Highlights from the Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance

The nature of digital diplomacy and governance has changed. What was once a discussion about the internet and the technology behind it has now expanded to tackling almost every facet of everyday life. ‘Digital’ is everywhere.

Throughout these enormous transformations, Diplo has always been years ahead with its cutting-edge research and training. Since its beginnings as a visionary project in digital diplomacy two decades ago, Diplo has been a pioneer in online training, paving the way for online meetings, and establishing a presence in virtual worlds. The organisation’s innovations have outlasted the surrounding hype.

Diplo’s 20th anniversary presented an opportunity to stock-take the past developments in digital diplomacy and governance and propel the work of diplomats and policy specialists into the next decade. The Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance, held on 17–19 November 2022 in the idyllic setting of Malta, was organised by Diplo in cooperation with its founding partners, the Governments of Malta and Switzerland, who expressed their commitment to usher Diplo into the next decade.

The discussions were guided by Diplo’s three-track approach to digital diplomacy: The Summit provided strategic foresight and practical insights on how to navigate the fast-changing digital geopolitics, how to negotiate new digital topics on the diplomatic agenda, and how to use new tools in diplomacy from social media, data, to AI and the metaverse.

The Summit also fulfilled the role of an open consultation the Global Digital Compact, an initiative launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2021, which will outline shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all, and which will be agreed at the UN Summit of the Future in 2024.

Africa held a special place throughout the Summit. Diplo’s landmark study, Stronger digital voices from Africa: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy, served as a backdrop for discussions with high-level delegations from Africa.

Read our Summit reports:

Malta Summit Summary: Walking the talk
Load more

THE SUMMIT IN NUMBERS

0
in situ participants
0
online participants
0
speakers
0
sessions

KEY MESSAGES

1. New digital geopolitics and geo-economics

  • As digital networks have become the critical infrastructure of modern society, they also entered global geopolitics: from the safety of submarine cables to the flow of data across borders, and the power of tech giants. Digital geopolitics have become a priority for countries and diplomatic services worldwide.
  • Digital is emerging as one of the global commons, and the tragedy of the commons is repeating itself with misuse, risks, safety and security issues, privacy, data protection, and cyberweapons, making it difficult to deploy commons for good.

  • Governments should be cautious in using their power in the digital realm, and confident in protecting the interests of their citizens, communities, and companies in the digital realm. In achieving this delicate balance internationally, digital diplomats will play a vital role.
  • International organisations and governments should use conveying power to engage and include all other actors in digital governance.
  • Between cooperation and fragmentation, a middle ground can be found by collaborating where needed and converging where possible, while diffusing unnecessary fragmentation.
  • New geopolitics and geoeconomics are changing the environment in which diplomats operate. New skills and talent for foresight and analysis are required.

Read our Summit reports:

2. New digital geopolitics and geo-economics

  • Diplomacies worldwide have started to apply foreign policy priorities in the digital realm. The main challenge is to find the right interplay between digital sovereignty and interdependence. Countries have to protect their vital data and digital infrastructure while being part of international networks that facilitate e-commerce, tech platforms, and other digital services.
  • Traditional diplomacy has to find new ways to cover digital policy issues through cooperation with new actors from the tech community, businesses, civil society, and academia.

  • Negotiation of digital topics should not start from scratch. Existing international conventions apply online – from human rights to trade and cybersecurity. Agenda 2030 and SDGs also provide policy context for digital policy development. Second, new rules and policies have been negotiated for specificities of digital issues. For example, the WSIS policy framework provides a comprehensive context to deal with digital issues.
  • Yet, new legal and policy instruments are needed to cover emerging issues such as AI and quantum computing.
  • The voices of small and developing countries are weak in digital negotiations globally as Diplo’s report Stronger digital voices from Africa shows. This gap could widen further as the digital diplomacy agenda extends to AI, quantum computing, and other frontier technologies. The summit addressed ways to deal with this issue, from training to institutional capacity building for diplomatic services and actors from developing countries.
  • The cross-cutting impact of digitalisation has increased the problem of policy silos. For example, effective data governance requires holistic policy, from standardisation and economic issues, to human rights and legal perspectives. The need for cross-cutting approaches to digital policy will require changes in the organisation and functioning of diplomatic services and international organisations.
  • Diplo’s two decades of experience show that sustainable capacity building requires a combination of individual training and strengthening of institutions dealing with digital diplomacy topics.

Read our Summit reports:

 

3. New digital tools for effective and efficient diplomacy

  • Digital tools for diplomats evolved through three main phases: (a) websites and databases in the 2000s; (b) social media in 2010s; (c) the current phase of online conferencing, AI, and the metaverse.
  • Digital tools have been used most intensively in consular activities and public diplomacy. Pandemic crisis mainstreamed online conferencing into negotiations and work of international organisations.

  • Diplomats should look beyond government use for best practices on the use of online spaces and tools.

