Unpacking Cyber Capacity-Building Needs: From Research to Action

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations hosted a side event to the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) on the 25th of July 2023.

The importance of capacity-building continues to be widely recognized in the ongoing OEWG (2021–2025), and many Member States have emphasized the need to support the implementation of the Framework for responsible State behaviour, including through dedicated guidance, assistance, and dedicated capacity-building efforts. In response to this demand and to increase the cybersecurity and resilience of Member States, UNIDIR conducted a research study with three main objectives, which are to identify foundational cyber capabilities, strengthen States’ ability to effectively prevent or mitigate the impact of selected malicious ICT activities, and design a tool to better identify requirements and prioritize capacity-building interventions.

In this side event, UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme presented and discussed the results of this two-part research project titled “Unpacking cyber capacity-building needs” (Part I Mapping the foundational cyber capabilities, and Part II A threat-based approach). Moreover, possible concrete applications of the finding of this research were discussed with representatives from interested Member States.