ASEAN Member States Agree to Move Forward on a Formal Cybersecurity Coordination Mechanism

The fourth ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC) was convened today as part of Singapore International Cyber Week 2019. Chaired by Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Cybersecurity, Mr S Iswaran, AMCC was attended by Ministers and Senior Officials responsible for Cybersecurity; and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) from all 10 ASEAN Member States; and Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Political Security Community, H.E. Hoang Anh Tuan.

The AMCC saw further discussion of key cybersecurity matters raised at the previous meeting, in particular the need for a formal mechanism to coordinate ASEAN cybersecurity efforts. In response to this, Singapore, with input from ASEAN Member States, has drafted the ASEAN Cybersecurity Coordination Mechanism Paper. 

ASEAN Ministers discussed the options that the paper presented for a cybersecurity coordination mechanism and agreed to endorse a recommendation for an ASEAN Cross-Sectoral Coordinating Committee with relevant representatives from sectoral bodies to be set up for cybersecurity. The ministers also noted that the mechanism should not duplicate existing ASEAN sectoral bodies’ work. The proposal paper will now be circulated to the relevant ASEAN Sectoral bodies as well as the ASEAN Telecommunications and IT Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) for further consideration before being submitted to ASEAN Leaders.

The AMCC reaffirmed the region’s commitment to a rules-based international order in cyberspace, and noted ASEAN Member States’ efforts at implementing the 11 voluntary, non-binding norms recommended in the 2015 United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (UNGGE) Report. In particular, the AMCC discussed possible ways to implement the norms and capacities required and they agreed to establish a working-level committee to develop a long term regional action plan to ensure effective and practical implementation of the norms. The working-level committee will have a year to study and propose recommendations in specific areas including CERT cooperation, protection of critical information infrastructure, and mutual assistance in cybersecurity.

The AMCC also affirmed the need for regional capacity-building in cybersecurity, in particular to support capacity-building initiatives at the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence in Singapore and the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre in Thailand. They welcomed the partnership with the UN and ASEAN Dialogue Partners in this effort. 

About the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) provides dedicated and centralised oversight of national cybersecurity functions, and works with sector leads to protect Singapore’s critical services. It also engages with various industries, and stakeholders to heighten cybersecurity awareness as well as to ensure the holistic development of Singapore’s cyber security landscape. The Agency is part of the Prime Minister’s Office and is managed by the Ministry of Communications and Information. For more information, please visit www.csa.gov.sg.