  • Currently, as diplomats return to conference rooms, hybrid meetings are becoming the norm and a part of our daily work. They carry many benefits such as broader inclusiveness, and help reduce carbon footprints.
  • Hybrid meetings pose new challenges on how to combine online and in situ dynamics. Rules of procedures and protocol have to be adjusted. Chairing of meetings is becoming more demanding due to the varying dynamics of in situ and online participation. In principle, hybrid meetings should improve inclusion of small and developing countries; yet, this development is not certain, since new skills and institutional arrangements are required.
  • The use of AI opens new possibilities for diplomatic reporting, drafting diplomatic documents, and improving strategic foresights. Diplo has been developing tools and apps by using a hybrid intelligence approach which combines human expertise with artificial intelligence. These tools include the Speech Generator, AI reporting tools, and a document analyser.

Read our Summit reports:

SUMMING UP THE PRE-EVENT – 17 Nov. 2022

Pre-event Meeting for Tech Envoys and Ambassadors

By Andrijana Gavrilovic

Discussions about digital issues are no longer just discussions about technology. Digital is not just about cables anymore – it is impacting humanitarian issues, digital health, the environment, and all other issues across the board.

Countries need to make sure that digital governance is not a private sector-led initiative, and that government perspectives are brought to the table. The Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance, organised by Diplo, which was founded by two small countries (Malta and Switzerland), is proof that small countries can and should take leadership in the digital world. Cyber and tech ambassadors (and envoys and other key officials with responsibility for digital issues) have a significant role to play.

The work of cyber and tech diplomats has been impacted by:

  1. The constantly growing number of tech developments relevant to diplomatic work. Digital diplomacy and governance requires solid digital knowledge which diplomats can pass on to their governments who can then use this knowledge to inform policy-making. Diplomats should find sources that can help them anticipate digital developments and trends.
  2. The general push for more accountability and transparency, in particular by EU regulations (DSA and DMA), which are expected to fundamentally change the dialogue between countries and companies.
  3. Geopolitics, especially by the Ukraine war, and the growing risk of a fragmented digital world and supply chain vulnerabilities.

The following approaches can help diplomats deal with digital issues:

  • Collaboration. Cyber and tech diplomats should work as facilitators. Rather than imposing a single vision, they can help connect dots, bridge different silos, and cultivate collaboration within their national systems.
  • Humility. Diplomats should be aware of what they can affect in the digital realm. Many technical and economic issues are beyond their influence and grasp.
  • Confidence. Diplomats represent their countries and communities. While remaining humble in their grasp of technological developments, they should feel confident in promoting and protecting digital interests of their citizens, companies, and countries.
  • Prioritising. As the digital realm becomes broader and more complex, digital diplomats should prioritise their country’s interests (for instance, by selecting three to five topics of direct concern). Some issues like data governance cannot be ignored as they have major cross-cutting impact; others, such as access, e-commerce, cybersecurity, and disinformation, can hold varying importance for countries.

In terms of the Global Digital Compact, cyber and tech diplomats need to cultivate a strong commitment to digital cooperation across borders. It is through collaboration that cross-border issues can be solved.

 

Digital geopolitics: Roundtable and discussion

The session dealt with three strands of discussion:

  1. Geopolitics and ideas diplomats want to further on their agenda

  2. The topics diplomats deal with: Access, human rights, safety and disinformation, international peace and security, AI, innovation, and investments
  3. The way diplomats deal with these topics, that is, how digital infrastructure works on the national level

Diplomats are in the business of narratives, and the narrative they need to promote in digital geopolitics is the narrative of digital cooperation. While countries are seemingly torn between cooperation and fragmentation, a middle ground can be found by collaborating where needed, and converging where possible while diffusing unnecessary fragmentation.

Diplomats should translate the priorities of MFA strategies to the digital world, as well as formulate a set of goals where their country can communicate leadership values and contribute to global digital governance. There is still a huge gap between developed countries and developing countries with regards to the topics on their diplomatic agenda – developed countries are discussing topics such as AI, while developing countries are still struggling with bridging gaps. The perception that developing countries are only interested in addressing capacity building and telecommunications infrastructure is wrong. The possible need for data ambassadors and a multilateral data or ICT agency was also mentioned.

The session also focused on the way diplomats deal with these topics, that is, how digital infrastructure works on the national level. There are silos inside governments and ministries themselves that need to be bridged. It was also pointed out that not all countries have appropriate infrastructure to tackle digital topics, but there is work underway. Some countries are trying to identify what needs to be established, while others are ahead.

Tech diplomacy: Roundtable and discussion

Participants discussed what tech and digital diplomacy means for countries, their impact on the international level, as well as their conceptual and practical challenges.

Participants noted that the state is ‘back’ in internet governance. The techno-utopian mood that ruled for a decade has changed dramatically in 2018, with growing uneasiness about some of the darker sides of social media platforms, election interference, impacts of technology and algorithms on society. This led to the rise of tech diplomacy and increased dialogue with the tech companies.

For many countries, tech diplomacy means engaging with big tech about regulations related to digital issues, as well as long-term social trends impacting national interests. Tech companies do not necessarily share the same interests, and their different perspectives need to be considered when involving the tech sector in policy conversations. It was also noted that small and developing countries may not be in a position to negotiate with big tech companies or enter bilateral agreements to address their concerns. This brought forward the question of how to make multilateral regulatory attempts more agile.

