November 17-20, 2020
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia (DFAT), The New Zealand Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), The Asia Foundation, and the APNIC Foundation will convene a 3.5-day virtual dialogue on Pacific regional cybersecurity governance on November 17-20, 2020.
In the past five years, new undersea cable projects and other internet infrastructure improvements have begun connecting Pacific internet users to faster and more accessible digital resources. At the same time, greater connectivity has also brought new cybersecurity challenges for civil society, the private sector, and government. With small populations and limited resources, Pacific Island countries and territories rely on cooperation with regional and international stakeholders to understand and respond to these threats.
Participants in the conference will share current activities and issues in their home economies, identify capacity-building needs, learn from peers and experts from within and outside of the region, and identify ways of bridging gaps between technical and policy communities on cybersecurity topics. The objective of the conference is to build a stronger and more sustainable basis for collaboration on cybersecurity implementation, policymaking, education, and governance within the Pacific.
Over the course of the conference, participants will:
Purple sessions are closed activities managed by The Asia Foundation and Andrew Grotto.
Orange sessions are invite-only dialogues and panel discussions hosted by The Asia Foundation with PNG Department of ICT and NICTA.
Green sessions are open sessions hosted by The Asia Foundation and broadcast publicly online.
Tuesday, Nov. 17
9:00am - 11:00am PGT
Cyber Tabletop Exercise, part 1
Over the course of three days, representatives from Pacific Island countries and territories - including officials from government cyber policy and enforcement agencies, and technical experts from CERTS and other relevant network security experts - will participate alongside globally recognized cyber security advisors in a regionally focused cyber security wargame / tabletop exercise.
Facilitator:Wednesday, Nov. 18
Opportunities & Challenges of Digitalization
9:00am - 11:00am PGT
Keynote: The Impact of Cybersecurity on the Pacific’s Future Prosperity
The quality of the Pacific region’s technology backbone is increasingly likely to influence its economic success. As cybersecurity is threatened, investor confidence and ease of doing business in the region could be diminished, and the ability of governments to deliver vital services to citizens could be disrupted.
Minister for Information and
Communication Technology
Papua New Guinea
Ambassador for Cyber Affairs
and Critical Technology
Australia
1:00pm - 2:30pm PGT
Addressing Asymmetries in Cyber Policy in the Region
Practitioners will discuss how to enhance cybersecurity strategy development in the region and how to enhance cooperation between Pacific states on cybersecurity. Asymmetries in cybersecurity strategies/policies across the Pacific region; current coordination challenges between Pacific Island states; external cooperation channels; opportunities for enhanced engagement through existing forums or possible new ones.
2:30pm - 3:30pm PGT
Cyber Maturity in the Pacific
Governments, organizations, and society at large are subject to increasing threats from cyber criminals and hacktivists which are growing in scale and sophistication. Stakeholders ranging from government policy makers and practitioners, the banking sector, law enforcement, information technology officers and representatives from public-sector entities, critical-infrastructure owners, as well as international partners must work together to enhance and evolve their cyber security architecture in response to these increasing digital threats.
3:45pm - 4:45pm PGT
Cyber Tabletop Exercise, part 2
Thursday, Nov. 19
Lessons from the COVID-19 Crisis
9:00am - 10:45am PGT
The Challenge of Misinformation Online
Misinformation and disinformation online present numerous challenges for governments, the private sector, and individuals. What are the trends and how can the region address these issues more systematically?
Opening remarks:11:00am - 12:00pm PGT
Responding to the COVID-19 Infodemic
Watch on YouTube
Virtual discussion on the challenges faced by Pacific governments and institutions in sharing and verifying important COVID-19 related information online and combating pervasive misinformation. This public session will also serve as a launch event for a new report by The Asia Foundation on false and harmful information about COVID-19 in the region.
Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, how can government information officers, police, health authorities, reporters, and platform companies work together to improve the quality of online information ecosystems during crises, reduce the spread of falsehoods, and increase public confidence/trust?
1:00pm - 2:00pm PGT
Cyber Safety and Vulnerable Groups
Watch on YouTube
Virtual panel discussion on threats to cyber safety for vulnerable groups in the Pacific, including gender-based violence, abuse of children and young people, and harassment.
1:00pm - 2:30pm PGT
Cyber Tabletop Exercise, part 3
Friday, Nov. 20
Towards New Solutions
3:45pm - 4:45pm PGT
Government Organization for Managing Cyber Risk
The Boe Declaration, adopted by Pacific leaders in 2018, makes cybersecurity one of five strategic areas for the region’s governments. But as more government services and information are provided online, what do Pacific governments need to do better or differently to manage and deter cyber risks?
5:00pm - 6:00pm PGT
Group Discussion: Finding a Way Forward
The rollout of digital infrastructure has clear implications for modernizing the economies of Pacific Island nations. But as connectivity expands, cyber capacity needs to grow as well. During this closing discussion session, participants will reflect on some of the points raised by panelists and speakers throughout the conference and chart a path forward.
Facilitator:For more information, please contact The Asia Foundation team.