Preliminary comments of Mexico to the initial “Pre-draft” of the report of the
OEWG on developments in the field of information and telecommunications
in the context of international security
Mexico holds the strong conviction that only through multilateralism will the international
community be able to assure, with a long-term vision the legitimate and peaceful uses of
cyberspace, the resilience in the digital environment and the realization of the possibilities of
information technologies to be used as enablers of sustainable development to leave no one
behind.
Mexico commends and decidedly supports the United Nations for its leading role in fostering
inclusive and open deliberations on these topics by setting up, following the adoption of General
Assembly resolutions A/73/27 and A/73/266, an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and a
Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) to advance stability in cyberspace. Mexico supports
constructive work and engagement in both processes to achieve substantive results that help the
international community to attain a world of rights, equity, respect for international law and
inclusion in cyberspace.
Mexico recognizes the important work undertaken by the OEWG Chair to prepare the initial predraft of the Report of the OEWG on developments in the field of information and
telecommunications in the context of international security and appreciates that written
submissions were taken into consideration. Mexico holds the view that the pre-draft, in itself,
could turn into a guiding document that would help States to reach agreements and develop
common understandings among them and relevant stakeholders from the private sector,
academia and civil society.
In response to the OEWG Chair’s call to provide comments to the pre-draft, Mexico submits the
following remarks and observations for each of the section comprised in the document:
Introduction
•
During the deliberations of both September 2019 and February 2020, an important number
of Member States, and stakeholders alike, highlighted a sense of urgency of the international
community (especially through the UN) to address the challenges related to cyberspace,
which could be reflected in the introductory section.
•
Emphasis can also be more explicit in acknowledging that Member States and all stakeholders
must work hand-in-hand on issues of cybersecurity, especially due to its cross-cutting nature.
•
In addition to the gender digital divide, a high number of Member States also pointed to the
fact of the “digital divide” in general terms, but mostly linked to development.
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