The National Cyber Security Authority of Albania (NCSA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, in partnership with ORF America and the Center for the Study of Democracy and Governance, hosted an in-person regional cyber policy dialogue on November 20-21, 2024, in Tirana, Albania. This multistakeholder meeting brought together over 60 participants from the six Western Balkans economies as well as experts and donors active in the region. 

The central goal of the meeting was to continue to foster genuine and open dialogue among stakeholders from different sectors and backgrounds, including from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector on key cyber challenges in the region. The roundtable explored ways to improve regional cooperation on cyber defense, cyber diplomacy, critical infrastructure protection and capacity building, combating cybercrime, ensuring election integrity in the face of disinformation, and coordination among donor countries.

Welcome remarks were provided by Megi Fino, Deputy Minister at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Reinout Vos, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Albania, Igli Tafa, Director General of the National Cyber Security Authority of Albania, and Maartje Peters, Head of the Digital and Hybrid Threats Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

NCSA Director General Igli Tafa said, “Cyber threats to one party in the Western Balkans are threats to all of us in the region. Tangible regional collaboration is essential to the collective safety and security of our communities in cyberspace.”

Maartje Peters, Head of Digital and Hybrid Threats for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “Given the range of actors necessary to find solutions and achieve results in cyber, this multistakeholder dialogue promotes whole-of-society cooperation to combat cyber threats in the Western Balkans.”

The dialogue builds on results achieved at previous editions including in-person meetings in Skopje, North Macedonia in June 2022 and September 2023 and a virtual meeting in April 2021. A follow-on discussion is planned for 2025 to review progress.

This event was part of a larger Global Cyber Policy Dialogue Series organized by ORF America and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, which seeks to convene regional dialogues to address key cyber challenges, strengthen multistakeholder networks, and increase coordination of regional capacity building initiatives.

As leading countries and technology companies make investments and undertake measures to protect supply chains and intellectual property, expand research and development, and rightshore advanced manufacturing, coordinating efforts and measures through diplomatic exchange, information sharing, and government to industry coordination loom large for preserving U.S. technological leadership and national security.    

On May 8-9, 2024, ORF America hosted our second workshop on Technology Alliances and International Cooperation in Washington, DC. The two-day workshop brought together 35 policy and technology experts.

Led by ORF America’s Dr. Andreas Kuehn and Jeffrey Bean, the workshop convened leading experts from industry, think tanks, academia, and government to discuss how the United States and like-minded, democratic countries can effectively cooperate on critical and emerging technologies to manage technology competition with adversaries, while balancing national security and economic interests. The Honorable Nazak Nikakhtar, former Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis at the International Trade Administration who also fulfilled the duties of the Under Secretary for Industry and Security at Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, provided keynote remarks. 

The workshop covered the current state of technology partnerships in the context of geopolitical and geoeconomic competition, and efforts to cooperate on promotion and protection measures, with specific emphasis on the semiconductor and the 5G/6G/ORAN technological ecosystems. Participants also discussed how bilateral and minilateral arrangements may develop in the near future.

Event Summary

The inaugural Raisina Roundtable @ Tokyo took place on March 6 and 7, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. The conference was jointly hosted by ORF America, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and Keizai Doyukai.

The Raisina Roundtable @ Tokyo brought together government representatives and business leaders from Japan, India, and like-minded regional partners. Underscoring the strategic importance of the Quad in the Indo-Pacific region, it served as a pivotal platform to build consensus on critical issues, forge new partnerships, and enhance economic ties.

The opening dinner on March 6th featured a keynote address from former Prime Minister and current Chairman of the Japan-India Association, Yoshihide Suga, as well as addresses from Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yoko Kamikawa and Japan’s Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, Ken Saito.

Ambassadors and representatives from the Quad countries - Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Ambassador to Japan; Sibi George, Ambassador of India to Japan; Justin Hayhurst, Australia’s Ambassador to Japan; and Raymond Greene, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy Tokyo - also delivered remarks. You can watch the Quad addresses here.

The second day of the conference opened with a video message from Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, followed by a session on the India-Japan Strategic Partnership featuring India’s Minister for External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar. Other sessions covered: (1) Geopolitics & Geoeconomics: Implications for the New World Order; (2) The New Development Architecture; (3) The Prospects for Circular Economy; (4) Facilitating the Green Transition; and (5) AI, Emerging Tech, Security and Digital Infrastructure, and Connectivity Development. Former Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, also delivered a video message. The conference concluded with the launch of Google’s Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Japan, which was inaugurated by Japan’s Minister for Digital Transformation, Taro Kono.

Click here for the official press release.

On November 8, ORF America hosted the fourth Chips for Breakfast, a private roundtable to facilitate frank conversations among a select group of U.S. and foreign government officials, industry representatives, and policy experts about the current state of U.S. semiconductor policy, technology leadership, and collaboration with like-minded partners to strengthen international commerce and security.

