A/74/120 Colombia is interested in participating in the international discussions of the Open-ended Working Group on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security and the Group of Governmental Experts. Colombia has nominated a candidate for the latter. Should its participation in the Group of Governmental Experts not be p ossible, the contributions of Colombia will be channelled through the regional consultation forums established by the Organization of American States (OAS) for that purpose. Observations relating to General Assembly resolutions 73/266, on advancing responsible State behaviour in cyberspace in the context of international security, and 73/27, on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security The Government of Colombia agrees that coordination and cooperation among States must be improved to promote the responsible use of ICT by States; this is fundamental both for international stability and for ICT playing a real role in social and economic development. Colombia was an active participant in the Group of Governmental Experts in the period from 2014 to 2015, during which time it obtained the latest context document, and it fully agrees with the concepts, considerations, interpretations and recommendations contained therein. The Government of Colombia believes that international law should apply to the virtual world as well as the physical world. This stance, or vision, has not only been considered by the United Nations Governmental Groups of Experts, which reached consensus regarding the fundamental ways in which international law is applicable: it is also reflected in the confidence-building measures of the Organizatio n for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Group of Seven Lucca Declaration on responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, and the unanimous support of the group of experts who authored the Tallinn Manual 2.0. In any event, the applicability of international law to cyberoperations requires further study in order to ensure there are no grey areas or differences in interpretation regarding how it applies. For countries that are less advanced technologically it is of the utmost importance to establish agreements to ensure that cyberspace does not become a stage for incrementally increasing conflict, because of the potential effects on such countries, whether they become targets of cyberoperations or become victims of use as “proxy States” because they lack sufficient preventive capacity. In less technologically advanced countries, any harm to critical cyberinfrastructure can have an enormous impact. This is not only because of dependence on ICT and the shift towards the automation of indust rial processes using technologies connected to the Internet, but also because of the lack of awareness of risks and threats and the lack of the resources needed to strengthen the digital security of the companies that manage such infrastructure. We believe it is essential to initiate discussions at the highest level regarding the implications of the Charter of the United Nations and its applicability to the maintenance of peace and stability, in order to foster an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment. Efforts taken at the national level to strengthen information security and promote international cooperation in this field, and domestic challenges In order to address uncertainties, risks, threats, vulnerabilities and digital incidents, in 2011, the Government issued National Council for Economic and Social 19-10580 7/39