanimously. Mr. Olive provided a brief overview of recent WITSA public policy activities, including the issuance of two papers addressing Voice over Internet Protocol and Grid Computing.

2. VOIP – Killer Application for Broadband: Mr. Olive introduced Ms. Marilyn Cade, Director of IP Networking, Internet and E-Commerce at AT&T, and Chair of the Positively Broadband Campaign. Ms. Cade delivered a presentation on “Services over Internet Protocol: Voice is Just the Beginning”. The presentation is posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.

IP is the Bridge to the Future. IP makes the vision of any device to any device over any network possible. VoIP technology will challenge traditional assumptions and traditional regulatory models: The Voice/ Data dichotomy is eroding rapidly and VoIP is not simple voice, but rather a converged multimedia application that supports voice, data and video. Innovation and investment by fixed and wireless operators in IP networks will have an economic impact, and IP communications will have the potential to disrupt the status quo in service provider environment, elevating applications. It is a revolutionary opportunity for consumers; evolutionary for businesses. To maximize the benefit of VoIP, development and regulation should follow a cellular model rather than a traditional fixed voice model – services will improve over time, not overnight, to meet customer demand.

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http://www.witsa.org/presentations/

Ms. Cade stressed that contribution to Economic Growth will be Driven by Business Uses of VoIP. The market for Enterprise IP voice is estimated to be $141 Million in 2003 and $6.8B in Asia Pacific by 2008. Probe, October 2003. In Japan, while consumer based VoIP revenue is close to balanced with business today, by 2007, business will be about 60% of the total revenue. IDC April 2003. As regards the potential market for consumer VoIP market, Ms. Cade informed that as of 30 Sep 2003, there were around 89.4 million “broadband” subscribers around the world. In mid-2003, Goldman Sachs predicted that there would be 2.4 million cable telephony users in the United States by the end of the year, and 6.9 million by the end of 2007. Broadband service providers’ revenues from VoIP services worldwide is expected to reach $3.49BN in 2004, and will grow to $15.98BN by 2009.

In spite of the growth of VoIP, International VoIP and PSTN Traffic will co-exist for several years. VoIP traffic grew to 18.7 billion minutes in 2002, however, still accounting for only 11% percent of international traffic. VoIP traffic grew by almost 85% in 2002, compared with just under 74% in 2001. However, the rate of growth is leveling off. In terms of total traffic, Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe continued to be the primary VoIP destinations in 2002, due to arbitrage opportunities, rapidly developing IP infrastructure, and opening markets. The shift to convergence and then to applications is just beginning but will shift the focus away from the early adopter strategy of arbitrage to enhanced service offerings, for both enterprise and consumer. Initially a new entrant low cost strategy, established PSTN carriers are increasingly using VoIP technology and adding VoIP services to their list of offerings.

Not all fixed telephone regulations should apply: VoIP, like cellular, will evolve as service rises to meet customer demand. Challenges to VoIP are plentiful: Countries with highest settlement rates have highest incoming VoIP traffic percents, and incumbents and some governments may be resistive to allowing licensing/authorization of new entrants to offer VoIP, fearing loss of revenue, including settlement fees. A lack of underlying teledensity/Internet access remains a problem to least developed countries.

Wireless networks have great promise. Some countries are currently thinking of licensing for unlicensed spectrum. Installation and maintenance of IP networks/VoIP significantly cheaper than today’s PSTN technology. Educating policy makers, and getting “right” regime challenging in all countries, can be especially challenging in some developing countries. Some developing countries, on other hand, are embracing VoIP/IP networks and may be “role models”.

What WITSA might do to ensure VoIP’s success: WITSA backgrounder papers help frame the VoIP’s story. Education and briefings are essential for policy makers across range of governmental agencies, NOT just regulatory



agencies. Associations must be aware that legislation is underway in many countries and may limit who and how VoIP can be provided; work with others to influence legislation. Sometimes telecom legislation includes VoIP; and incumbents often seek to prevent anyone else from providing VoIP. Business Associations and allies, such as ISP Associations, others could join together to “tell VoIP’s story”, of economic investment, productivity, new consumer services, etc.: A “picture” is worth a thousand words approach. WITSA should work with equipment providers, or VoIP Services providers, to show the technology and tell the policy story at the same time.

3. ITAA Offshore Study: Mitsuhiro Kitabatake, JISA Vice Chairman and Chairman, CRC Solutions, commented that outsourcing in Japan was expanding rapidly. Several hundred U.S. dollars are spent in 2004. Seven percent of all services in Japan are affected by outsourcing. China is the largest recipient of such outsourcing. However, unlike in the U.S., so far there has been no political backlash against offshore outsourcing.

ITAA President Harris N. Miller presented some of the findings of the March 2004 study entitled “ The Comprehensive Impact of Offshore IT Software and Services Outsourcing on the U.S. Economy and the IT Industry”. Miller hoped the study would have some positive impact in the U.S. and elsewhere. Offshore outsourcing is currently the number one issue at ITAA, even though the U.S. now has seen 7 straight months of job growth. Democratic candidate for the U.S. Presidency, John Kerry, is frequently attacking the Republican Party on this issue. Many Republicans are also protectionist in their political beliefs and are often unsympathetic to industry’s need to take advantage of outsourcing opportunities to stay competitive in the global marketplace.

Currently, 38 U.S. States are considering offshore legislation; as many as 160 bills under consideration would restrict work going offshore. The Study dispels some of the traditional myths surrounding offshore outsourcing. One such myth is that jobs going offshore are jobs lost. The Study demonstrates that a significant number of domestic jobs are created in lieu of other jobs going offshore. Moreover, global competition actually increases U.S. wages. The myth that a large number of IT jobs are “exported” is proven false: While 3.3 Million U.S. jobs are expected to go offshore by 2015, only 400,000 of those will be directly IT related. Currently, only 2.3 percent of the IT jobs in the U.S. have moved abroad. That number will grow, but only to about 6 percent in 2006. Miller continued that the number of IT jobs in the U.S. will grow slowly in light of the global competition, but will continue to grow. This is not a negative for U.S. jobs; we will see more economic activities in the U.S. in the years to come due to global competition. It will also have a positive impact by contributing to keeping inflation low, and will help create more, especially higher paying jobs in the U.S. Miller also noted that foreign direct investment growth was strong in 2002 and 2003, indicating that the U.S. is benefiting from international trade.