It was noted that diplomatic discussions suffer from amnesia. Years were already spent on discussions with tech companies about disinformation, human rights, and the interoperable internet. Just continuing the dialogue where it stopped last time would be a success.

It is the responsibility of states to bring new actors to diplomacy, and create an environment for dialogue. Governments have rallying power; and if the agenda is clear enough, other actors will gather around it. However, governments need to build citizens’ trust. They should also counter the perception that they are just regulators.

In terms of the tech diplomacy contribution to the GDC, it was noted that building on existing conversations and transforming them into a sustained process under the auspices of the UN could be the best way forward.

SUMMING UP DAY 1 – 18 Nov. 2022

High-level opening

By Andrijana Gavrilovic

‘Digital is the future, and we are committed to it. If there is one domain that cuts across any ecosystem that is surely the application of digital technologies’, Dr Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta said in his keynote during the first day of the Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance, on 18 November 2022.

Digital diplomacy is one of the key soft power tools used in the delivery of modern public diplomacy. ICTs have transformed the way in which governments engage with each other and with their respective audiences, completely altering the way how messages are conveyed. Social media has become a key tool to engage with citizens and participate in online conversations about key events and topics of shared priority.

These new digital technologies have also shaped the way governance is delivered, and enabled governments to improve public services for the benefit of their citizens. Technological development remains a driver of socio-economic changes. Automation and AI are key technologies for decision-making, efficiency, and governance. However, society must also be protected from the misuse of these technologies.

Meanwhile, we must ensure that no one is left behind. In light of current geopolitics, it is imperative that emerging technologies are given proper attention as they are changing our lives and will continue to shape the way governments and diplomacy operate.

Diplo has helped many countries worldwide develop their digital diplomacy and representation in digital negotiations, Dr Ian Borg, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta noted. Diplo brings the tradition of diplomacy and modernity of technology together. If you search for digital diplomacy, governance, and related terms, Diplo is the first result that comes up, which shows how globally relevant Diplo has become. Diplo’s success is not only reflected in its 7066 alumni from 203 countries and territories worldwide, but also in the fact that many countries began developing their digital diplomacy capabilities over the last decades as a result of Diplo’s training and research.

Two decades ago, digital diplomacy was a visionary project. Diplo was a pioneer in online trainings, paved the way for online meetings, for establishing a presence in virtual worlds i.e. Second Life, etc. It is difficult to find a space where Diplo hasn’t innovated. Beyond the hype, Diplo’s innovations last. It is the sustainable nature of innovation that makes Diplo stand out.

Dr Abela then introduced the three tracks of digital diplomacy that served as a backdrop throughout the summit:

  1. New digital geopolitics and geoeconomics. New geopolitics and geoeconomics have irreversibly changed the environment in which diplomats act. New skills, talent for foresight, analysis, and negotiations are needed. Diplo covers all these aspects in its training and research activities.
  2. New topics on the diplomatic agenda. Cybersecurity, e-commerce, data and AI, are just a few of the 50+ issues (developed as a digital policy taxonomy by Diplo Executive Director Dr Jovan Kurbalija) forming part of the main conceptual framework in digital diplomacy. Diplomatic topics have moved from traditional topics such as infrastructure issues to trade, health, and humanitarian issues. A new challenge is that policy issues cannot be addressed in policy silos anymore. Digitalisation urges us to connect separate policy areas more than ever before.
  3. New tools for diplomatic practice. These tools are: (a) Websites and databases, (b) Social media and diplomacy, (c) AI and the metaverse. It is critical to develop a culture of using digital tools in effective and secure ways.

Digital is emerging as one of the global commons, and the tragedy of the commons is repeating itself with misuse, risks, safety and security issues, privacy, data protection, cyberweapons, making it difficult to deploy commons for good, noted Mr Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology. Guide rails to deploy commons for good are needed. There are imperatives that need to be observed: the economic imperative, the inclusion imperative, and the imperative of protecting human rights, fundamental freedoms and our choices. If we don’t get the human rights imperative absolutely right, we won’t be able to leverage digital transformation for everyone.

There are existing frameworks on which to build the foundations of our digital future, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the different covenants and treaties on human rights, and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) framework. If we rely on the existing foundation, it will be easier to set a direction for our digital future, which must be open, free, secure, inclusive, and multistakeholder. This will be a challenge for tech diplomats, and a test for their digital toolkits.

The new decade began with the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the adoption of technology, Mr Brad Smith, Vice-Chair and President of Microsoft, said. This year, 2022, changed the role of digital technology in war and peace: The Ukraine war is the first major hybrid war, in which kinetic weapons and cyberattacks are being deployed in tandem. The response to the climate crisis requires more data and AI. The pace of AI and quantum computing will rapidly accelerate by the end of the decade. All these developments will fundamentally change the substantive topics being discussed, and these topics will need to be pursued simultaneously at multiple levels because of the global nature of the technologies. ‘The world of diplomacy is in a new era, this is the era of digital diplomacy’, he concluded.

