Heads of state issue eloquent policy statements at the gold-domed compound of the 176-nation summit. Vocal civil society groups and the best of academia are engaged in debates. They have the words, but the real action lies at a glittering pavilion, where the latest goods, gadget and systems are exhibited by the likes of Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Nokia and many others.
"Business is the driving force behind the creation of an information society," says Guy Sebban, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce and chairman of a network of business organisations. The groups formed part of a successful campaign that kept control of the Internet for a US-registered company, dooming moves by civil society and developing nations to entrust management to a multilateral unit.
At the summit, although nothing is officially on sale, "there is a lot of marketing going on", Murali Shanmvgavelan of Panos, a civil society group on media and communications, told IPS-Terra Viva. Another complaint by some members of the civil society is that multinationals are pressing for privatisation that will attract foreign investment but to the detriment of local business growth.
Amid concern as to whether the summit is also a "trade fair", most private sector stands lack any strict salesperson making high-powered pitches, and are staffed by "community affairs" or "public sector managers". They mainly point out the role of the private sector as a stakeholder and its growing involvement in projects to help the developing world in the area of communications.
Alain Clo of Sun Microsystems notes: "I am selling success stories." He mainly deals with government representatives on efforts to improve e-government that would help administrations boost such public services as declaration of births and tax payments. He says partnerships involve special consideration according to the income of governments and may also draw assistance from the International Telecommunication Union and the World Bank.
Microsoft has an elaborate stand under the slogan "Digital Inclusion". Juan Bossicard, Coordinator of Community Affairs for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says, "We don’t sell (at the summit). We make contact that may eventually lead to business." He adds that the company is involved in extensive talks with NGOs on partnerships to bridge the Digital Divide. Its programmes aimed directly at the developing world include, he said, an operating system (Starter Edition) with an embedded training component and a local language programme.
Nokia isn’t selling either, although its latest is on display -- clicking pictures of visitors and turning it into a badge. The local Nokia dealer, present at the stand, could arrange purchase, however.
There is a big display of mobile telephones and communication systems, since the number of users reached 2 billion earlier this year with expectations that it will be 3 billion within five years, most of the growth being in the developing world.
Nokia representatives say they are working on a system that would have one company mobile telephone in a village in Uganda connected to an antenna for global connection. Ericsson also signed a deal with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for mobile coverage to rural users.
According to Olivier Saint, Managing Director for Africa of Hewlett-Packard Co., business and development are two sides of the same coin. "Investors are not doing business only for charity," he told IPS-TerraViva. "Business must be sustainable. And funds could be cycled to local communities."
He expects strong growth in Africa, where Information and Communications Technology is expanding at 25 percent a year.
"Business has been involved in the work of the summit because it makes good business sense to be involved," according to the Global Information Infrastructure Commission, a confederation of chief executives and other officers from leading businesses. It says both the private sector and the society at large are in a "win-win" situation.
Development experts note that the private sector has made remarkable progress in involving itself in development issues. Less than 20 years ago, it was considered an impediment to development in the Third World; transnationals were often under severe attack and under investigation. They were kept out of summits.
Now, as they become an accepted stakeholder along with governments, civil society and international organisations, questions are being raised about their intentions: are they bent on being more equal than equal, possibly wielding financial veto power.
In fact, there is now a move by private sector representatives to become full participants in summit proceedings including active involvement in drafting reports.
