On July 1, 2002, in Geneva, Mali, through my modest person, was elected, in the name of Africa, to the Presidency of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) of the World Summit on the Information Society.

This choice, result of a strong consensus between the ITU, Switzerland, host country for the first phase, Africa and the whole set of other regions in the world, was for Africa, my country and myself a great honour. For us, moreover, the choice of Africa appeared as vested with a very strong symbolic value : the other regions in the world, while entrusting this high responsibility to Africa, sent a clear message - the political will to put Africa, this region which today needs the most an acceleration of its own development process, at the heart of the world debate concerning the ways and means of setting the digital revolution to the service of a sustainable human development, to the service of the whole Humanity.

Together, during the first phase of Geneva, the Member States of the United Nations, Switzerland and Tunisia, host countries the Summit, the ITU and the other agencies of the United Nations system, the civil society, the private sector and the international organizations, we have built, within a consensus, a shared vision of the Information Society - prelude to a true Society based on Knowledge and sharing Knowledge.

This first session of the Summit, which was not without difficulties, without strong emotions during the long days and nights during the negotiations, ended on a good result.

It is now the time, for me, as President of the PrepCom of this phase, to thank very cordially all those, women and men, which contributed to it: Switzerland, which brought me a close and unwavering support, from all points of view: the executive Secretariat, for the huge organisation task that has been accomplished, the IUT, in its managerial role, which felt overwhelmed by the vision of the States, and whose personnel got so much involved within the meanders of those memorable negotiations, the members of the Bureau and the region coordinators who always supported me, all the member States, the Civil Society organizations, and the private sector, the international organizations, for their involvement and their spirit towards consensus.

In the name of Africa and of Mali, I say to you, to everybody, thank you for all those great moments we lived together.

Today after a "unproductive period" which introduced a certain break between the first and the second phase of our Summit, right now fortunately the train starts again, with new cars that came to reinforce the whole carriage - a sign of the growing interest towards the Summit. We greet the States which joined the Bureau and congratulate those who left.

Mali and Africa, concerned with the institutional continuity of a complex process, have made it known their availability to continue to chair the preparatory process and Africa decided to propose the renewal of Mali, through my modest person, as head of the preparatory process during the Tunis phase.

But at that point, it came back to us that a certain number of considerations, among which in particular the concern to have a candidate "from the North" for this phase which must lead us "to the South", would result in not choosing the way of continuity.

Mali, faithful to the African tradition of consensus, shall never be a blocking or divisive factor between "North - South", and even less "South - South ".

This is why, beyond any consideration of a legal or other nature, Mali, while thanking Africa for its renewed confidence, decided not to present a candidate for the presidency of the second phase of the Summit. First, in order that a non-decision should be equated with non transparency, then, and above all, to help advance a process that is so dear to us: each day that elapses is counting in regards to the resources mobilization towards a good preparation of the Tunis session.

We wish that decisions are going to be taken quickly in order to keep the enthusiasm which characterized the first phase.

No need to stress that Mali will continue to fully play its role as member of the Bureau, and that personally I will continue to be involved towards the success of Tunis and the implementation of the Summit decisions, beyond Tunis.

Geneva, March 31, 2004 Declaration read by Mr. Adama Samassékou,
President of the PrepCom of the 1st phase of the WSIS,
at the meeting of the provisional Bureau of the 2nd phase of the WSIS.