Explaining the architecture of the summit, Dr Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director, DiploFoundation, and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP), said we also need to be able to answer the digital policy calls for help by citizens, governments, and other actors. Digital inclusion must be genuine; thanks to the support by the governments of Malta and Switzerland, Diplo is assisting small and missing actors to be part of the process. Dr Kurbalija also explained that the summit would be helping the UN Tech Envoy ‘boil the ocean’ by discussing inputs to the Global Digital Compact. The summit would also serve to highlight the state-of-play of African participation in digital governance, aided by Diplo’s landmark report Stronger digital voices from Africa: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy. Kurbalija then invited participants to step out of their intellectual comfort zone, to think creatively, and participate in co-creating solutions for the modern challenges we face.

Regulation vs innovation

While innovators typically shun regulation, the discussions noted that innovation requires regulation as the Silicon Valley experience shows. Regulation should be smart, balanced, and effective.

Data sharing vs data sovereignty

Data sharing is the guiding principle in the digital realm. But data relevant to citizens and national security should be under sovereign auspices. Hence, data sharing and data sovereignty go hand-in-hand.

Multilateral vs multistakeholder governance

Digital governance covers a wide range of issues, from telecom infrastructure to cybersecurity, online privacy, and data governance. Each digital governance space has its own specificities and ways of including various actors. The Tunis Agenda of WSIS (2005) addressed this false dichotomy by calling for participation of various actors in their respective roles and responsibilities.

Digital governance and cooperation: Towards a Global Digital Compact

By Boris Begovic

#1 Connectivity and accessibility: Two sides of the same coin?

This round table’s main topics of discussion – both in person and online – were vulnerable populations or, more precisely, how to ensure accessibility for these groups. Vulnerable groups may already have full access to the internet and digital technologies, but they still face barriers to true accessibility. Access and accessibility are different notions, and carry different challenges.

The Global Digital Compact needs to rally more support for access through capacity development and free and open flows, unencumbered by blockages. It should also push for more accessibility, not only for vulnerable groups but also in terms of multilingualism, a prerequisite for the promotion and development of cultural diversity.

An intriguing suggestion was to rate organisations according to their accessibility levels, which would help organisations ensure their services are accessible to persons with disabilities.

 

#2 Governing data: Are data spaces an answer to fostering trust, and what guidelines should be in place?

Inasmuch as privacy and data protection laws governing data ownership are essential, it is undesirable for all data to be shared equally and without restriction. Although we occasionally act in accordance with the spirit of data sharing, limits to free flows of data are often put in place for specific purposes.

When it comes to data governance, there are still a lot of national frameworks that need to be implemented. The main issue is that even when frameworks are implemented on national or regional levels, they lack coordination. Data islands, or even data continents, can lead to fragmentation. There is an institutional gap; there has to be a body to play a facilitating role in helping regions communicate. Thus, new coordinating spaces are needed for global data governance, such as a new multisectoral coordinating body or forum that brings together all actors in a single space to discuss the issues that impact everyone.

Another crucial concern is how to get businesses to share their data: should there be laws to compel businesses to disclose data, or do incentives suffice? Maybe a way forward regarding data sharing would be cooperating in crucial global concerns such as climate change.

Capacity development for actors from developing and least-developed countries is also significantly needed. Even if data is made available, the issue is: Are developing countries able to interpret and extract value from this data?

One of the main takeaways was that the government data framework should adopt a more proactive approach empowering actors to share data while ensuring data sovereignty where needed.

#3 AI and other emerging technologies: Innovation or regulation?

Regulation and innovation are often pitted against each other, but the discussions concluded that this is a false dichotomy. Innovation requires regulation.

When it comes to AI, regulation beyond the national level is needed, as technologies are global, both online and in situ tables voiced this issue. A holistic approach needs to be taken to avoid the danger of fragmentation across economic lines. At the national and regional levels, there is a lack of coordinated strategies in AI regulation; there are efforts to create one, but it is very challenging to strike a balance since not everyone is on the same level and is aware of all the issues. Regulating from a risk management approach is a good start but it is not sufficient.

A key phrase that came up often in the discussion is ‘sustained engagement’ – the notion that there are conceptual gaps yet also extremely solid connections. Practical regulatory differences exist, but we still need to engage with each other.

Finally, it was also suggested that the UN could play an important role in facilitating capacity development to bring developing countries to the same level as developed countries, with the aim of making developing countries equally capable of entering discussions and shaping policy outcomes.

#4 Children and future generations: How can we protect their rights?

Protecting the rights of future generations requires us to first identify the interests of those who are not born yet, such as human dignity and creative potential. Beyond basic needs, we can only anticipate what future generations will actually need. Hence, any protective mechanisms will have to remain adaptive, flexible, and ready for changes in the face of new challenges. We must pay attention to children’s needs, and to their safe development as digital technologies evolve. The in-person discussion focused particularly on five themes: privilege, risks, accountability, responsibility, and protection.

Although the UN now recognises internet access as an essential right, technology will continue to be a privilege for children lacking basic living conditions. When it comes to risks, children are exposed to them due to the misuse and abuse of digital technology. Children and young people need to have a stronger voice in shaping decision-making processes.

