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IGF 2021 WS #132
Cyber Conflict: How it undermines peace and stability

    Organizer 1: Moses Owiny, Centre for Multilateral Affairs
    Organizer 2: Anriette Esterhuysen, Association for Progressive Communications
    Organizer 3: Stephane DUGUIN, CyberPeace Institute

    Speaker 1: Sheetal Kumar, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Speaker 2: Stephane DUGUIN, Civil Society, Eastern European Group
    Speaker 3: Anriette Esterhuysen, Civil Society, African Group

    Moderator

    Moses Owiny, Civil Society, African Group

    Online Moderator

    Moses Owiny, Civil Society, African Group

    Rapporteur

    Anriette Esterhuysen, Civil Society, African Group

    Format

    Birds of a Feather - Classroom - 90 Min

    Policy Question(s)

    International standards: How should international standards address the different requirements and preferences of governments and citizens in different countries?
    International rules and state accountability: How should international rules be strengthened to protect national sovereignty and citizens against attack by malicious state and non-state actors? What can be done to better hold nation-states accountable for cyber-attacks?

    Cyberspace has become a domain under which bilateral and multilateral hostilities have been perpetuated among and between nation states including actions of non-state actors. The need to protect critical network infrastructures, associated networks and tools in cyberspace against adversarial actions and attacks by individuals, non-state actors, and nation states have led to an increased need for defensive – and many would argue also for offensive – capabilities. Espionage is one of the key contemporary cyberspace issues. In 2015, a Rwandan national employed in one of the telecommunications companies in Bujumbura was expelled after the country’s security services alleged that he was involved in spying on behalf of Rwandan intelligence services.
    In Uganda, MTN Telecom was accused of aiding spies and facilitating those agents using the company to undermine the country’s security and this culminated into diplomatic rifts and closure of borders between the two countries up to present. How do you build confidence and trust amongst states? How are normative frameworks (norms) including efforts of the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) relevant to states. Both developed nations and particularly those in Africa? This panel seeks to explore these questions and will discuss various dimensions of international cyber security. Particularly, how should international rules and norms be strengthened from top to bottom and vise versa. What forms of accountability mechanisms exists within the legal domain of international peace and security between and among nation states? How can these discussions on normative frameworks be domesticated at national levels? What contributions can civil society bring to the debate as the engage national governments?
    This session will bring practical experiences of actions of Civil Society engaged in advocacy on responsible state behavior in the cyberspace at the UN. It will also share experiences of civil society in Uganda to leverage on these discussions to bring the debate on ground in Uganda. The aim is to stimulate meaningful conversations that deter irresponsible actions in the cyberspace in ways that undermine bilateral as well as international peace and security

    SDGs

    16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions


    Targets: It seeks to maintain peace both bilateral and multilateral peace within the context of international peace

    Description:

    Cyberspace has become a domain under which bilateral and multilateral hostilities have been perpetuated among and between nation states including actions of non-state actors. The need to protect critical network infrastructures, associated networks and tools in cyberspace against adversarial actions and attacks by individuals, non-state actors, and nation states have led to an increased need for defensive – and many would argue also for offensive – capabilities. Espionage is one of the key contemporary cyberspace issues.In 2015, a Rwandan national employed in one of the telecommunications companies in Bujumbura was expelled after the country’s security services alleged that he was involved in spying on behalf of Rwandan intelligence services.
    In Uganda, MTN Telecom was accused of aiding spies and facilitating those agents using the company to undermine the country’s security and this culminated into diplomatic rifts and closure of borders between the two countries up to present. How do you build confidence and trust amongst states? How are normative frameworks (norms) including efforts of the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) relevant to states. Both developed nations and particularly those in Africa? This panel seeks to explore these questions and will discuss various dimensions of international cyber security. Particularly, how should international rules and norms be strengthened from top to bottom and vise versa. What forms of accountability mechanisms exists within the legal domain of international peace and security between and among nation states? How can these discussions on normative frameworks be domesticated at national levels? What contributions can civil society bring to the debate as the engage national governments?

    Expected Outcomes

    1. Increased awareness on work of the GGE and OEWG for responsible state behaviors
    2. Stimulate discussions relevant to engage national governments through domestication of norms for responsible state behavior
    3. Increased capacity of civil society and government actors on issues of UN actions on responsible state behavior

    The speakers will be given time to engage but participatory expert views from audiences will be encouraged. Before the next 30 minutes elapses, views of audiences will be brought to the discussions. This session is expected to purely take place online. Q&A session will be accorded ample time to facilitate audience interaction with speakers and limit a lecture-like kind of engagement

    Online Participation



    Usage of IGF Official Tool. Additional Tools proposed: If possible we could use polls, break-in sessions etc