The Cyber Stability Conference 2023 provided a platform for a substantive discussion on the application of the law of the Charter of the United Nations in the context of State conduct using information and communications technologies (ICTs). Specifically, the Conference deliberated on four areas of the law—use of force, armed attack and self-defence, role and powers of the Security Council, and peaceful settlement of disputes—with panellists, State representatives, focusing in their interventions on national interpretations of the law and State practice.
The purpose of the Conference was twofold: first, to advance the international discussions on how international law applies to cyberspace and to contribute to confidence-building by promoting transparency in order to reduce misperception and misunderstanding among the Member States and, second, to contribute to capacity-building by providing a platform for expert briefings and exchange of good practices.
This report provides a summary of the Conference briefings and discussions, an outline of the emerging convergent and divergent positions, as well as several suggestions for how to advance multilateral discussions on the application of international law to State conduct using ICTs and to ensure rule of international law in the twenty-first century. As such, the report charts the potential focus areas for future multilateral deliberations on the Charter and the use of ICTs in the context of international peace and security.
Citation: Security and Technology Programme (2023) "Use of ICTs by States: Rights and Responsibilities Under the Charter of the United Nations", UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland