54. The international community’s ability to prevent or mitigate the impact of malicious ICT activity depends on the capacity of each State to prepare and respond. It is of particular relevance to developing States, in order to facilitate their genuine participation in discussions on ICTs in the context of international security and their ability to address vulnerabilities in their critical infrastructure. Capacity-building helps to develop the skills, human resources, policies, and institutions that increase the resilience and security of States so they can fully enjoy the benefits of digital technologies. It plays an important enabling function for promoting adherence to international law and the implementation of norms of responsible State behaviour, as well as supporting the implementation of CBMs. In a digitally interdependent world, the benefits of capacity-building radiate beyond the initial recipients, and contribute to building a more secure and stable ICT environment for all. 55. Ensuring an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment requires effective cooperation among States to reduce risks to international peace and security. Capacity-building is an important aspect of such cooperation and a voluntary act of both the donor and the recipient. 56. Taking into consideration and further elaborating upon widely accepted principles, States concluded that capacity-building in relation to State use of ICTs in the context of international security should be guided by the following principles: Process and Purpose • Capacity-building should be a sustainable process, comprising specific activities by and for different actors. • Specific activities should have a clear purpose and be results focused, while supporting the shared objective of an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment. • Capacity-building activities should be evidence-based, politically neutral, transparent, accountable, and without conditions. • Capacity-building should be undertaken with full respect for the principle of State sovereignty. • Access to relevant technologies may need to be facilitated. Partnerships • Capacity-building should be based on mutual trust, demand-driven, correspond to nationally identified needs and priorities, and be undertaken in full recognition of national ownership. Partners in capacity-building participate voluntarily. • As capacity-building activities should be tailored to specific needs and contexts, all parties are active partners with shared but differentiated responsibilities, including to collaborate in the design, execution and monitoring and evaluation of capacity-building activities. • The confidentiality of national policies and plans should be protected and respected by all partners. People • Capacity-building should respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, be gender sensitive and inclusive, universal and non-discriminatory. • The confidentiality of sensitive information should be ensured. 57. States concluded that capacity-building is a reciprocal endeavour, a so-called “two-way street”, in which participants learn from each other and where all sides benefit from the general 8