US Secretary of State approves creation of Bureau of Cyberspace Security and Emerging Technologies

The US Secretary of State has approved the creation of a Bureau of Cyberspace Security and Emerging Technologies (CSET) and has directed the Department of State (DoS) to move forward with launching the new entity. The bureau is intended to ‘lead US government diplomatic efforts on a wide range of international cyberspace security and emerging technology policy issues that affect US foreign policy and national security, including securing cyberspace and critical technologies, reducing the likelihood of cyber conflict, and prevailing in strategic cyber competition’. Back in 2019, the DoS notified the US Congress of its intent to create the CSET bureau, but the notification was then placed on hold ‘until the Secretary of State directs his staff to work constructively with Congress to establish a bureau that ensures the Department is able to advance the full range of US interests’.