Upon a question from Mr. Jalal Fawaz, President of the Professional Computer Association (PCA), Miller agreed that the issue of transfer of technology related to offshore outsourcing has begun to surface in the U.S., but maintained that the issue was still not a defining force in the Presidential campaign. The possible exception is the military. Miller stated that most of the technology transferred abroad as part of offshoring tend to be older. A bigger concern is that the U.S. is losing its lead in innovation, receiving fewer nobel prizes. In higher education, a larger number of foreign students are going back home after they have completed their studies. R&D in the U.S. now is low compared to what it used to be. Security and privacy issues are more important than transfer of technology, and will grow in importance in the years ahead – even after the jobs issue subsides.

Rob Durie (AIIA) added that, in Australia, in a survey of 100 of Australia's top 1000 companies, 83 percent of are not interested in outsourcing as a business option.

4. ICT for Development: Mr. Olive introduced Dr. Carlos A. Primo Braga, Senior Adviser at the World Bank’s International Trade Department in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Braga’s presentation, entitled “ICT for Development” is posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.

Dr. Braga cautioned that IT is not a silver bullet to close the digital divide between developed and developing countries. Braga contended that the digital divide was closing fast, but in a highly uneven manner. The benefits of IT even in the least developed countries can be quite dramatic, helping to promote competitiveness, transparency, provide better services to citizens and empower poor people who could not otherwise participate in national dialogues. As regarding trade facilitation, the benefit bringing the bottom of the developing countries to the average of OECD countries would add $140 Billion to trade in the world economy; that is as important as the results from the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations.

The regulatory environment in many developing countries must be reformed substantially to reap the full benefit of technology, and more efforts must be made to bring about cooperation between government and industry in those countries.

Dr. Braga summarized that E-business and ICT use will continue to expand on a global basis and their benefits can be substantial not only at firm level, but also in promoting trade and enhancing productivity at a macro level. Convergence in e-business practices can happen in developing countries as in industrialized countries, SMEs and large enterprises, but unless governments provide the proper regulatory environment for private action and




support efforts to expand digital literacy, with special attention to the needs of SMEs, the digital divide between the developed and the developing world, at the level of business practices, will widen. The process will be more of an evolution than revolution, but there is potential for significant distribution impacts (within nations and internationally), particularly, as e-commerce practices spread. Moreover, it is important to keep in focus the implications of the regulatory environment for innovation. Finally, cross-border disputes will also expand in the absence of regulatory convergence (no hope for advancing this agenda in a significant manner in the WTO in the near future).

5. Grid Computing: Intellect Director General John Higgins introduced Michael R. Nelson, Director of Internet Technology and Strategy at IBM Corporation. Mr. Nelson provided an overview of grid computing, which provides access to data of all kinds. According to Nelson, the Grid will be as important as the Internet itself, and we are now at a technological crossroads similar to that of the Internet in 1992 (with the launch of the Internet browser). Users will be able to tap into the grid and get not only data, but also the applications, the computer power, storage, and much more. Pricing will be commensurate with the services rendered, from basic to very advanced options. The Grid will deliver increased productivity, reduced complexity, greater computer power, more reliable, cheaper and resilient solutions for businesses and consumers.

P2P networks such as Napster and Kazaa provided the first taste of what the Grid will be like. While several grids already exists and continue to develop (national grids, the Tera Grid, etc.), ultimately, most of these will be interlinked into a “holy grid”, where virtually everything is integrated.

New political challenges are starting to emerge. One is grid and research funding. Other problems concerns the privacy of the grid users, and there will be a need for clear rules across national boundaries. Other issues of high importance are liability, reliability, open source, anti-trust concerns, critical infrastructure protection, monitoring and eavesdropping, IPR, taxes and tariffs.

Mike Nelson estimated that it will take 5 to 10 years to build a fully integrated Grid, and cautioned that industry must act immediately in order to build business models and make sure we lay the right political framework. In conclusion, Nelson also cautioned against applying old regulatory regimes to the Grid, and gave as an example the incompatibility between rules for basic (analog) telephony versus VoIP.

John Higgins introduced Dr. Tony Hey, Director of the UK e-Science Core Programme of The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) - UK Government’s leading funding agency for research & training in



engineering and physical sciences. Dr. Hey delivered a presentation entitled “e-Science and the Grid – for Research and Industry”, which is posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.

According to Dr. Hey, the Grid intends to make access to computing power, scientific data repositories and experimental facilities as easy as the Web makes access to information. He also defined the Grid as a set of core middleware services running on top of high performance global networks. Key to the success of the Grid is the “Commoditization of Middleware”. A key development was that Microsoft and IBM have agreed on the Web Services ‘open standard’ approach to interoperable low level distributed middleware. Providing high value-added services and products based on this secure, robust, common open standard middleware infrastructure will be central to the new economy. The existence of ‘open source’ implementations of this ‘open standard’ middleware will enable new SMEs to compete with traditional packaged software vendors.

