Statement by
Mr. Heidar Ali Balouji
First Counselor
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
At the 2nd Substantive Session of the OEWG on Security of and in the Use of ICTs
On “Regular Institutional Dialogue”
New York, 1 April 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Mr. Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to support the central role of the UN in advancing security in the ICT environment through international cooperation. We continue to support the OEWG’s substantive, detailed and deliberative process leading to a comprehensive outcome.
The “intergovernmental” character of any regular institutional dialogue should be preserved and respected to avail all UN member states of the opportunity for inclusive, transparent and open-ended participation, similar to the current OEWG which is the only multilateral and inclusive intergovernmental experience to compensate asymmetric and fragmented efforts so far made through other fora. Any contribution from the private sector, civil society and academia into intergovernmental machinery should come through informal inter-sessional consultations and other mechanisms, such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
The OEWG’s mandate is to serve as a regular institutional dialogue within the UN to continue deliberation on international security in the context of the ICT. The OEWG should continue its function until an open-ended and all-inclusive intergovernmental body for consultation, cooperation and decision-making in cyber-related issues are established by the UN.
Besides other observations on the Program of Action, it looks more like a mechanism for reviewing norm implementation and capacity building. Instead, establishing a sub-group for the commencement of negotiations on a comprehensive cyber security convention is very needed. Given the rapid development of ICTs, it is crucial to move beyond what we have already achieved and to make further practical efforts in developing new norms, while considering new initiatives of States in this sphere.
We should avoid impulsiveness at this stage. We need to carefully study all possible patterns of dialogue and cooperation for the future. Replicating the UN Small Arms & Light Weapons Program of Action model, which has yet to prove its effective value in preventing, combating and
eradicating the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons, does not serve the purpose. According to the UNODA, the widespread illicit transfer of approximately 1 billion small arms in circulation around the world to terrorists and organized criminals continues to pose a significant threat to world security.
We need to carefully evaluate the pros and cons of the Small Arms and Light Weapons PoA, along with other proposals, to review their applicability and effectiveness within cyberspace.
The context, as well as the scope, technicality, dynamism and complexity of the ICT, are far from identical and incomparable to the narrow scope of the UN Small Arms & Light Weapons Program of Action. The more we compare, the less we come to grips with the fact that the ICT should be action-oriented with the same prescription.
The experience of the UN Small Arms & Light Weapons Program of Action shows that procedural approaches, such as the PoA, are inherently challenging and, instead, we should move towards legally binding instruments on cyber security. We are of the view that a conflict-free, development-oriented, transparent, fair, moral and peaceful cyberspace requires a legally binding instrument to fill the legal gaps arising from the unique features of ICTs. Such a legally binding framework would lead to a more effective global implementation of commitments and a strong basis for holding actors accountable for their actions.
Thank You!