CONSIDERATIONS ON THE INITIAL PRE-DRAFT OF THE OPEN -ENDED WORKING
GROUP (OEWG) ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF INFORMATION AND
TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
We would like to thank H.E Ambassador Jurg Lauber, Chair of the United Nations
Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Developments in the Field of Information
and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, FOR THIS INITIAL
Pre-Draft.
We welcome the Chair’s attempt to produce a balanced report and the Pre-draft’s
recognition that the benefits of digital technologies are not evenly distributed and
that the narrowing digital divides remains an urgent priority for the international
community. We underline that Zimbabwe together with other developed countries
face this predicament. It is our shared concern that development of offensive ICT
capabilities, militarisation of the cyberspace, cyber- attacks, cyber-crimes as well as
cyber terrorism are now a global menace and significantly pose grave threats to the
security and stability of nations.
We seek to strengthen the following as areas of agreement in the text, as well as
additional input on the norms and recommendation sections of the report.
1.Existing and potential threats
We note that the Pre-draft appears to emphasize on State, proxies and criminal
behaviour in the cyberspace. We reiterate concern over the prevalent misuse of
media platforms, including social media networks, for hostile propaganda,
interference in the internal affairs of other States, dissemination of discriminatory and
distorted information of events such as election results, and campaigns that defame
and incite hatred among citizens. Cybersecurity should indeed, follow a
multistakeholder approach, however, private sector, non- governmental organisations
and social media platforms should be also regulated and made accountable for their
behavior in the ICT environment.
We support proposals from some States (China, Cuba and Russia) that any rules,
norms and principles aimed at ensuring responsible behaviour of States in the
cyberspace environment should therefore not undermine sovereign rights of
respective States. States have the right to make ICT-related public policies consistent
with national circumstances to manage their own ICT affairs and protect their citizens’
legitimate interests in the cyberspace. States have the rights and responsibilities to