Cooperation among countries has been central to all multilateral discussions on international information and communication technology (ICT) security since the first Group of Governmental Experts was established in 2004. The current Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on the security and use of ICTs, active from 2021 to 2025, is no exception. Mandated by the General Assembly, this group continues to study potential cooperative measures to prevent and counter threats in the information sphere. Cooperation is also a key element of the framework guiding responsible behaviour in the use of ICTs at the national level.
In 2022, the OEWG agreed to establish a global, intergovernmental Points of Contact (POC) Directory, building on work already done at the regional level. The primary objective of this directory is to “enhance interaction and cooperation between States, and in doing so, promote international peace and security as well as increase transparency and predictability.”
The Directory is designed to enable UN Member States to establish secure and direct communications on ICT incidents, including those affecting critical infrastructure, thus potentially de-escalating tensions and preventing conflicts in the digital sphere. Since the Directory’s launch in May 2024, while more than 100 countries have joined and nominated their national POCs, many have yet to designate one. This could be due to the lack of lack of awareness or capacity of countries to designate the national POCs.
To further support the POC operationalization and promote wider participation of countries in the POC Directory, UNIDIR will organize an event on the margins of the OEWG session titled “Global intergovernmental points of contact directory: Towards universal participation”. Through a panel discussion, sharing good practices, assistance available and capacity-building recommendations, this event aims to further raise awareness of the POC Directory, its functionalities and to produce potential recommendations to further operationalize the Directory.
When and where
The event will take place on the 4th of December 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York (room CR8) from 13:15 – 14:45.
Although in-person participation is encouraged, to facilitate the diverse participation, the organizers will make necessary arrangements to enable remote participation and the event recording will be available on the UN Web TV.
Agenda
13:15-13:30 Lunch (Vienna Café)
13:30-13:35 Introduction remarks
13:35-14:35 Panel discussion
14:35-14:45 Q&A
Participants
UNIDIR encourages participation of the representatives of governments with interest in international ICT security. Please note that UNIDIR is not able to grant access to the United Nations Headquarters for those who are not already in possession of UN accreditation.
RSVP
Registration is mandatory for participation. Please RSVP by 1 December 2024.
Details to access the event online will be emailed to registered participants one day prior to the event. For questions, please contact sectec-unidir@un.org.