III FOREWORD BY THE MINISTER Protecting Papua New Guinea’s national security and promoting the prosperity of the PNG Citizens are among my top priorities. Ensuring the security of cyberspace is fundamental to both endeavors. Cyberspace is an integral component of all facets of our new digital economy, including our economy and defense. Yet, our private and public entities still struggle to secure their systems, and hackers have increased the frequency and sophistication of their malicious cyber activities. We must make sure to secure and preserve cyberspace for future generations. Information and communication technology (ICT) is an integral part of public administration, global trade and social interaction in today’s world. Major economic partners such as APEC are focusing on e-Trade and e-Commerce, as governments across the region set their agenda on implementing e-Government. The 2018 APEC theme which centred around “Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future”, is at the forefront of the Government’s vision for socioeconomic development in the country. Papua New Guinea’s success depends on its ability to harness these technological advances to drive economic growth and raise productivity and living standards for all Papua New Guineans. A key focus of the government’s digital transformation efforts of government is ensuring PNG keeps pace with community needs and expectations The digital economy is fundamentally changing how Papua New Guineans live, work and interact with the Government. The PNG public expects government services to be simple, easy and fast to use. To meet these expectations we must be innovative, practical and usercentred in our work. Cyber-related risks are evolving rapidly as PNG becomes increasingly reliant on ICT, as such, it is of paramount importance that PNG’s technical and intelligence capabilities must also be developed to international standards and in accordance with international best practice to protect PNG’s critical infrastructure systems and essential services. If these cease to function or are compromised, our Government, economy and society can be adversely affected.