The ICT4Peace Foundation and the Organisation of American States (OAS) conducted a first of its kind “Workshop on International Security and Diplomacy in Cyberspace” with over 50 participants (Diplomats, Security and Technical Staff) from 26 Latin American countries in Bogota, Colombia, from 18 to 20 November 2014. The workshop was organized with the support of the Ministry of Information Communication and Technologies (MinTIC) of Colombia.
This new cyber security capacity building programme was developed by the ICT4Peace Foundation as a direct follow-up to some of the recommendations tabled in the 2013 Report of the “UN Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security” embed and the Seoul Conference on Cyberspace, held in October 2013 with the support of the Governments of the UK, Germany and Switzerland. The next workshop will be conducted in Africa and the Asia and the Pacific in 2015. The workshop in Colombia was also supported by the Governments of the US and Canada.
The opening ceremony of the event was presided over by Diego Molano Vega, the Minister of Information Communication and Technologies of Colombia; Neil Klopfenstein, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the OAS; and Daniel Stauffacher, President of the ICT4Peace Foundation. Carmen Sylvain, Ambassador of Canada to Colombia, Ian Gill, Second Secretary of the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Colombia, and Michele Markoff, Deputy Coordinator for Cyber Issues of the US State Department also participated in the opening ceremony. Lecturers included: Olivia Preston, FCO, UK, Michele Markoff, US State Department, Amb. (ret.) Paul Meyer, Canada, Dr. Eneken Tikk, IISS, both Senior Advisors of ICT4Peace Foundation, Belisario Contreras, OAS, Ben Hiller, OSCE, Gary Brown, ICRC.
- Long Term Objectives of the Workshop Course are: Mitigating risks to both rights and security in the cyber-sphere through the promotion of international norms of responsible state behaviour, confidence-building measures (CBMs), and international cooperation. The expected long-term impact will be: More inclusive and knowledge-based debates, consultations or negotiations with and by all regions on norms and CBMs, with all stake-holders: governments, industry, civil society, and academia; More agreements at bilateral, regional at global level on norms, CBMs and international cooperation; Progress towards a sustained open, prosperous, trustworthy, safe and secure cyberspace;
- Short Term Objectives: 1.) A better and more detailed understanding by public officials, diplomats, industry, civil society representatives from all regions of the world of international norms, CBMs and international cooperation in cyberspace, to broaden the participation in the international debates and regional and global negotiations in fora such as the London Process, UN GGE, OSCE, ASEAN, OAS, in the EU, the AU and AP-CERT; 2.) A better understanding of the concerns, best practices, policies and institutional arrangements in the field of cyber security at the regional level;
- Course Content:The course provided an introduction to the subject of international cyber security consultation and negotiation efforts at the global and regional level. Participants were exposed to the context in which cyber security is being addressed in global fora, such as the UN GGE, OSCE, ARF. A simulation exercise provided an active learning opportunity. The course provided an opportunity for participants and lecturers to discuss and learn of cyber security-related concerns, best practices and policies at the regional level.
Please find also selected updates and publications by ICT4Peace on rights and security in a resilient cyberspace since 2011 here:
