Thank you, Mr. Chair. I join other colleagues in congratulating you and your team for excellent work done so far. We are encouraged to see your continued dedication and commitment in the work of this group.
Mr. Chair,
In response to your guiding questions on existing and potential threats in the ICT and cyber domain, like many other delegations, we share the concern over the growing prevalence of ransomware and attacks to the critical infrastructure. Additionally, we would like to draw attention to the fact that deep fakes and digital identities are emerging as new vectors for cyber-attacks and are likely to be targeted extensively in the future. We also identify quantum computing as emerging threat as it could render current encryption systems obsolete. The geopolitics of quantum technology could act as a barrier to unlocking its full value.
It is important to recognize and address these evolving threats in order to effectively mitigate their impact on the digital ecosystem.
The rapid pace, complexity, and uncertainty associated with these technologies highlight the need for a common understanding of their implications to ensure our collective ability to promote resilience and maneuverability in the digital domain.
To that end, we want to highlight the followings:
First, we need to address the Skill Gap as a matter of priority. There is a sharp divide in the skill and expertise in the field of digital technologies, and as new technologies emerge, the skills gap in countering malicious use of these technologies will widen. Therefore, we call for bridging this gap both within and among the states, which requires collective action, policy intervention and improved accountability for government and business.
Second: Many of these emerging technologies is primarily being developed in the private sector, therefore, we highlight the need for enhanced collaboration between governments and industry. Member States should utilize private sector expertise to identify risks posed by emerging technologies. Sharing best practices and lessons learned among all Member States would be a significant achievement. In this regard, the operationalization of global point of contact will be an important step to exchange information.
Third, we call for creating a Digital Trust Framework reflecting our shared objectives of ensuring security, reliability, accountability, oversight, ethical and responsible use of technology, transparent data collection, and data privacy protection.
To conclude Mr. Chair, we agree with you that we are in a long journey, and rest assured that my delegation is with you throughout this journey.