UN-SINGAPORE CYBER PROGRAMME (UNSCP) EXTENDED FOR THREE YEARS TO EQUIP UN MEMBER STATES

2. Launched in 2018 at the 3rd ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC), the UNSCP aims to deliver tailored cyber capacity building programmes for UN Member States. It is designed to equip States to understand and address evolving cyber threats, foster international cooperation and participate meaningfully in intergovernmental discussions, as well as engage in other relevant multilateral initiatives.

3. The UNSCP comprises two key initiatives aimed at equipping States with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen cybersecurity through a comprehensive training curriculum delivered by other stakeholders – including the UN, experts, industry, academia and civil society.

UN-Singapore Cyber Fellowship

4. The first initiative is the flagship UN-Singapore Cyber Fellowship (UNSCF), which runs up to twice a year at the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. This initiative offers high-level national authorities with curriculum encompassing new and emerging cybersecurity threats, modalities of national policy making as well as operational, technical, and cyber diplomacy elements. Since 2022, the UNSCF has benefited 140 participants from 97 UN Member States and is designed to optimise peer learning and network building. To this end, the UNSCF will also be launching a portal that will allow fellows to continue conversations after the Fellowship. The UNSCF Portal will enable fellows from all iterations of the programme to establish connections, discuss cyber issues, and stay updated on the latest developments in cyberspace.

Cyber Diplomacy E-learning Course

5. The second initiative is the Cyber Diplomacy E-learning Course on the UNODA Disarmament Education Dashboard. First developed in 2018 and funded through the UNSCP, the E-learning Course provides users with a comprehensive understanding of the voluntary, non-binding norms of State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs), as endorsed by the UN General Assembly.

6. The renewed partnership will provide a stronger focus on the nexus between cybersecurity and emerging threats, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum, and online scams. On this front, UNODA and CSA will be designing standalone workshops for ASEAN on emerging threats. These workshops will be conducted, where relevant, in collaboration with other UN agencies, States and other industry and non-government stakeholders. In addition, the Cyber Diplomacy E-learning Course on UNODA Disarmament Dashboard will be updated to feature the latest information on the new Global Mechanism, which serves to advance responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs. There will also be a new course on the nexus between emerging technologies and cybersecurity.

7. UNODA and CSA would like to thank international partners for their steadfast support for the UNSCP. UNODA and the CSA look forward to fostering greater international cyber cooperation and participation through the UNSCP as a complement to the UN Global Mechanism on developments in the field of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs.

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About the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

Established in 2015, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) seeks to keep Singapore’s cyberspace safe and secure to underpin our National Security, power a Digital Economy and protect our Digital Way of Life. It maintains oversight of national cybersecurity functions and works with sector leads to protect Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure. CSA also engages various stakeholders to heighten cyber security awareness, build a vibrant cybersecurity ecosystem supported by a robust workforce, pursue international partnerships, and drive regional cybersecurity capacity building programmes. CSA is part of the Prime Minister’s Office and is managed by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information. For more news and information, please visit www.csa.gov.sg.