Dr. Hay also provided examples and background on several different U.K. based e-Science grid initiatives, including The Integrative Biology Project; RCUK e-Science Funding; OGSA-DAI and DAIT project with IBM; Digital Curation Centre with JISC; Shibboleth/PERMIS deployment with InterNet2; the Comb-e-Chem Project; the myGrid Project; the Discovery Net Project; the DAME Project; the eDiaMoND Project; UK National Grid Service; and the BAEgrid. He referenced several institutes involved in the e-Science grid projects, including The UK Open Middleware Infrastructure Institute (OMII); the Digital Curation Centre (DCC)

6. Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Vice Chair, UN ICT Task Force: WITSA Executive Director Allen Miller introduced Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, the Vice Chair of the UN ICT Task Force. Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh expressed disappointment that governments at the December 2003 World Summit on the Information Society did not agree on many important issues before them, in particular the lack of discussion on the proposed solidarity fund for developing countries. He also noted that there was no resolution on the proposals regarding Internet governance. An Internet governance working group entitled “Internet Working Group of the UN in Execution of the WSIS Action Plan”, however, was agreed to at the WSIS. The Head of the Secretariat of the Working Party is Mr. Markus Krummer, recruited from the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Krummer is tasked with the selection of 8-12 working group members, who will be responsible for reporting to the second WSIS, in Tunis in November 2005. At best, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stated, this Working Group will be able to present an “action plan on the action plan”. What is “governance”? Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh emphasized that people do not agree – does it concern conduct, management, control? The first task of the




Working Group will be to define “governance”, the its scope, and the constituency (who on the Internet should be “governed”).

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh gave an example of the international air transport industry, which does not have central control, but still works “beautifully”. Players include a complex mix of associations, airports, pilots, the WTO, airport authorities, security authorities, etc.

In the end, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh predicted, Internet governance must entail a mixture of regulation, best practices and common standards. It will be neither industry led nor government controlled. It will be based on a multi-tiered, multi-player framework. It does not have to be a simple solution. As a case in point, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh aimed to demonstrate the inadequacy of the existing system by arguing that there are no protections on the Internet today, except on domain name registrations.

In October 2004, a conference on ICT for security –convened by Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh- will address not only the potential threats to security from ICT, but also on the potential for technology to improve it.

7. WITSA Policy Statements: David Olive presented the 2004 edition of the WITSA Global Public Policy Report. The Report summarizes WITSA’s positions on a wide range of issues, and is based on previously adopted public policy statements. It is posted online at http://www.witsa.org/athens04/WITSA-PPReport2004final.pdf.

Mr. Olive also asked members to review the two draft WITSA statements on VoIP and Grid Computing. The Secretariat was asked to re-circulate the draft papers with announcement of a two-week commenting period prior to finalization.

8. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 12:30pm



http://www.witsa.org/athens04/WITSA-PPReport2004final.pdf

MINUTESGENERAL ASSEMBLY

2:00 – 4:30 pmTuesday, May 18, 2004


Athens, Greece

1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes. George Newstrom called the meeting to order, and asked members to briefly introduce themselves. The draft November 26, 2003, WITSA Steering Committee meeting minutes were approved without amendments.

2. Chairman’s remarks. Mr. Newstrom thanked SEPE, the Federation of Hellenic Information Technology and Communications Enterprises for their hospitality, and for their assistance in preparing the WITSA meetings. WITSA was honored to have SEPE President Spyros VYZANTIOS present at the meeting. : George Newstrom noted that there were several important issues to address at the meeting, including proposed amendments to the WITSA Bylaws, re-nomination of the WITSA Secretariat and Chairman, the entry into WITSA of 8 new member associations, and the selection of a host for the 2008 World Congress on IT (WCIT2008).

Mr. Newstrom welcomed the delegation from PIKOM, the Association of the Computer And Multimedia Industry of Malaysia, and noted that PIKOM was the sole contender for WCIT2008. The PIKOM delegation was headed by Chairman Mr. Boon Kok LEE, Harres Tan, and Past Chairman Mr. Kien Leong LOOI. – And also Dr. Mohamed Arif NUN, CEO of the Malaysia Multimedia Super-Corridor (MDC).

Chairman Newstrom also welcomed delegates from WCIT2006, including newly appointed CEO Fred Mapp.



Newstrom noted that there were 8 new membership applications tabled for approval, including:- IVSZ, the Hungarian Association of IT Companies.- UITE, the Armenian Union of Information Technology Enterprises. - PCA, the Professional Computer Association of Lebanon;- the Egyptian Information Technology, Electronics and Software

Alliance (“EITESAL”); - The Tanzania Information and Communication Technologies

Association (TICTA); - PICTA - the Private-Sector ICT Association of Uganda.- ITAP, the Information Technology Association of the Philippines- CaproSOFT, The Chamber of Software Companies of Costa Rica

Newstrom recognized Fairfax Country Economic Development Authority for a recently concluded Silver Sponsorship ($50,000). It was also noted that FCEDA President Jerry Gordon was scheduled to attend the World Congress later in the week.

Finally, Newstrom added that the General Assembly meeting was scheduled to conclude at 4:30pm, and that the World Congress opening reception would take place at 7:00pm (business casual attire)

3. Remarks from the SEPE Chairman. Chairman Newstrom welcomed Mr. Spyros Vyzantios, President of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Hellenic Information Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE) to make a few welcome remarks. Mr. Vyzantios said SEPE was honored to be the organizer of the 2004 World Congress on IT, and promised members an excellent program over the following three days, in keeping with the World Congress tradition of excellence since Bilbao in 1996. The IT industry in Greece, according to Mr. Vyzantios, was expected to grow a robust 4.2 percent in 2004, and an even better 4.3 percent in 2005.

Mr. Vyzantios also stated that the 2004 Olympic Games, while being important fro Greece, also was important to the Greek IT industry. Moreover, the WCIT2004 was, in fact, the Olympics for the IT industry. WCIT2004 would be the best World Congress ever.

4 WITSA Membership: WCIT2004

Membership Application from Caprosoft, The Chamber of Software Companies of Costa Rica. The membership application was presented by Caprosoft Executive Director Mr. Federico Cartín. Harris Miller (ITAA) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Pedro Gutiérrez de Cos (SEDISI). The motion passed unanimously.



Membership Application from IVSZ, the Hungarian Association of IT Companies. The membership application was presented by WITSA Vice Chairman for Europe and SEPE President Spyros Vyzantios. Spyros Vyzantios (SEPE) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Joaquín Oliveras-Grau (SEDISI). The motion passed unanimously.

