Asia Cyber Diplomacy Workshop

28 Aug 2015 - 29 Aug 2015

How should diplomats respond to today’s cyber challenges? What topics are on the international digital agenda? What is the interplay between international, regional, and national digital policy processes?

The Asia Cyber Diplomacy Workshop, Diplomacy: Between Tradition and Innovation to be held 28–29 August 2015 in Pullman Bangkok Hotel G in Bangkok, Thailand, will address these and other important questions.

[New] See photos, download the report.
[New] Read the blog post: Asia Cyber Diplomacy Workshop ‘Diplomacy: Between Tradition and Innovation’.

Background

This dynamic workshop will address evolving cyber issues for modern diplomacy. Diplomatic services worldwide face the challenge of developing capacity and approaches to cover the growing relevance of the Internet for economic and societal development. Internet policy is emerging on global diplomatic agendas at global and regional levels. The Bangkok workshop will address cyber diplomacy from both conceptual and practical aspects. Participants will be immersed in simulation exercises and other activities aimed at demonstrating the specificities of cyber diplomacy.

Who should attend?

The workshop is designed for diplomats and government officials dealing with the international aspects of digital developments, including trade and investment, security, and culture. In particular focus will be international legal developments of relevance for promoting digital growth and innovation.

Methodology

This training workshop will give participants an overview of the multidisciplinary field of cyber diplomacy (including technical, legal, economic, sociocultural, and developmental aspects). Particular emphasis will be put on cybersecurity and promoting cooperative and comprehensive approaches for today’s cyber challenges. The programme combines presentations, a dynamic policy dialogue, practical demonstrations in the CyberLab, a case study, and simulation exercises.
 

Draft programme

Day 1 (Friday 28th August)

09.15–10.00

Welcome coffee with CyberLab presentation: The future is now – the Internet of Things, 3D printing, and Bitcoin

10.00–10.15

Welcome remarks

  • Deputy Ambassador Guillaume Teerling, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands 

  • Representative of the Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

  • Dr Jovan Kurbalija, DiploFoundation

10.15–11.30

WHAT are the main cyber diplomacy issues? (Mapping cyber challenges for modern diplomacy)

  • Understanding how the Internet works and how the Internet functionality impacts cyber diplomacy
    By Eng. Vladimir Radunovic, director of cybersecurity at DiploFoundation

  • Summarising the main cyber policy challenges for diplomats
    By H.E. Dr Alex Sceberras Trigona, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Malta and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta

11.30–11.45

Coffee break

11.45–12.30

Applicability of international law to cyber challenges
By  H.E. Dr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and Member of the International Law Commission of the United Nations

12.30–13.30

Lunch break

13.30–14.30

WHERE and HOW is cyber diplomacy performed?

  • Survey of the main cyber diplomacy processes and legal and policy instruments (including confidence building measures and activities of UNGGE)
    By Dr Jovan Kurbalija, director of DiploFoundation and head of the Geneva Internet Platform

  • Survey of regional cyber initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region
    By Ms Jessica Woodall, Analyst, International Cyber Policy Centre, Australian Strategic Policy Institute

14.30–15.00

WHO are the main actors in cyber diplomacy?

  • Overview of the main actors 

  • Roles of stakeholders and models of public-private partnership
    By Mr Moedjiono Sardjoeni Matdullah, the Senior Advisor for International Relations and Digital Divide, Minister of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia

15.00–15.30

Coffee break with CyberLab presentation: a peek into the Dark Web and tools for cyber attacks

15.30-16.15  

In focus: international peace and security and cyberspace

  • Threats and risks from cyberspace
  • Trust and confidence building measures in cyberspace

16.30–18.15

Simulation exercise: Negotiating an international cyber declaration

  • Skills and techniques for diplomatic negotiations
    By Ambassador Kishan Rana, former Indian diplomat
  • Distribution of simulation roles
  • Simulation exercise – first round
18.15-18.30 Summary of the day
20.00 Workshop dinner

 

After the introductory remarks, participants will engage in a full immersion simulation exercise on cyber diplomacy – negotiating an international cyber policy document. Participants will be assigned tasks to prepare for the second part of the exercise. The simulation exercise will continue on Day 2.

 
 
Day 2 (Saturday, 29th August)

09.00–10.30

Simulation exercise (continuation)

Participants complete the simulated negotiations, and discuss the lessons learned, during a debriefing session with experts

10.30–10.45

Coffee break

10.45–12.15

How can national governments address the challenges of cyber diplomacy?

  • Benchmarking countries in cyber issues & the Global Cybersecurity Index
    By Aaron Boyd, Chief Strategy Officer, ABI Research

  • National diplomatic services and their coverage of cyber issues (case studies)
    Panel discussion moderated by Dr Jovan Kurbalija, director of DiploFoundation and head of the Geneva Internet Platform

12.15–14.30

Certificate ceremony and lunch reception

 

Registration: Due to high interest and limited capacity, registrations are now closed. 

For additional information, contact Barbara Rosen Jacobson

This workshop is free of charge. Please note that the organiser cannot cover any travel or accommodation costs – these are the responsibility of the participants.

 

Previous events: June 2015 – Vienna Cyber Diplomacy Day

Organised by DiploFoundation with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (other partners to be announced)

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