Chapter 3 Upping the Game on Singapore’s Cybersecurity Pillar Four: Featured Topic Strengthening International Partnerships Regional Cooperation Facilitating regional discourse on cybersecurity through the 4th AMCC Representatives from the ASEAN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based international order in cyberspace at the 4th AMCC, held as part of SICW 2019. Source: CSA. Singapore believes in the importance of a rules-based international order Bilateral Cooperation for cyberspace. International law should thus apply to cyberspace, which will provide greater stability and predictability in the way countries and other actors behave. A trusted and secure cyberspace is a critical enabler for economic progress and a vibrant digital economy. As cyber threats are transboundary and ever-evolving, it is in Singapore’s continued interest to work with partners internationally and regionally through dialogue, exchanges and capacity building. In 2019, CSA signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. These MOUs increase professional exchanges and sharing of best practices for the benefit of Singapore’s citizens and the region. CSA has hosted study visits from Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand, and held Cybersecurity Roundtables with France and Russia. The engagements have helped to facilitate discussions and foster mindshare, in exploring ways on how countries could work together to combat cyber threats. The 4th ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC) in October 2019 built on outcomes of the 3rd AMCC, and saw further discussion on key emerging cybersecurity issues, in particular, the need for a formal coordination mechanism to coordinate cybersecurity efforts across the three pillars and relevant sectoral bodies in ASEAN. In response, Singapore, with input from ASEAN Member States, has drafted the ASEAN Cybersecurity Coordination Mechanism Proposal Paper. Participants at the AMCC also agreed to establish a working-level committee to develop a long-term regional action plan to ensure effective and practical implementation of the 11 voluntary, non-binding norms recommended in the 2015 Report of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (UNGGE) on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security. Stepping up capacity building efforts through the new ASCCE Launched in October 2019, the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE) provides a cutting-edge physical facility to carry out capacity building programmes for ASEAN senior policy and technical officials. It adopts a multi-disciplinary, modular, multi-stakeholder and metrics-based approach by engaging top cybersecurity experts and trainers, in collaboration with ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, international partners, and the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, to design and deliver cybersecurity capacity building programmes. 45 42 SINGAPORE CYBER LANDSCAPE 2019 Singapore’s commitment to a Rules-Based International Order in Cyberspace Mr David Koh (Commissioner of Cybersecurity and Chief Executive CSA) chaired the OEWG informal intersessional consultative meeting with industry partners, nongovernmental organisations, and academia — the first ever event involving multiple stakeholders at the UN. Source: UN. Singapore is committed to being a constructive participant at ongoing UN discussions to build a more resilient and trusted cyberspace. For the first time, Singapore was included in the UNGGE45 which comprises experts from 25 states. The UNGGE held its first meeting in 2019 and will submit its final report to the UN General Assembly in 2021. Singapore also participates actively in the newly-established OpenEnded Working Group (OEWG). The work of the UNGGE focuses on the following topics: (a) existing and emerging threats; (b) how international law applies in the use of ICT; (c) norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour of States; (d) confidence-building measures; and (e) capacity building. 43