Referring to a broader context of risks, the discussions highlighted:

  • the accountability of national governments and big tech
  • the responsibility of family, community, schools, and teachers
  • protection by education, not only educating children and future generations but also of educators and caregivers

 

#5 Building capacities and skills: How can a culture of capacity development be incorporated into institutions’ work?

The discussion reflected on how to integrate a culture of capacity building into institutional work. Capacity building is not a uniform concept; it requires adaptation on different levels whether it’s the state, the institution, or the individual. There is no single solution nor a pattern that can be used across the board. All different options need to be explored to find the best example that can be implemented in each case.

The discussion then focused on best practices and examples of capacity development, including that of the Mexican Diplomatic Academy within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which require diplomats to engage in lifelong learning, and the example of Slovenia and its process of joining NATO.

The round table concluded that all capacity development programmes should offer incentives to individuals to gain new capabilities and skills with the aim of putting them to good use within their institutions. The institution is not just a formal entity; it is made up of people who work for it and drive its mission forward.

Finally, there is a need to close the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, particularly at university level.

 

#6 Values and principles: What other issues should the Compact address?

The debate focused on the need to place individuals and communities at the centre.

Likewise, there needs to be more clarity about the Global Digital Compact: what it is, and what it aims are still unclear to some.

The compact should lead towards empowering people through ethical standards and solid values. When it comes to diplomacy, the compact should help bring diplomacy closer to people, and truly function in the service of people.

The keywords that resonated the most throughout the discussion were inclusivity and narrowing the digital divide. Openness, accountability, transparency, affordability, diversity and equality, and trust were also emphasised as preconditions for effectively participating in the digital world.

Diplomatic processes: The state of play in negotiations

#1 Cybersecurity: What’s happening at UN GA’s First and Third Committees, OEWG, and POA, and how are developing countries participating in the process?

By Yung-Hsuan Wu

Diplomatic processes around cybersecurity negotiations have leapt to the front page as digital spaces become an increasingly popular battleground for inter- and intrastate conflict. Key venues for such processes include the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) First and Third Committees and the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG).

Speakers agreed that capacity building measures are particularly critical to ensuring cyber peace and preventing accidental outbreaks of cyber conflicts. The 2014/15 session of the OEWG also introduced the influential UN norm of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, further infusing trust and laying the foundation for countries to gradually move to discuss international law and soft law.

Parallel to that is the need to ensure inclusivity and empowerment for developing countries to participate in the discussions. Developing countries often look to the outcomes of diplomatic processes when devising national laws on cybersecurity, but they are not always well-represented in those same processes. Capacity building for cyber diplomats from developing countries to meaningfully represent and influence international conversations is very much needed.

Lastly, the discussions called for better coordination among other stakeholders such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and other processes under UN auspices. Norms, principles, and legal requirements for the cyber domain are complicated by a wide variety of actors working on different sides of the broad topic, from cyber crimes conducted by non-state actors to the practical development of technical standards. Speakers proposed that the upcoming Global Digital Compact could play a central role in coordinating all these conjoining efforts.

#2 E-commerce and trade: How is the landscape of trade agreements changing?

By Boris Begovic

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the e-commerce landscape by accelerating its uptake. It gave rise to an expansion of new firms, customers, and products.

When it comes to trade agreements and negotiations, COVID-19 has given new momentum to existing negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO); likewise, it has accelerated the negotiation of new regional and bilateral trade agreements.

Throughout the session, it was highlighted several times that these trade agreements or regulations have mushroomed in recent years and that trade negotiation is shifting out of the realm of the traditional trade negotiator space. Today the negotiating landscape is rapidly developing, and e-commerce negotiations have increased not only in numbers but also in complexity, as new topics are constantly emerging, such as data flows, net neutrality etc. E-commerce is closely intertwined with other topics as it is part of the broader landscape of digital governance.

Key takeaways:

  • There is stern resistance on behalf of many developing countries at the WTO, arguing that they are not ready to adopt global e-commerce. But as resonated by one of the participants, the developing nations should be at the negotiation tables, as this is the best way to safeguard their economies and implement trade provisions to protect their interests.
  • E-commerce has enormous potential, especially for developing nations, despite the difficulties it brings in terms of accessibility, connectivity, digital literacy, and other areas.
  • Regulation alone is insufficient; enforcement of regulations is crucial.
  • There is an economic concentration towards digitalisation, and COVID-19 has made matters worse, according to reports from many agencies, including the World Bank, UNCTAD, and the World Economic Forum (WEF).
  • Negotiators should learn from other digital trade negotiations and find ways to incorporate the knowledge that has been built since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) into trade discussions; perhaps the UN Summit will be another opportunity to do so.

 

#3 Digital development: How can diplomacy facilitate holistic digital inclusion towards the realisation of Agenda 2030?

By Katarina Bojovic

There is no clear-cut definition of digital inclusion. The speakers pointed to several concepts of digital inclusion, one referring to the inclusion of people in the existing digital spheres, while another tackling inclusion in a broader sense to mean ‘building the kinds of digital societies and technologies that we want to see’. Achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) is contingent on the latter.

The speakers and the audience agreed that the challenges to including people in digital spaces are often of broader societal, economic, and political origins rather than solely technological issues.