Membership Application from UITE, the Armenian Union of Information Technology Enterprises. UITE Executive Director Arman Valesyan presented the membership application. Spyros Vyzantios (SEPE) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Joaquín Oliveras-Grau (SEDISI). The motion passed unanimously.

Membership Application from PCA, the Professional Computer Association of Lebanon. PCA President Mr. Jalal Fawaz presented the membership application (posted at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/). Spyros Vyzantios (SEPE) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Joaquín Oliveras-Grau (SEDISI). The motion passed unanimously.

Steering Committee membership request from the Russian Information & Computer Technologies Industry Association (APKIT). The application was presented by Marina Rumyantseva Olegovna, APKIT Communication Manager - International issues and Investments Committee. Spyros Vyzantios (SEPE) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Harris Miller (ITAA). The motion passed unanimously.

Membership application from ITAP, Information Technology Association of the Philippines. The membership application was presented by Board Member Claro Parlade. Yujiro Sato (JISA) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Harris Miller (ITAA). The motion passed unanimously.

Steering Committee membership request from the National Association of Software and Service Companies of India (NASSCOM). NASSCOM Vice President Ms. Sangeeta Gupta presented the application. Mr. Harres Tan (PIKOM) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Lochan Lal Amatya (CAN). The motion passed unanimously.

Revoking membership - Egyptian Software Information & Communication Technology Chamber: WITSA Vice Chairman for Africa, Adrian Schofield (IISA) made a motion to revoke the membership on the basis that the Chamber no longer fulfilled the requirement of the WITSA Bylaws that it be the association which best represents the IT industry in its country or region. It was also noted that WITSA membership dues had not been received for 2003 and 2004. The motion was seconded by Mr. Waudo Siganga (CSK). The motion passed unanimously.




Membership application from the Egyptian Information Technology, Electronics and Software Alliance (“EITESAL”); The membership application was presented by Mr. Walid Gad, Acting Chairman and Mr. Ayman Samir Abdel-Aal, Board Member. Mr. Adrian Schofield (IISA) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Mr. Waudo Siganga (CSK). The motion passed unanimously.

Membership request from The Tanzania Information and Communication Technologies Association (TICTA); Mr. Aziz Mongi (TICTA) presented the membership application. Mr. Adrian Schofield (IISA) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Mr. Jalal Fawaz (PCA). The motion passed unanimously.

Membership application from PICTA - the Private-Sector ICT Association of Uganda; Mr. Charles Musisi presented the membership application. Mr. Adrian Schofield (IISA) moved to approve the application, and was seconded by Mr. Jalal Fawaz (PCA). The motion passed unanimously.

WITSA Vice Chairman for Africa, Adrian Schofield (IISA) thanked the WITSA-U.S. AID IT Mentors Alliance (ITMA) for the funds and resources that contributed to the formation and growth of IT associations in several African countries.

WITSA Chairman George Newstrom announced that WITSA now –with the induction of 8 new members- covered some 60 countries and regions, up from 41 as recently as in 2000.

5. WCIT 2006 Progress Report: George Newstrom welcomed WCIT2006 Executive Committee Member Ed Jones, who made a progress report. The presentation is posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.

Recent accomplishments included a WCIT 2006 at Texas launch event in February 2004. The event took place in Austin and was attended by 400 leaders including the Governor of Texas; secured media coverage across Texas; and created awareness and built brand identity to key constituents statewide.

$1M Pinnacle sponsorships were secured from the State of Texas and City of Austin on the promise that WCIT2006 will be a catalyst to help drive economic development. Federal appropriation funding was also acquired, in part to build a permanent wireless infrastructure for Austin Convention Center. As much as $4 Million had been secured to date in sponsorships, including 1.5M from the private sector and $2.5M from the public sector (US Government, State of Texas, City of Austin). A total of $10M was sought in sponsorships for the 2006 event.




Moreover, WCIT2006 Board appointments were now completed and a new CEO was hired for WCIT 2006. Ed Jones introduced WCIT2006 CEO Fred Mapp to WITSA members.

Planning for 2005 and 2006 would include a finalization of the strategic plan and a two-year roadmap, as well as a continuous effort to build the WCIT2006 organization, and recruitment of regional, national and global sponsors. Emphasis would be put on creating awareness of WCIT 2006 nationally and internationally, on building relationships and develop key alliances, on staying abreast of critical IT policy positions, and on developing program and content for WCIT 2006.

WCIT 2006 Planning Milestones would include Strategic Planning meetings in June – August, 2004; a State and National Media Tour September - December, 2004; an International Marketing Campaign from October 2004 onwards; a Federal Launch in Washington D.C., in January 2005; a WITSA Steering Committee Meeting and related events in Austin from April 30 – May 3, 2005; the WCIT 2006 May 1 – 5, 2006; a Global Technology Summit May 1-2; WITSA General Assembly Meeting and Welcome Reception on May 2; and finally, the World Congress Forum on May 3-5, 2005.

6. WCIT 2008. Chairman Newstrom informed members of the bidding procedures, and that members had been asked prior to the meeting to review and be prepared to vote on final proposals from the Association of the Computer And Multimedia Industry Malaysia (PIKOM). George Newstrom informed the meeting that only one proposal was received prior to the March 1, 2004 bidding deadline – from PIKOM. The PIKOM proposal has been posted on the WITSA Athens meeting web site since March, 2004, and PIKOM supplied hard-copies to all associations present at the meeting. Newstrom told members that all member associations were entitled to vote. According to the WITSA Bylaws, the proposal would be carried with a simple majority of members present. Furthermore, Newstrom added that, in the RFP, there is a requirement that a contract with WITSA be signed no later than Oct. 31, 2004 - the draft contract, which was circulated along with the RFP in 2003, includes important financial, copyright and other obligations not detailed in the RFP.

