The Cybersecurity Tech Accord had the honor to participate and deliver a statement at the intersessional meeting of the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) 2021-2025. As a coalition of 150+ technology companies committed to a safe and secure internet, we are well placed to provide input into these deliberations. The Cybersecurity Tech Accord is committed to ensuring the voice of the industry is taken into consideration in the negotiations of the OEWG. Especially since the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, along with many other relevant stakeholders, had its request for OEWG accreditation blocked earlier this year, these informal meetings provide an opportunity for nongovernmental experts to have their voices heard. We thank the Chair of OEWG for allowing us to participate in this discussion and look forward to future opportunities to do so.
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord attended the intersessional meeting in person on December 6th, delivering a statement on the topic of Confidence Building Measures to increase trust between governments online. Other topics covered during the informal intersessional meetings included: Points of Contact, Existing and Potential Threats, International Law, Capacity Building, Regular Institutional Dialogue, Rules, Norms, and Principles of Responsible State Behavior. The Cybersecurity Tech Accord Secretariat submitted a full statement to provide comprehensive input and guidance on these themes to the Chair of the OEWG. Read our full statement here.
Alongside the OEWG meeting, the Cybersecurity Tech Accord hosted a hybrid event titled “Ensuring the integrity of the ICT supply chain” on December 7, 2022. In a conversation moderated United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), panelists from Microsoft, the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, and German think-tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung highlighted the dangers posed by nation state attacks against the ICT supply chain and what governments and the multistakeholder community can do to uphold associated expectations for responsible state behavior online. A full recording of the event is available here, which was joined by a number of member state representatives and civil society partners. The Cybersecurity Tech Accord remains committed to drawing attention to priority cybersecurity challenges, sharing best practices, and offering industry guidance to serve as a voice of the technology industry when related to peace and security online.