The speakers noted that progress on SDGs is assessed predominantly by statistical offices, which in many countries lack the necessary resources, skills or means to monitor progress. Another approach would be a bottom-up process, that is, asking citizens how they experience the implementation of specific SDGs through digital means. Negotiations and interaction between citizens and government are essential for a more democratic evaluation of SDGs.

One of the most significant impediments to digital inclusion is the so-called ‘one size fits all’ approach, that is, it is still assumed that a digital solution successfully implemented in one context would necessarily translate into another. Speakers therefore stressed the need for a general understanding that digital systems should be built or incorporated into societies based on where they are, rather than merely exported from regions where they are successfully implemented.

Another issue was the pervasive techno-solutionism, that is, applying technological solutions to areas for which it may not necessarily be adequate. What can diplomacy do to help?

The speakers noted that diplomacy could go beyond tech-solutionism and bring in the understanding and representation of different communities that need to be represented in SDG discussions. Ensuring participation is paramount for achieving sustainable development.

Emerging technologies: New issues on diplomatic agendas

#1 Metaverse: Old wine in new bottles?

By Boris Begovic

The metaverse will present similar opportunities and concerns as today’s internet and building the metaverse will be expensive, participants noted. Therefore, the issue of the digital divide between developed and developing nations will persist – and potentially worsen – given that the metaverse depends on resilient infrastructure, high computational power, and costly wearable technology. If the metaverse is to develop into a 3D version of the internet, it must be interoperable – an interconnected network of many platforms, a task that will not be easy.

The metaverse, participants felt, would exacerbate the security challenges currently present on the internet. The issue of trust in the metaverse was mostly discussed in relation to data protection and surveillance.

Participants voiced scepticism about utilising the metaverse for diplomacy, since diplomacy is about trust. Yet, if the metaverse eventually attracts a large audience, diplomats will (need to) join as well.

It was also stressed that innovation must be meaningful – just because we can build the metaverse, it doesn’t mean we should. There are many health and psychological concerns about the use of the metaverse that we cannot answer at the moment. However, roundtable participants noted that adopting the metaverse might very well be a generational tendency where future generations would be much more open to plugging in than we are.

Key proposals included the need to establish rules for the responsible use of the metaverse. Now, before the metaverse is fully developed, is the perfect time to discuss guide rails.

#2 Cryptocurrencies and fintech: What can governments do to prepare for the digitalisation of the global economy? Are we crypto-ready?

By Arvin Kamberi

At this round table, participants looked at the institutional and overall societal readiness to accept new digital financial tools, and new ways of financial transactions. With participants from the financial sector, governments, and academia, the roundtable noted that cryptocurrency developments are driven by a lot of uncertainty. Regulation always tends to take over the discourse when in fact there are other important aspects for users, such as trust which is a value intrinsic to the cryptocurrency industry.

Still there is a need for more understanding of how cryptocurrencies function as a monetary investment. Based on that knowledge, the right way forward may be the case of the Swiss policy sandbox which allows for companies and regulators to test some policy frameworks prior to adoption. During the session, the crypto-industry was depicted as a ‘solution in search of a problem’ such as micro payments and financial inclusion, while also adding that environmental issues play an important role for the development of a new financial system based on cryptocurrencies.

#3 Getting ready for quantum computing: Innovation or regulation?

By Sorina Teleanu

Making a distinction between hype and reality when it comes to quantum computing (QC) is not an easy task. What we hear is that QC is expected to help us find faster solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems such as climate change, poverty, etc. What we know – from researchers and experts in the field – is that we’re not quite sure what problems QC will solve, beyond being able to facilitate the discovery of new medicines and new materials. Also, it is not clear when QC will become commercially available.

But there is one thing we do know: QC will break cryptography as we know it today. And this is why work is already underway on developing algorithms and standards for quantum-safe cryptography.

The promises of QC make it already a subject of competition between companies and countries. In the ongoing race for quantum supremacy some are better positioned than others. The question is: How do we ensure that the research and development around QC evolves in such a way that developing countries are not left behind?

Beyond the discussions around standards, it is probably too early to talk about regulating QC. But when such a discussion starts, regulatory concerns should be balanced with the need not to unduly stifle innovation.

#4 Enabling safety, security and accountability: What are the trade-offs?

By Vladimir Radunovic

While technology carries vulnerabilities, most threats are enabled or generated by humans. Those threats are, therefore, a reflection of offline societal problems.

There is an increasing trend in setting rules and norms – from the UN level, to national regulations and policies, to standards. Enforcing those rules (whether voluntary or binding), however, remains the great challenge.

Standards are important tools. Yet, in spite of existing international standards in the field, they are insufficient and often not implemented properly – they barely satisfy formalities for compliance. There is a need to reapproach standards to reduce the costs of technology and incentivise greater support for efficient implementation.

#5 Ethics and values: How are emerging technologies redefining the core social and ethical pillars of humanity?

By Katarina Bojovic

The discussion opened many questions: Are we losing our ethical principles and values? Is technology tearing us apart, making us less human?