At the request of the Chairman, PIKOM clarified that they will honor the October 31, 2004 deadline to enter into a mutually agreeable contract with WITSA on or before that date.

A presentation was delivered by Harres Tan, PIKOM’s International Relations Chairman. The presentation is also posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.




PIKOM’s bid submission is the culmination of 3 years effort through successful collaboration between PIKOM & MDC. To date, the bid has received support from the highest level of Malaysian Government, and ASOCIO’s endorsement at regional level marks its stamp of regional partnership in all aspects relating to potential funding and active participation for the entire region.

Mr. Tan stated that Malaysia would offer several advantages in hosting the 2008 World Congress- Malaysia is a peaceful country inhabited by friendly multi-ethnic people

with English as the most widely spoken language - PIKOM and MDC truly appreciate the value that World Congress on

Information Technology brings - Malaysia’s challenge is to make the WCIT2008 the highest attended

WCIT event ever - Putrajaya, the chosen venue for the event is a world-class convention

venue that is accessible by air from all parts of the world - Malaysian government is pro-ICT and it understands technology issues

The strong partnership of PIKOM and MDC to co-host the WCIT2008 - ASOCIO’s strong endorsement of PIKOM to host the WCIT2008 event

in Malaysia will further ensure its success - The Malaysian government has given its full support to bid for the

event - PIKOM has the support from its 400 ICT member companies - MDC has more than 900 MSC status companies and the International

Advisory Panel (IAP) members are able to contribute in terms of sponsorships, world-class speakers and delegates.

- PIKOM and MDC have strong financial standing and adequate funding to host the WCIT2008

- Malaysia is a shoppers’ paradise - Visitors to Malaysia will enjoy its rich history and cultural heritage - For many consecutive years, CNN Asia voted Kuala Lumpur, the main

commercial center of Malaysia, the 3rd cleanest city in Asia after Japan and Singapore

- Earthquakes, typhoon hurricanes are unheard of in Malaysia - Registration fees would be no more that $1,000

Mr. Tan promised members that Malaysia would continue the WCIT tradition of excellence in providing the very best content in the conference program. The Proposed Theme of WCIT2008 is: “Sharing Knowledge for Economic Growth: ICT for Industry, Government and Society”. At this time of extraordinary technological change, Mr. Tan argued, the ability to acquire, create, disperse, utilize and manage knowledge efficiently is crucial. WCIT2008 aims to reflect and examine in the program the significance of knowledge sharing in industry, business, government and society.



It would take place in Putrajaya, Malaysia at the Putrajaya Convention Center. Putrajaya is situated 25 kilometers from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur in the north and 20 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. A ride on the KLIA Express Light Train service to reach Kuala Lumpur City Center takes about 28 minutes. More than 25,000 rooms are available in Putrajaya and the surrounding metropolitan areas. Accommodation is quite affordable, with deluxe room rates ranging from US$30 (3 star hotels) to US$90 (5 star hotels).

PIKOM anticipates approximately 2,500 – 3,000 attendees. The largest meeting hall is the Plenary Hall which is 4,302 m sq and can seat 3,000 people. While the official language would be English, translation services would be available to speakers of other languages.

Upon a question from Joaquín Oliveras-Grau (SEDISI), WITSA General Counsel James M. Lewis (Holland & Knight LLP) informed the meeting that the financial licensing obligations to WITSA would amount to a minimum of $425,000.

Mr. Harris Miller (ITAA) moved to approve PIKOM’s bid to host the 2008 World Congress on IT, contingent on the conclusion of a mutually agreeable contract between PIKOM and WITSA by October 31, 2004. The motion was seconded by Mr. Ronald Evans (ITAC). The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Tan thanked WITSA members and informed that a welcome reception would be held later in the evening, and that all members were urged to attend.

2005 Global Public Policy Conference: George Newstrom welcomed Mr. Boon Kok LEE, Chairman of the Computer And Multimedia Industry Malaysia (PIKOM), to make a progress report on the efforts to host the 2005 WITSA Global Public Policy Conference. The presentation is also posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.

GPPC2005 is the second WITSA’s GPPC event after an interval of 6 years. The timing is excellent to examine the impact of ICT policies on the World as many events has taken place (Sept 11, terrorist threats, Iraq war). The event will be co-hosted between PIKOM, the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC), and the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI).

It will take place at the Palace of the Golden Horses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 6th to 8th of September 2005. Dubbed “Asia’s Most Extraordinary Hotel” – this award winning luxury hotel has a dedicated convention center and is situated at the shores of a magnificent 150-acre lake in the MINES Resort City.




http://www.hklaw.com/

It will take place in conjunction with the Malaysia ICT Week (First Week of September). The Malaysia ICT Week is a premier world-class ICT event, expected to attract more than 400 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors. Components of the ICT week include

- High Level Meeting: International Advisory Panel Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister

- Parallel conferences- Exhibitions (MSC Expo, National E-Commerce Week Expo, Multimedia

Asia Expo)

The theme of GPPC2005 is “Global Governance in the Network Economy”. The conference will address issues on governance and democracy and their impact on people, and will focus on the Global Impact of ICT policies and looking beyond governance within countries.

Progress-to-date included an initial publicity effort to draw interests. Program contents and speaker invitations will be launched by July 2004, and sponsorship details will be circulated starting July 2004. the event venue is already identified and secured, and the conference fees will be US$500 per person. A GPPC 2005 website will be available in July 2004, with the following URLs:

www.gppc2005.net www.gppc2005.com www.gppc2005.org

Sponsorship Opportunities are also available, and Sponsorship details will be circulated from July 2004 onwards:

Platinum sponsor - USD 30,000 Gold sponsor - USD 20,000 Silver sponsor - USD 10,000

Harris Miller (ITAA) cautioned that Labor Day is an important holiday in the U.S., and since it will be on Monday, September 5, 2005, it is likely that U.S. attendance on September 6-8 will be very limited. PIKOM agreed to consider alternative dates, for example the following week, but noted that the benefits of holding GPPC2005 in connection with the annual ICT Week was also an important factor to be considered.

