JOINT STATEMENT OF THE FIRST MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE RUSSIA-AFRICA PARTNERSHIP FORUM ON MEASURES TO CREATE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE SYSTEM OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION SECURITY

We, the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation and African States, recognized by the United Nations (UN), Leadership of the African Union Commission and of the executive bodies of the leading African integration organisations, as well as their representatives, gathered on 10 November 2024 in the Russian Federation, Sirius Federal Territory, to participate in the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum. Confirming the importance of further strengthening cooperation between the Russian Federation and African States on security in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in line with the decisions of the second Russia–Africa Summit (St. Petersburg, July 27-28, 2023) and in accordance with the Declaration of the second Russia-Africa Summit on cooperation in the field of international information security,

We advocate for the formation of a fair and equitable system of security in the use of ICTs aimed at preventing and peacefully resolving conflicts in the digital sphere, as well preventing the use of ICTs to commit actions that hinder the maintenance of international peace, security and stability. We recognize the need to improve the legal framework between States in the field of security in the use of ICTs at bilateral, regional and global levels. We confirm the importance of both observing the generally recognized principles of international law and developing a universal legal binding framework in the field of security in the use of ICTs under the auspices of the United Nations.

We welcome the decision reached in the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on security of and in the use of ICTs 2021-2025 on the establishment, upon completion of the OEWG, of a single-track permanent negotiation mechanism on security in the use of ICTs in the United Nations, reporting to the First Committee of UNGA, as well as the agreement on its key parameters, including decision-making by consensus, and State led process. We recognize the need to endorse the relevant agreement during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

We commend the launch of the UN Global Intergovernmental Points of Contact Directory with a view of enhancing a depoliticized dialogue between authorized agencies and specialists in the field of security in the use of ICTs. We confirm our commitment to promote efforts to improve and harmonize the domestic legislation of States in order to prevent, detect, suppress and investigate crimes committed with the use of ICTs, including terrorist and extremist activities.

We welcome the finalization of the historic “United Nations convention against cybercrime; Strengthening international cooperation for combating certain crimes committed by means of information and communications technology systems and for the sharing of evidence in electronic form of serious crimes” elaborated by the UN Ad Hoc Committee under the Algerian chairmanship.

We look forward to the adoption of the convention by the UN General Assembly during its 79th session and its early entry into force. We call for the timely development of an additional protocol to the universal agreement in order to expand the scope of criminalized acts committed with the use of ICTs, in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 74/247. We affirm our commitment to strengthen international cooperation to combat cybercrime.

We call for increasing cooperation on various thematic platforms in the field of telecommunications and postal services, preventing politicization in violation of the charter documents of international organizations of the UN system and various forms of discrimination against its member States, as well as coordinating efforts to limit the functioning of low-orbit satellite Internet communication systems on the territory of sovereign states without their consent.

We advocate for the internationalization of Internet governance, ensuring the equal participation of countries in this process while ensuring the integrity, stability and security of national segments of the Internet. We proceed from the importance of providing all States with equal access to ICTs, including artificial intelligence (AI), ensuring the safety of their use, as well as the need to develop fair technical standards and requirements in the field of AI.

We acknowledge the importance of regional efforts, set in the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and African Digital Compact to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation by unlocking the potential of the new digital technologies. We call for Africa’s active and effective participation in AI development and undertake to jointly consider promotion of funding and capacity building programmes to facilitate inclusive digital transformation in line with the Continental AI Strategy. We support the hosting of the African Conference on AI in 2025.

We advocate for strict observance of the principles of the UN Charter and the national legislation of states by high-tech monopolies, as well as their responsibility for the safety of users’ personal data and privacy. We are deeply concerned about the disruptive effect of unlawful unilateral coercive measures, which undermine the UN Charter and further restrain technological development of member states. We therefore reaffirm our commitment to promoting respect for States sovereignty and sovereign equality in the ICTs environment and oppose unilateral actions that could undermine international cooperation in this domain.

We emphasize the importance of joint efforts to build the capacity of developing countries, including personnel training and technical assistance, in countering evolving threats to security in the use of ICTs. In the context of the development of practical interaction between the interested public authorities of our States we spoke in favour of organizing a regional meeting on security of and in the use of ICTs on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa Summit, as well as consolidating the permanent nature of such meetings, inter alia, aligned to the ministerial conferences of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.