SKOPJE, 24 October 2023 – Strengthening cyber-resilience and raising cybersecurity awareness were the focus of the cyber/ICT security conference hosted by the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia in Skopje from 23 to 24 October.

Delegates from governmental institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society, and international organizations discussed the impact of cyber operations in modern conflicts, and exchanged best practices in addressing cybersecurity challenges in line with the Chairpersonship’s priorities. The event also stressed that the engagement of young people is critical for cybersecurity efficiency and advocated initiatives to enable their contributions.

“Cybersecurity is an integral part of OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security. And it is for exactly these reasons, that our Chairpersonship placed cyber/ICT security very high on the agenda, pursuing it diligently and devotedly,” said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani. “Having cyber security as one of our priorities, during 2023 we have engaged in shaping the discussions outside the boundaries of the ideological debate between opposing sides, but rather towards a multi-stakeholder approach, including not only the OSCE participating States and partners, but also the private sector, academia and civil society.“

“Strengthening the OSCE as a forum for European security is our priority, and cyber security is a key part of these efforts. It is very important to implement international rules, norms and principles as well as responsible state behavior in cyberspace,” Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister Elina Maria Valtonen said.

“Cyberspace is global and interconnected, involving numerous stakeholders in the OSCE area and beyond. Collaboration is therefore essential to avoid misperceptions that could have serious large-scale security consequences. The OSCE contributes to building trust and confidence between states by providing platforms to ensure that, when it comes to exchanges on international cyber policy, stakeholders have the necessary tools to share information and good practices, as well as to learn from each other,” OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said.

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the OSCE cyberspace confidence-building measures adoption. These measures aim to reduce the risk of conflicts stemming from the use of information and communication technologies. They are designed to make cyberspace more predictable, offering tools and mechanisms to avoid misunderstandings.