Open-ended Working Group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security Second Substantive Session - New York, 13 February 2020 Statement by the Delegation of Brazil CAPACITY BUILDING Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Together with the development of CBMs and a set of norms, rules and principles to guide state behavior, capacity-building is one of the three pillars on which a peaceful and stable digital environment must be based. Differences in capabilities to both develop and use ICTs reinforce the digital divide, thus perpetuating inequalities and increasing vulnerability in an interconnected world. As a country that both receives and provides cooperation in this field, Brazil also emphasizes that capacity-building efforts are a “two-way street”, in that they tend to provide tangible benefits to all parties involved. They also contribute to reinforcing trust in the digital arena. Using the recommendations of the past GGEs as a starting point, the OEWG should continue to examine specific measures related to international cooperation and assistance that may concretely enable States to secure ICTs and ensure their peaceful use, by increasing their resilience to attacks or exploits and by improving their capacity for cooperation and collective action. In this sense, the Group should give particular attention to measures which contribute to protecting and improving the security of existing systems and ensure that critical infrastructures are resilient to security threats. In addition, it should be stressed the importance of sharing knowledge about security threat mitigation. Given the considerable progress already made by many regional organizations in promoting cooperation in the cyber security domain, the regional dimension is of central importance for capacity-building efforts, and shall remain so for the foreseeable future. The OEWG should recognize this fact and include among its recommendations on capacity-building a call for greater cross-regional cooperation and exchanges.