ICT meeting on 22 April 2011

It is in Paris where the sixth working session of IPEMED’s ICT expert group took place, right after the sending of a first draft of the report. The agenda got organized around the idea of implementing a ".med" space guaranteeing and facilitating the exchanges between both shores of the Mediterranean. This meeting also allowed to take stock of the report’s progress and the experts’ contributions.

Historically, the Mediterranean was the cradle of western civilization (cf. introduction of the report written mainly by Bouchra). It was a common and shared area. The proposed report aims to the reconstruction of this common area, its rehabilitation. Thus, the notion of common area arises a certain number of reflections:

How can the digital technology allow recreating the link between the North and the South, the East and the West? How this common space is governed (this space governs itself but does not control itself)?

The creation of a ".med" space is certainly symbolic but fundamental for launching a dynamics of more numerous exchanges around this sea that gathers us. What is the situation after the Arab Spring? What are the existing success of investment and cooperation? Can ICT encourage connection and push towards a “.med” space?

The report is articulated around the following questions:

I -The digital world develops itself around this maritime space.
II - This space governs itself AND does not control itself (state of arts of the evolution of ICT development)
III - Examples of sectors that invest in this space, enhancing the successes.
IV - Recommendations

An exchange also took place around the first consequences of Arabic revolts on ICT as well as the link between social networks and politics.