A/75/123 The application of international law to the use of information and communications technologies Colombia considers that international law, in particular the Charter of the United Nations and including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, applies to the “virtual” as well as to the “physical” world. It agrees with the statement of the then Secretary-General in the foreword to the 2015 report of the Group of Governmental Experts: “Making cyberspace stable and secure can be achieved only through international cooperation, and the foundation of this cooperation must be international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.” Colombia therefore considers that the general concepts of international law may be applicable in cyberspace, with the adjustments required by the nature of virtual operations. Considering the various possible interpretations of issues a ssociated with international law in cyberspace does not preclude the development of guides or manuals on the application of public international law in cyberspace. In that regard, the practice relating to the Convention on Cybercrime, which has guidance notes to guide the implementation of its provisions and to bring them into line with developments in technology, could be very beneficial. This is considered a good practice that could be emulated. Considering that the General Assembly recommended and wel comed the set of international rules, norms and principles of responsible behaviour of States enshrined in the reports of the groups of governmental experts, for Colombia the immediate task must be to step up the implementation of those rules, norms and pr inciples. Colombia does not believe that a binding instrument is required at present. It should also be emphasized that Colombia abides by commitments and established safeguards. Concepts The conceptual development that was considered necessary for a deeper understanding of concepts relating to international peace and security in the use of ICTs at the legal, technical and political levels should, given the specific nature and the novelty of their application, continue to be discussed in the context o f multilateral scenarios. These discussions are essential in order to adjust the international legal framework to the challenges of cyberspace and to be able to reach consensus on how international law is applied in this virtual space. In that regard, Colombia agrees with the conclusions of the Group of Governmental Experts set out in its 2015 report and is ready to pursue more detailed discussions with other delegations at the United Nations. This is the only way to ensure the appropriate use of ICTs, which are essential to meet the challenges that the international community is currently facing, and to prevent them from being used in a way that is contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including the full upholdin g of international peace and security. The disruptive use of new technologies to provide services is driving a new type of relationship in the information society, which is based on the secure processing of information and the special protection of personal data and thus encourages the 26/84 20-08285