Samoa’s PM Mata’afa addresses cybersecurity concerns at UNGA78

In her address to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA78), the Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, highlighted the pressing global challenges that continue to demand our collective attention. In the spirit of global solidarity and unity, she emphasised the need for urgent action to address one such challenge – the abuse of information and new technologies.

Prime Minister Mata’afa acknowledged that the increasingly digitized world presents numerous opportunities, particularly in connecting people in remote areas. However, she underscored the importance of safeguarding citizens from the genuine threats posed by cyber fraud and cyber-attacks. Samoa, like many nations, seeks assistance in fortifying its infrastructure and financial institutions against these evolving cyber threats. Building capacity to effectively address and combat these challenges is a priority.

In this context, Prime Minister Mata’afa expressed awareness of the ongoing efforts of the ‘Open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies‘ (2021-2025), which is set to report to the Assembly in 2025. This group plays a critical role in shaping international responses to cyber threats and ensuring the security of digital ecosystems.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister articulated a vision for a future characterised by world peace, free from conflict, high-tech cyber and electronic crimes, social media abuse, online child sexual exploitation, and threats of terrorism in any form.