Some felt that humanity is undergoing positive changes through new technologies, while others noted that things might be getting worse and that humanity is losing itself. The participants were in agreement that new technologies are definitely changing our everyday lives. The question remains whether, and to what extent, they change our basic ethical thinking. While some maintained that this stays more or less stable, others claimed that ethics has and continues to be impacted by new technologies.

Participants also addressed the challenge of new technologies creating economic winners and losers as well as political ones. There is a need to constantly readapt the rules based on ethical principles and values to ensure that the gap between winners and losers doesn’t widen too much. The aim is to attain a balance which is ethically acceptable for our societies.

#6 Science and tech diplomacy: How are emerging technologies impacting the practice of diplomacy?

By Katharina Hoene

Emerging technologies have a profound impact on how diplomacy is practised. And practitioners need to see this not only as a new reality to be faced, but as something that needs their practical and sustained engagement. Science and technology have always had an impact on diplomacy. Collaboration in these areas is not a new or even a 20th century phenomenon.

While science and tech diplomacy are not new, there is increased interest in these practices and their ‘fashionableness’ points to deeper trends. These trends are:

  1. The speed of development and the speed at which diplomacy needs to adapt has never been faster. Some of the challenges such as climate change, advances in AI, and partnerships toward achieving the SDGs are formidable and of great urgency.
  2. We see a shift in power from states to other actors, in particular large technology companies.
  3. Diplomacy, understood as the management of international relations, needs to be informed more by science.
  4. Emerging technologies carry a real danger of increasing the already existing digital divide, unless serious efforts at mitigation are undertaken.

Diplomats need additional training and capacity building in science and tech diplomacy. Initially, they might face a steep learning curve. More than ever, science and tech diplomacy also call for overcoming disciplinary boundaries and siloed approaches. Anticipation of new developments can be a valuable tool for diplomats. Similarly, discussions on values, for example, transhumanism versus a new digital humanism, also seem to be part of the kinds of engagement that is needed.

SUMMING UP DAY 2 – 19 Nov. 2022

High-level Panel: How can we prepare diplomats for 2032 and beyond?

By Jovan Kurbalija

The session focused on the talents, skills, and knowledge that diplomats need to deal with the world of 2032. The uncertainty ahead of us can be addressed by two certainties:

  1. Diplomacy was, is, and will remain a representation of interests through negotiations and other peaceful means. Today, diplomats represent the interests of countries. Tomorrow, they could represent other actors, given that society and its needs evolve.
  2. It is certain that technological growth will create, and require us to use and understand, an increasing number of digital tools and platforms.

With these two certainties in mind, the following points discussed during the panel are necessary steps for diplomats to take towards 2032 and beyond:

  • Following and understanding fast-paced societal and economic changes on national and foreign levels

  • Understanding the digital geopolitics and geo-economics landscape, and the new distribution of power and interests
  • Gaining skills to engage with other actors beyond states, that are, tech companies, academia, civil society, media, etc
  • Reducing ‘lost in translation’ between technological and diplomatic ways of thinking by taking an interdisciplinary approach with less silos
  • Having a basic understanding of related technologies to deal with the diplomatic aspects of cybersecurity and e-commerce and other emerging digital topics on the diplomatic agenda
  • Using technology and social media in bilateral diplomacy for strengthening dialogue and communication
  • Nurturing critical thinking and emotional intelligence as one of the comparative advantages of humans – aspects which are unlikely to be automated by AI any time soon
  • Passing recurring tasks, such as consular assistance and reporting, to AI automation and digital technology
  • Understanding how AI functions in order to get the most of AI in analysis and policy foresights
  • For small and developing countries in particular: gaining the specific digital skills needed to overcome financial and institutional limitations to actively represent their interests in global negotiations

How-to: Digital geopolitics

By Anamarija Pavlovic

#1 How can we identify strategic trends in technological developments while avoiding pitfalls and hype?

More often than not, new technologies start a trend and become a hype. The discussions revolved around the questions: Do policymakers and end users understand new technologies? How can we assist policymakers in gaining a deeper understanding of technology? Do we start considering policies only when tech developments become over-hyped?

Often, technologies and the surrounding hype are misused for quick gain. Hype is used to make profit. Countries are also often under pressure to be early adopters of technology and to get ahead very fast. And yet, no one wants to admit that the technology is barely understood; that those spinning hype have little idea of how the technology itself works.

#2 How can we deal with risks in the fast-changing world?

As more people connect to the same digital systems, the world is becoming increasingly concentrated, less diversified, and less resilient. Digital risks are exacerbated. Historic anecdotes are not as reliable in trying to predict the future. New technologies, such as AI, are developing very fast, and are quickly becoming an integral part of daily life. Oftentimes, regulations are trailing behind and coming in too late; since it is quite difficult to keep up with the fast dynamics of emerging technologies.

What used to be a distributed risk has increasingly become centralised. Cyberattacks can bring down entire educational, municipal or health systems. We are also finding ourselves with less time to react to potential threats.

Considering all the risks one should also ask: Do we actually need all this innovation in technology? Just because we can develop new technologies, it doesn’t mean we should.

 

#3 How can small and developing countries navigate the emerging digital ‘bipolar world’?

Small and developing countries face more challenges navigating the digital world. However, smaller countries are also numerous and still have power to influence decisions.

