FACT SHEET
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE
CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Developments in the field of information and telecommunications ICTs in the context of international security have
been on the UN agenda since the Russian Federation first introduced a draft resolution in 1998 on the subject in the First
Committee of the General Assembly (GA). It was adopted without a vote by the General Assembly as resolution 53/70.
Since that time there have been annual resolutions calling for the views of UN Member States on the issue of
information security.
Groups of Governmental Experts
Since this issue has been on the agenda, there have been five Groups of Governmental Experts (GGEs) that have
convened alternately in New York and Geneva. The Groups have examined existing and potential threats in the cybersphere and possible cooperative measures to address them. In December 2018, the General Assembly has established
both a new Group of Governmental Experts and an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) to continue these discussions
for the period of 2019-2021 and 2019-2020 respectively.
Period
2004/2005
2009/2010
2012/2013
2014/2015
2016/2017
2019-2020
2019-2021
Mechanism
GGE – 15 members
GGE – 15 members
GGE – 15 members
GGE – 20 members
GGE – 25 members
OEWG – all member
states
GGE – 25 members
Resolution
A/RES/58/32
A/RES/60/45
A/RES/66/24
A/RES/68/243
A/RES/70/237
A/RES/73/27
Meetings
2 in NY, 2 in Geneva
2 in NY, 2 in Geneva
2 in NY, 2 in Geneva
2 in NY, 2 in Geneva
2 in NY, 2 in Geneva
4 in NY;
A/RES/73/266
2 in NY, 2 in Geneva
Report
A/60/202
A/65/201
A/68/98*
A/70/174
A/72/327
Comments
No consensus
No consensus
The first, 15-member Group was established in 2004. It examined the impact of developments in information and
communications technologies (ICTs) on national security and military affairs. The experts also considered whether their
discussions should focus on information content or only on information infrastructure. The Group was unable to produce
a consensus report.
The second 15-member Group was established in 2009 and a successful GGE report was issued in 2010 (A/65/201),
which included the following elements in its recommendations:
• Dialogue on norms for State use of ICTs to reduce risk and protect critical infrastructure;
• Confidence-building and risk-reduction measures, including discussion of ICTs in conflict;
• Information exchanges on national legislation and ICT security strategies; and
• Capacity-building in less-developed countries.
A third Group comprised of 15 members met in 2012/2013. In its report (A/68/98*), the Group agreed on the
following:
• International law, in particular the UN Charter, is applicable to the cyber-sphere and is essential for an open,
secure, peaceful and accessible ICT environment.
• State sovereignty applies to States’ conduct of ICT-related activities and to their jurisdiction over ICT
infrastructure within their territory.
• State efforts to address the security of ICTs must go hand-in-hand with respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
• States must not use proxies to commit internationally wrongful acts and must ensure that their territories are not
used by non-State actors for unlawful use of ICTs.
• The UN should play an important role in promoting dialogue among Member States.
July 2019