ICC welcomes ‘strong business representation’ in CSTD working group

The five business representatives proposed by ICC BASIS, which acted as the focal point for business in the selection process, ensure a substantive voice for business in the group that will work to identify a shared understanding about enhanced cooperation on public policy issues pertaining to the Internet. 

The business representatives who secured a place on the CSTD working group include:

• Virat Bhatia, Chairman Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Communications and Digital Economy Committee New Delhi, AT&T (India)
• Ellen Blackler, Vice President – Global Public Policy, The Walt Disney Company (USA)
• Marilyn Cade, Principal and CEO , ICT Strategies, mCADE (USA)
• Jimson Olufuye, Chair, Africa ICT Alliance (Nigeria)
• Phil Rushton, Standards and Numbering Policy Strategy , BT (United Kingdom)

“This is an important opportunity for business to work with other stakeholders to assess where enhanced cooperation is happening and where there may be room for improvement,”said Ayesha Hassan, Senior Policy Manager, ICC Commission on Digital Economy and BASIS initiative.

The working group on Enhanced Cooperation was commissioned in December 2012 to:

1. Examine and make recommendations on the mandate of the World Summit on the Information
   Society (WSIS) regarding enhanced cooperation as contained in the Tunis Agenda;
2. Ensure balanced representation between governments and other stakeholders, including the
   private sector and civil society, among others; and
3. Help urge the international community to make voluntary contributions to the special trust
   fund established by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
   (UNCTAD) to support the review and assessment work of the CSTD regarding
   follow-up to the WSIS.

For further information visit the CSTD Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation

For more information on ICC’s activities on the subject visit the BASIS initiative and ICC Digital Economy Commission