8. Amendments to WITSA Bylaws: Mr. Newstrom informed the meeting that, at the 2002 General Assembly in Adelaide, Australia, two proposed Bylaws changes were introduced for discussion - but not adoption, since they were not presented within the two-month required period. Newstrom suggested that



http://www.gppc2005.org/

http://www.gppc2005.com/

http://www.gppc2005.net/

the fact that these proposed changes were included in the briefing book in 2002 provided sufficient prior notice to be considered at this meeting. These two proposed amendments concern Art. 6.D) and Art. 8. Newstrom added that, since the proposed new Art. 8 would revoke the 2-month prior notice requirement, the meeting would only be able to consider two other proposed amendments to Art. 6.B) and 6.F) if Art. 8 was endorsed first.

Amendment of Art. 6.D) – Proposal originally presented at the 2002 General Assembly. Mr. Norihiro Kono (President, JISA) made a motion to amend WITSA Bylaws Art. 6.D) regarding the selection of WITSA Secretariat and Chairman. Mr. Kono informed the meeting that the purpose of this Bylaws change is to ensure continuity of the WITSA Chairmanship in the event that a selection of a new Chairman becomes necessary between General Assembly meetings.

Old text:The association to provide Secretariat services and the Chairman shall be elected by the General Assembly at each World Congress. These elections shall be effective at the conclusion of the World Congress, and the term of office for each will be until the conclusion of the next World Congress which term shall normally be two years. New (proposed) text:The association to provide Secretariat services and the Chairman shall be elected by the General Assembly at each World Congress. These elections shall be effective at the conclusion of the World Congress, and the term of office for each will be until the conclusion of the next World Congress which term shall normally be two years. In the event that the post of Secretariat or Chairman is vacant between General Assemblies, it may be filled by a vote of the Steering Committee. Steering Committee votes may be conducted by electronic mail or facsimile transmission.

The motion was seconded by Mr. Rob Durie (AIIA). The motion passed unanimously.

Amendment of Art. 8 . – Proposal originally presented at the 2002 General Assembly. Rob Durie (AIIA) made a motion to amend WITSA Bylaws Art. 8. Mr. Durie informed the meeting that the purpose of this Bylaws change –to annul the 2-month prior notice requirement for Bylaws amendments - is to allow for greater flexibility in making useful changes to the Bylaws, when necessary – reflecting the dynamic nature of the Alliance and industry as a whole.

Old text:



"These rules may only by amended by a two-thirds vote of all members present at the General Assembly pursuant to notice of the Secretariat at least two months in advance." New (proposed) text:"These Bylaws may only be amended by a two-thirds vote of all members present at the General Assembly."

The motion was seconded by Mr. Joaquín Oliveras-Grau (SEDISI). The motion passed unanimously.

Amendment of Art. 6.B) – Dr. Jorge Cassino (CESSI) made a motion to amend WITSA Bylaws Art. 6B) regarding the size of the WITSA Steering Committee. Dr. Cassino informed the meeting that the purpose of this Bylaws change is to be sure WITSA does not set arbitrary limitations on the maximum size of the WITSA Steering Committee membership (current language stipulates that it shall not exceed 41 members).

Old text:(...) "The Steering Committee shall consist of no less than eight representatives but no more than forty one representatives from national associations" (...) New (proposed) text:(...) "The Steering Committee shall consist of no less than eight representatives" (...)

The motion was seconded by Mr. Adrian Schofield (IISA). The motion passed unanimously.

9. Regional Structure of WITSA: Mr. Newstrom noted that, as WITSA has grown in membership from 22 associations in the mid-1990s to 60 currently, its composition, activities and programs today reflect a far more nuanced and diverse organization than just a few years ago. Several new member associations come from the Middle East and North Africa, but the current structure of WITSA does not adequately take these new members into account. To address WITSA’s evolving membership structure, Newstrom proposed to establish a 6th WITSA Vice Chair for the Middle East and North Africa. Newstrom informed that the proposal would require an amendment of Art. 6.F).

Old text:“The Chairman of the Steering Committee, after consultation with members of the Steering Committee, shall nominate 5 Vice-Chairmen representing their member associations in the five major geographic regions – Asia-Pacific,



Europe, Africa, North America and Latin-America. The nominations shall be made annually and are subject to the approval of the Steering Committee. The Vice Chairmen, along with the Chairman, shall in general, have responsibility for recruiting WITSA members in their regions.”

New (proposed) text:“The Chairman of the Steering Committee, after consultation with members of the Steering Committee, shall nominate 5 6 Vice-Chairmen representing their member associations in the five major geographic regions – Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, Middle East and North Africa, North America and Latin-America. The nominations shall be made annually and are subject to the approval of the Steering Committee. The Vice Chairmen, along with the Chairman, shall in general, have responsibility for recruiting WITSA members in their regions.”

Ron Evans (ITAC) suggested that WITSA make a thorough review of its membership in all regions before making a proposal for a new regional structure. Harres Tan (PIKOM) offered to bring up the regional structure issue for a discussion at the July 2004 ASOCIO Officers meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

10. WITSA Secretariat and Chairman: Mr. Newstrom informed the meeting that, In accordance with the WITSA Bylaws, the General Assembly shall elect the WITSA Secretariat and Chairman at its meeting, held in conjunction with every World Congress on IT.

Nominations for WITSA Secretariat host association Mr. Ron Evans (ITAC) made a motion to re-nominate ITAA as the WITSA Secretariat for another two years, citing outstanding performance in terms of recruiting new member associations, in setting up useful programs, and in terms of its sheer energy and innovation. No other nominations were voiced at the meeting.

The motion was seconded by Mr. Joaquín Oliveras-Grau (SEDISI). The motion passed unanimously.

