International negotiations are key to ensure a secure, stable and open cyberspace
ALTHOUGH the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has brought huge benefits to our societies, the old dream of a cyberspace free from any power struggle is long gone. Whether they come from state or non-state groups, more and more sophisticated cyberattacks are conducted across borders and distances. They are difficult to detect, and even more to attribute, and can be carried out relatively easily at low cost and very low risk to the attacker.
Against such a backdrop, how can we guarantee the right of states to protect their territory, their population, their sovereignty, while guaranteeing the same rights to other states? How can we promote a culture of cooperation, responsible behavior and accountability in cyberspace? In doing so, how can we protect the rights and fundamental rights as well as the positive economic and societal impact of ICTs?
International negotiations focus on these crucial questions. They define the rules applicable to cyberspace and look for ways to enforce them.
Strengthening strategic stability and security in cyberspace is one of France’s priority objectives so as to promote a secure, stable and open cyberspace for all.
The Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace remains a historical landmark in this endeavour. As a high-level political declaration presented in 2018, it marked a renewed mobilisation of the fundamental issue of stability in cyberspace. Its inclusive nature reflects the conviction that a multi-stakeholder approach is necessary to develop the standards and best practices that will allow us to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital revolution in an open and secure way.
France considers indeed that it is key to conduct discussions with not only its state partners but also with the private sector and civil society, on the role and specific responsibilities of both public and private actors in strengthening the stability and security of cyberspace. Singapore was one of the first states to join the Paris Call, also demonstrating its continued commitment to promoting these principles.
In this same spirit, France, alongside a trans-regional group of states, has been promoting since 2020 the establishment of a United Nations Programme of Action (PoA) on cybersecurity, as the first permanent mechanism to discuss cybersecurity at the UN. This year, France is bringing a new resolution to the UN General Assembly to propose the adoption of such a flexible and action-oriented platform aimed at fostering a global culture of responsible behavior and resilience in cyberspace.
It is only collectively that we will be able to respond to the challenges we face, the scale of which goes beyond the action of individual states, and ensure that cyberspace remains a safe, stable and open environment where international law applies.
In this respect, the work carried out by the United Nations and its member states through the open-ended working group chaired by Singapore is essential, and must therefore be sustained until the end of its mandate in 2025. Singapore and France have always been strongly supportive of the rules-based multilateral system, including in relation to states’ conduct in cyberspace. We share the same commitment to open, inclusive, and transparent discussions on cybersecurity at the UN.
As global policymakers gather here this week for the Singapore International Cyber Week, the need for collectively elaborating on an action-oriented platform to strengthen cyber resilience at the UN level is more important than ever.
The writer is ambassador for digital affairs of the government of France. An entrepreneur and digital specialist, he has held several positions in the public sector, and was previously CEO of MFG Labs, a startup involved in social data mining