Collaborating with digital partners across political divides is essential for strengthening the voice and participation of smaller and developing countries. Efforts within international organisations should be encouraged if small states are to have a better chance of participating effectively in the emerging ‘bipolar world’.

Countries with limited resources should promote their most knowledgeable and creative people to participate in policy processes. Every small and developing country needs to understand and define their country’s national interests. Developed countries can assist smaller states by involving them in the development of emerging digital technologies. To achieve this, technical assistance and funding needs to be directed towards developing states.

How-to: Digital topics

By Yung-Hsuan Wu

#1 How are countries and the private sector collaborating to tackle the spread of disinformation, hate speech, and other types of unwanted content?

The spread of fake information is not a new problem. The prevalence of online platforms has simply exacerbated an existing problem, and has led to an unprecedented spread of fake, harmful, and unwanted content.

There are three major types of disinformation: cases where accurate information is published before an official statement, cases where wrong information is spread as a propaganda tactic, and publishing incomplete or unverified information.

There is a major urgency for all users to learn how to distinguish between what is true and false in the digital world. Standards of credibility on digital platforms and tools are also an important tool both for digital media literacy which is crucial in stifling the spread of misinformation. More public and private initiatives are needed in this area.

#2 How can diplomatic negotiations contribute to speeding up Agenda 2030?

Diplomatic negotiations on how to achieve the Agenda 2030 have been ongoing for the last decade. One of the key drivers for achieving the Agenda 2030 goals is connectivity. Speakers drew from the EU experience to explain how connectivity and technology can be used to improve the economy. For instance, by incorporating digital tools into the transportation system across European countries, the EU has improved the physical transportation of traded goods and services and enabled better development for countries in need.

A monolithic, one-size-fits-all solution would undermine the wide variety of interests and priorities of different regions of the world. A long transitional period is needed so that negotiation outcomes can be adapted to domestic contexts. Negotiators have to serve as a bridge between agenda setting at the global level and policy implementation at the national level.

Finally, negotiators should also focus on increasing knowledge and know-how exchanges to help small and developing countries speed up their progress in relation to the 2030 Agenda. Technological knowledge could be considered a global common good.

#3 How should we negotiate digital commons and public goods?

The concept of common goods has existed throughout history and is enshrined in the Roman law of the commons (res communis) and the law of the sea. Analogies to these existing legal concepts can help us develop further the emerging concept of digital commons as public goods.

Speakers proposed an operating system that would constantly update itself and adapt to the rising challenges of digital commons. The Global Digital Compact should incorporate this system, moving beyond being another non-binding document and truly serving as a concrete guide for 2032.

The concept of digital commons impacts everyone’s day-to-day life. Negotiations on digital commons should take varying domestic interests (both in the private and public sectors) into account, power hierarchies among negotiating actors, and inclusivity for all. A global negotiation platform for everyone was suggested: one which is not only accessible by companies or governments, but individual citizens who can act as catalysts of change.

How-to: Digital tools

By Bojana Kovac and Teodora Markovic

#1 How can we ensure effective use of social media, and other emerging online spaces such as the metaverse, in diplomacy?

Thanks to social media and other emerging online public spaces, diplomats have been able to interact with larger audiences. The use of social media in diplomacy scales up the communication between target audiences, enhances communication with foreign publics, and enables under-resourced small states to be heard better. To further enhance digital diplomacy, social media needs to ensure that every diplomat is able to participate.

At the same time, the fragility of certain platforms (such as Twitter) raises questions on the long-term effectiveness of social media.

Diplomats need to look beyond the government sphere for best practices on the use of online spaces. They also need to be able to communicate in different ways to remain effective.

#2 How can we organise, manage, and chair hybrid meetings more effectively?

Hybrid meetings are here to stay. They are becoming the norm, and an integral part of our daily work. They have many benefits, such as providing people with broader (virtual) access to meetings which would be otherwise inaccessible. There is also a significant reduction in carbon footprint, and opens the possibility of more multilingual meetings to be held.

Hybrid meetings face several challenges. They range from the basic requirement of a stable internet connection, to the need for upskilling the working force of translators and interpreters. When it comes to diplomatic protocol and procedures, the challenge is in establishing the identity and credentials of the participants. Confidentiality and voting tools are also crucial.

The UN and several other multilateral organisations have raised the standard of what has now become established practices in hybrid meetings. Hybrid meetings are now hosting more complex meetings, including parallel chats and extensional spaces. Multilateral is giving way to multilayered.

#3 How can data and AI be used to enhance diplomatic practice, including strategic planning and diplomatic foresight?

AI data is often referred to as ‘the new oil/gold’ which carries problems, as data needs to flow among and within organisations. In practice, there is a vast amount of information generated daily which is still largely underused, or stored in unstructured databases.

Systematising large quantities of data manually is nearly impossible, whereas solely relying on automation to make sense of heterogeneous data is equally challenging. Therefore, finding the right balance between AI and human expertise and input is key to solving these problems. While there might not be a good chance that AI will produce a good report or a speech, it can be a good assistant.

WATCH THE VIDEO SUMMARY