Nominations for WITSA ChairmanMr. Ron Evans (ITAC) made a reference to the WITSA Bylaws Art. 6.E), which states that “[t]he association from which the Chairman of the Alliance is elected and the association which provides Secretariat services shall normally be the same association”. Mr. Evans made a motion to re-nominate Mr. George Newstrom as the WITSA Chairman for another two years, citing the need for the Chairman and the Secretariat to work closely together. No other nominations were voiced at the meeting.



The motion was seconded by Mr. Waudo Siganga (CSK). The motion passed unanimously.

11. Digital Planet – Next Edition: WITSA Marketing Director Monica Welch provided an update on the 2004 edition of the Digital Planet report on global ICT spending. The 2004 report would be a joint effort between WITSA and Global Insight, Inc. (GI). GI will provide WITSA with basic level data free, enabling WITSA to produce a hard copy report in Fall 2004. The presentation is also posted online at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/. The new report will offer basic and detailed reports available via Web, and WITSA and GI will share in revenues.

The 2004 edition will differ substantially from earlier versions. Previous editions included data from IDC rather than Global Insight, Inc. In the past, data was updated only every two years, and focused primarily on historical data. The coverage was limited to 50 countries and was limited to horizontal IT industry data. The report was only available in hard copy of PDF-formats, and cost as much as $75.

The 2004 report, by contrast, will see data updated every six months, and will include historical as well as forecast data for as many as 69 countries. It will be expanded to include both IT and vertical industry data, and will be available in multiple formats – including a free basic level PDF-file. Revenue will be obtained by charging for more detailed information, both pre-packaged and custom made. The highest charge would be applied for custom analysis by GI.

The new Digital Planet edition will also offer opportunities for WITSA Members to purchase quarter-page country profiles at a nominal price. A sample country profile would include an association profile, industry highlights (e.g., number of ICT companies, revenues), and key trends and issues. As an additional benefit, discounts on GI data services will be made available to WITSA associations’ member companies. Other sources of funding will include high level sponsors and advertisements.

Next steps will include: WITSA member communication re Country Profiles – early June 2004 Country Profiles due – mid-July 2004 Secure sponsors and advertisers – June/July 2004 Report Production – August 2004 Release – WITSA Fall Meeting 2004

John Higgins (Intellect) applauded the intent to include more forecast data in the next edition of the Digital Planet report.




Australia and a number of other countries questioned the basis for the statistics presented and were concerned that they may not correspond to statistics being published by the individual associations themselves. The WITSA Secretariat agreed to provide additional information regarding the development of the numbers.

12. WITSA Budget: Harris Miller (ITAA) provided an overview of the WITSA budget. Miller noted that WITSA’s unrestricted net assets – WITSA’s “money ion the bank”- at the end of 2003 was $152,705, and that by year’s-end there was a $18,000 surplus. Total net assets for 2003 was $111,037. With the current sponsorship efforts in WITSA, Mr. Miller encouraged all members to work with their economic development authorities in order to help drive WITSA sponsors. Miller also noted that only 60.5 percent of WITSA dues had been paid at the time of the meeting and requested all members who had not already done so to pay as soon as possible. A dues reminder would also be sent by the Secretariat upon return from Greece.

13. Next meeting.

Fall 2004 meetings: Several associations had expressed an interest in hosting the fall 2004 WITSA meetings:

South Africa – Proposal from Adrian Schofield, President, Information Industry South Africa (IISA)

Sri Lanka – Proposal from Tuan “Jamal” Jamaldeen, Coordinator, Sri Lanka Information and Communications Technology Association (SLICTA)

Russia – Proposal from Ms. Rumyantseva Olegovna, Russian Information & Computer Technologies Industry Association (APKIT)

Latin-America – Proposal to hold meeting in connection with fall 2004 ALETI meeting from Dr. Jorge Cassino; Chairman of the Latin-American IT Industry Association (ALETI) and Chairman Emeritus of The Argentine ICT Companies Association (CESSI)

The proposal from Dr, Jorge Cassino (CESSI) was withdrawn. Brief presentations were made by Tuan “Jamal” Jamaldeen (SLICTA), Ms. Rumyantseva Olegovna (APKIT), and Adrian Schofield (IISA). These are posted at http://www.witsa.org/presentations/.




In a vote count by members, South Africa received a majority of the votes at 20, with 13 for Sri Lanka and 2 for Russia. The fall WITSA meeting will take place in South Africa at Bakubung and Sandton (in the vicinity of Johannesburg) from September 26 to 30.

Besides the WITSA meetings, the program will feature golf, a balloon or elephant safari, game drive, casino, and other activities. Information Industry South Africa is hoping to sponsor these meetings through local support of industry and government so that delegates will not have to pay for accommodation and meals during the "business period" but will only have to pay for "extras", side trips and shopping.

Spring 2005 meetings: This meeting will take place in May 2005, in Austin, Texas. Specific activities related to the 2006 World Congress on IT would take place in conjunction with the WITSA meetings.

Fall 2005 meetings: This meeting will take place in conjunction with the September 2005 WITSA Global Public Policy Conference (GPPC 2005), which will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Spring 2006 General Assembly meeting: This meeting will take place in conjunction with the 2006 World Congress on IT (May 3-5, 2006)

14. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 4:50pm



MEETING PARTICIPANTSTuesday, May 18, 2004


Athens, Greece

MEMBERS

COUNTRY ASSOCIATION NAME

Argentina The Argentine ICT Companies Association (CESSI)

Dr. Jorge A Cassino

Australia Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA)

James McAdam


John Price


Rob Durie

Bangladesh Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) Abdullah H. KafiBangladesh Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) Md. Ali AshfakBangladesh Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) Mr. Shaheen Mahmud

IqbalBangladesh Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) Muhammad Mohibul

IslamBulgaria Bulgarian Association of Information

Technologies (BAIT)Mr. Vesselin Komitov

Canada Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)

Ronald W. Evans

Chinese Taipei

Information Service Industry Association of Chinese Taipei (CISA)

Richard Yin

Ecuador AETIS - The Ecuadorian Association for Information Technology and Services

