CCB has garnered increased attention for its role in empowering all countries to harness the benefits of ICTs, mitigate the risks associated with their use and prepare for the integration of new and emerging technologies. While CCB activities – such as training, policy development, collaboration and technical support – help build national resilience, they also facilitate the enhanced cooperation needed between countries to address transnational cyberthreats, including those that threaten international peace and security.
Besides achieving better security, CCB activities drive digital empowerment and innovation, all of which are essential for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By equipping states with the necessary knowledge and skills, CCB helps reduce the digital divide and ensures secure and equitable access to technological advancements.
The 2021 report of the OEWG emphasizes this enabling role of CCB and underscores its importance in facilitating the meaningful participation of developing states in ICT negotiations and discussions, as well as strengthening their capacity to address vulnerabilities in their critical infrastructure. The report highlights how CCB can enhance the resilience and security of states by developing skills, human resources, policies and institutions, enabling them to fully benefit from digital technologies. The ongoing OEWG continues to prioritize CCB as a key driver for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
Given the central role that CCB plays in achieving national prosperity, fostering stability in cyberspace, and maintaining international peace and security, it is paramount that CCB activities are effective, efficient and equitable. This is especially important as the demand for CCB increases. This paper argues that adopting a principles-based approach to CCB can help achieve these objectives by standardizing efforts, ensuring optimal resource utilization and safeguarding against unintended consequences and the potential misuse and/or abuse of CCB activities – all of which contributes to the overarching goals of prosperity, stability and security in cyberspace.
A principles-based approach to international cooperation or collaboration is not new. The OEWG principles build on a rich history of cooperation in international development, particularly the 2011 principles of effective development cooperation (also known as the Busan principles). They also build on the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise’s (GFCE) principles included in the 2017 Delhi Communique, which in turn were inspired by the Busan principles. While the Busan and the GFCE’s principles have different framings that reflect their unique contexts, they share foundational elements and common themes including: the national ownership of development priorities; a focus on results, partnerships, inclusion, respect for rights and transparency; and accountability. These themes also feature prominently in the OEWG principles, firmly establishing linkages between CCB and the international development field.
In the international development field, principles have helped to standardize, guide and inform activities so that they are effective, ethical and sustainable. The same objectives are sought in CCB through the OEWG principles, which provide an opportunity to streamline CCB efforts and establish a common understanding of best practice. While these principles are not legally binding, they represent a unanimous agreement among all OEWG member states that CCB is a significant priority. Recognized as a critical, enabling and cross-cutting pillar of the framework for responsible state behaviour, CCB aims to increase resilience against cyberthreats and promote responsible behaviour in cyberspace. Adopting a principles-based approach to CCB can enhance the resilience and security of states, allowing them to fully benefit from digital technologies and supporting their roles as responsible players in cyberspace, thereby contributing to international peace and security. However, to effectively adopt and apply these principles, a thorough understanding of their individual and collective meanings is essential.
Furthermore, a principles-based approach to CCB can help safeguard against the misuse and abuse of CCB activities, and the capabilities that are developed as a result of these activities. As a form of international development, CCB aims to level the playing field among states and address inequities in global capacities and capabilities. To this end, some CCB activities might involve the transfer of tools and skills that can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes. Intentional misuse could involve using these tools and skills for oppressive activities, such as the improper use of surveillance technologies by law enforcement agencies, thereby violating human rights and fundamental freedoms. Unintentional misuse could occur through the provision of tools and techniques without adequate training, oversight or regulatory protections. Additionally, there is a risk that CCB could reinforce harmful international political power dynamics, potentially hindering the equitable transfer of skills, expertise and knowledge. A principles-based approach, particularly one that is depoliticized, evidence based and results focused, can help mitigate these risks, encouraging equity in the global CCB ecosystem and contributing to international peace and security.
The OEWG CCB principles are an important milestone agreed upon by all states and they serve as a cornerstone in guiding CCB activities. However, their effective operationalization hinges on their being clearly understood. Section 2 considers each of the 10 principles and explores the interconnections between them.
