Mr. Sarbuland Khan

The morderator of the panel discussion, Mr. Sarbuland Khan of the UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs, explained that by contributing to the debate on the issue of such critical importance, the Council would help produce "fresh ideas and innovative solutions to long-standing problems."

The morderator of the panel discussion, Mr. Sarbuland Khan of the UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs, explained that by contributing to the debate on the issue of such critical importance, the Council would help produce "fresh ideas and innovative solutions to long-standing problems."

SARBULAND KHAN, Director of the Secretariat Division for Economic and Social Council Support and Coordination, told the Council that an information note would be circulated containing specific information on the theme and the format of that high-level meeting.

The representative of Sudan asked if the Council could have any role in selecting the theme for this segment.

Mr. Khan said that the background note in fact suggested that discussions on the theme would start with Council members, but a final decision would be reached in consultation with the Bretton Woods Institutions.

By taking action on draft decision VIII, the Council approved the change of the time and venue of the tenth meeting of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts, to Geneva from 10 to 14 September, instead of 23 to 27 April in New York as previously decided.

By decision IX, the Council approved the change in timing of the fifth session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development in Geneva, to 28 May to 1 June, instead of 21 to 25 May as previously decided.

Turning next to implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B, on revitalizing and improving the Council's functioning, the President said that during informal consultations, Council members had decided to defer consideration of those resolutions until its resumed organizational session in May, and that informal discussion would be held next month.

SARBULAND KHAN, Director of the Secretariat Division for Economic and Social Council Support and Coordination, told the Council that an information note would be circulated containing specific information on the theme and the format of that high-level meeting.

The representative of Sudan asked if the Council could have any role in selecting the theme for this segment.

Mr. Khan said that the background note in fact suggested that discussions on the theme would start with Council members, but a final decision would be reached in consultation with the Bretton Woods Institutions.

By taking action on draft decision VIII, the Council approved the change of the time and venue of the tenth meeting of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts, to Geneva from 10 to 14 September, instead of 23 to 27 April in New York as previously decided.

By decision IX, the Council approved the change in timing of the fifth session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development in Geneva, to 28 May to 1 June, instead of 21 to 25 May as previously decided.

Turning next to implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227 and 52/12 B, on revitalizing and improving the Council's functioning, the President said that during informal consultations, Council members had decided to defer consideration of those resolutions until its resumed organizational session in May, and that informal discussion would be held next month.

Sarbuland Khan, the representative of the UN Secretary-General, said that WSIS has to be included in a larger framework taking into account the multi-stakeholder approach, also required in the broader development agenda.
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This was also in line with a later suggestion by Sarbuland Khan on how to link the WSIS with the process around the Millennium Development Goals ,MDGs,.

Information technology, and the report itself, will be discussed at this year's high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council, at the Millennium Summit, and at the Millennium Assembly itself, said Sarbuland Khan, Director of the Division of Economic and Social Council Support and Coordination, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It was also a key topic at the recent South-South summit in Havana, and will be a priority theme at the impending European Union Summit in Lisbon and at the Group of Eight (G8) Summit to be held in Okinawa.

In addition, the Economic and Social Council and the expert panel's interaction with the business sector and civil society had revealed a tremendous willingness to contribute, and a strong conviction that information technology could be used to speed up development and to improve the integration of developing countries into the global economy, he said.
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Asked whether the Internet itself must change to be of interest and use to the developing world, Mr. Khan explained that local content was the key to utility.