Ana Lucia Sanchez Jarrin

Ecuador AETIS - The Ecuadorian Association for Information Technology and Services

Carlos Vera Quintana

France Syntec Informatique *Robert GuillaumotFrance Syntec Informatique Jean-Paul EybertFrance Syntec Informatique Jean-Pierre LegendreGreece Federation of Hellenic Information

Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE)

Andreas Kitrilakis

Greece Federation of Hellenic Information Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE)

Despina Mimikou-Kakaris

Greece Federation of Hellenic Information George Papadopoulos



Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE)


Pantelis Tzortzakis


Spyros VYZANTIOS


Yannis Sirros


Yannis Theodoropoulos


Yota Paparidou

India National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM)

Ashank Desai

India National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM)

Sangeeta Gupta

Indonesia Indonesian Telematic Software Association (ASPILUKI)

Gunawan Rianto

Japan Japan Information Technology Services Industry Association (JISA)

Hidemi Yamamoto


Kunitaka Hashizume


Mitsuhiro Kitabatake


Mr. Norihiro KONO


Tomomi MOTEGI


Yujiro SATO

Kenya Computer Society of Kenya (CSK) Waudo SigangaLithuania Infobalt Ms. Vilma MisiukonieneMalaysia Association of the Computer And Multimedia

Industry Malaysia (PIKOM)Khoo Hock Aun

Malaysia Association of the Computer And Multimedia Industry Malaysia (PIKOM)

Mr. Boon Kok LEE


Mr. Harres Tan


Mr. Looi Kien Leong




Ms. Ooi Lee Kean

Mongolia Mongolian National Information Technology Association (MONITA)

Mr Danzandori Bavasgalan

Morocco Information Technologies Professionals Association (Apebi)

Mr. Chemsedine Sidi Baba

Nepal Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) Lochan Lal AmatyaNew Zealand Information Technology Association of New

Zealand (ITANZ)David Irving

New Zealand Information Technology Association of New Zealand (ITANZ)

Jim O’Neill

Norway ICT Norway Per Morten HoffPalestine Palestinian IT Association (PITA) Mashhour AbudakaRomania ATIC - Information Technology and

Communications Association of RomaniaVasile Baltac

Russia Russian Information & Computer Technologies Industry Association (APKIT)

Ms. Rumyantseva Marina Olegovna

Senegal Senegalese Information Technology Association (SITSA)

Ms. Coura Fall

South Africa Information Industry South Africa (IISA) Adrian SchofieldSpain Asociación Española de Empresas de

Tecnologías de la Información (SEDISI)Mr. Joaquín Oliveras-Grau

Spain Asociación Española de Empresas de Tecnologías de la Información (SEDISI)

Mr. Pedro Gutiérrez de Cos

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Information and Communications Technology Association (SLICTA)

Mr. Tharmarajah Suresh

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Information and Communications Technology Association (SLICTA)

Tuan Jamaldeen

Thailand The Association of Thai Computer Industry (ATCI)

Pravit Chattalada

United Kingdom

Intellect John Higgins

United States

Information Technology Association of America (ITAA)

Carol Henton

United States


Harris Miller

United States


Olga Grkavac

United States

WCIT2006 Adrienne Hughto

United States

WCIT2006 Deena Byers

United States

WCIT2006 Ed Jones



United States

WCIT2006 Fred Mapp

United States

WCIT2006 Jennifer Devening Clower

Vietnam Vietnam Software Association (VINASA) Mr. Ha The MinhZimbabwe Computer Suppliers Association of Zimbabwe

(COMSA)Gary Ballard

WITSA Allen MillerWITSA Anders HalvorsenWITSA David OliveWITSA George NewstromWITSA James M. LewisWITSA Monica Welch

GUESTS:

COUNTRY ASSOCIATION NAME

Armenia Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE)

Arman Valesyan

Costa Rica CaproSOFT - The Chamber of Software Companies of Costa Rica

Federico J. Cartín-Arteaga

Egypt Ambassador of Egypt to Greece Dr. Magda ShahinEgypt Egyptian Information Technology, Electronics

and Software Alliance (“EITESAL”)Mr. Ayman Samir Abdel-Aal

Egypt Egyptian Information Technology, Electronics and Software Alliance (“EITESAL”)

Mr. Walid Gad

Egypt General Dynamics Jun R. LabadanEgypt General Dynamics Sherry YoussefHungary Hungarian Association of IT Companies

(IVSZ)Mr. Balazs Szekfu

Japan Argo 21 Corp. Mark SchikowskyJapan ASOCIO Lucas LimKeny KIF Mr. Charles NduatiLebanon Professional Computer Association (PCA) Mr. Gaby DeekLebanon Professional Computer Association (PCA) Mr. Jalal FawazLebanon Professional Computer Association (PCA) Mr. Michel NseirLebanon Professional Computer Association (PCA) Nizar ZakkaMalaysia Multimedia Super-Corridor (MDC) Dr Abu Talib Bin BachikMalaysia Multimedia Super-Corridor (MDC) Dr. Mohamed Arif NunMalaysia Multimedia Super-Corridor (MDC) Mr Jagdish DhaliwalMalaysia Multimedia Super-Corridor (MDC) Steven LimPhilippines Information Technology Association of the

Philippines (ITAP)Claro Orlando Villestas Parlade



Syria Syrian Computer Association Dr. Marwan ZabibiSyria Syrian Computer Association Mr. Firas BakourTanzania Tanzania Information Technology and

Services Association (TITSA)Mr. Aziz Mongi

Uganda Uganda Information Technology Association Mr. Charles MusisiUnited Kingdom

EPSRC Anthony Hey

United States

AT&T Marilyn Cade

United States

Computer Frontiers, Inc. Thomas Chesney

United States

IBM Michael R. Nelson

United States

U.S. Agency for International Development Jonathan Metzger

The World Bank Carlos Alberto Primo Braga

UN ICT Task Force Talal Abu-GhazalehRussell Southwood



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