With numerous countries seeking to attract semiconductor investments at home through various “Chips Acts,” a preeminent challenge arises: the operation of new semiconductor manufacturing facilities will require a stable supply of skilled human resources, technical experts, and STEM talent. The United States alone will need 115,000 new personnel to drive chip design and operate new front-end and back-end facilities as new capacity comes online, 67,000 of these jobs are estimated to go unfulfilled given current constraints. 

Challenges on talent and workforce development include how to stimulate interest in STEM broadly, but also the semiconductor industry specifically, and how to mesh local and regional undertakings with national and international initiatives. In the United States, key institutions including universities, engineering schools, and community colleges, chip companies, state and federal government, as well as the National Science Foundation, have stepped up their efforts in addressing the projected workforce shortfalls. Despite U.S. executive branch efforts to leverage existing immigration pathways, congressional action on immigration policy is required to fill much needed talent in the short term. Crucial in these efforts are aligning local, regional, national, and global contributions, ranging from training to certification to attracting underrepresented talent and communities to meet the demand in the U.S. and globally.

On September 20-21, 2023, the Observer Research Foundation America in partnership with the Ministry of Defence of North Macedonia – Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Metamorphosis Foundation hosted an in-person Global Cyber Policy Dialogue in Skopje, North Macedonia. This two-day multistakeholder meeting brought together over 60 participants from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector from across the Western Balkans. A principal goal of the meeting was to foster genuine and open dialogue among stakeholders from different sectors and backgrounds.

The full agenda for the event is available here.

A full summary of the meeting can be found here.

On the opening day, attendees engaged in a table top exercise and a robust donor coordination session on cyber capacity building in the Western Balkans. On the second day, substantive discussions focused on defending and responding to cyber attacks, United Nations Norms implementation and cyber diplomacy, strategies for countering disinformation, lessons learned for enhancing intragovernmental coordination, and continuing to strengthen the region’s contributions to UN and international cyber discussions, including the UN Open-ended Working Group on the use of ICTs in the context of international security and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime.

Welcome remarks were provided by Slavica Grkovska, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Good Governance Policies of North Macedonia; Vladimir Anchev, State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence of North Macedonia; Maartje Peters, Head of the Taskforce International Cyber Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands; Mitko Bogdanoski, Dean at the Military Academy "General Mihajlo Apostolski" Skopje; and Azir Aliu, Minister of Information Society and Administration of North Macedonia.

The meeting built on results from a prior, in-person roundtable in Skopje in June 2022, and an earlier online session in April 2021. This event was part of a larger Global Cyber Policy Dialogue Series organized by ORF America and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands which seeks to convene regional dialogues to address key cyber challenges, strengthen multistakeholder networks, and increase coordination of regional capacity building initiatives. These meetings are intended to complement ongoing international-level cyber norms processes, such as the United Nations Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cyber Crime. 

On September 14, ORF America hosted the third Chips for Breakfast, a private roundtable to facilitate frank conversations among a select group of U.S. and foreign government officials, industry representatives, and policy experts about the current state of U.S. semiconductor policy, technology leadership, and collaboration with like-minded partners to strengthen international commerce and security.

Against the backdrop of the one year anniversary of passing the Chips & Science Act, this meeting focused on global semiconductor supply networks and the role the United States can play to lessen supply chain vulnerabilities and shed exploitable dependencies. It sought to address pressing questions along two lines of inquiry. First, determining the role of current and future U.S. leadership along the chips supply chain in light of right shoring and de-risking efforts. Second, examining the United States’ ability to mitigate against existing vulnerabilities harmful to its interests and those of its partners and allies.

Choke points and vulnerabilities identified by ORF America through independent research include, among others, firms’ access to advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and the limitations to manufacture advanced process nodes without it, specific processed inputs for chip manufacturing such as materials and gases, but also the availability of talent and reliable water and electricity infrastructure. The damaging effects of even short-term supply chain disruptions stand out as well. The impact of disrupted supply, due to natural disasters or a geopolitical contingency in the Taiwan Strait or Korean peninsula, can significantly affect the global semiconductor industry and the global economy. Investments in supply chain resilience are thus crucial due to multiple vectors of uncertainty, including (but not exclusively) geopolitical factors.

On July 3-4, 2023, the Observer Research Foundation America and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), in partnership with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands hosted an in-person Global Cyber Policy Dialogue in Singapore. This multistakeholder meeting brought together participants from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector from across the region. A principal goal of the meeting was to foster genuine and open dialogue among stakeholders from different sectors and backgrounds. As such, the event convened 60 participants from countries in the Southeast Asian region that are active in international discussions on cybersecurity and cybercrime taking place at the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and elsewhere.

The full agenda for the event is available here.

A full summary of the meeting can be found here.

The meeting began with a reception hosted at the Dutch Ambassador’s residence in Singapore. The next day participants joined the event for four working sessions in a roundtable format under the Chatham House rules, with no attribution of remarks, to enhance participation and different points of view. Discussions focused on the emerging threat landscape in cyberspace, promoting cooperation through cyber confidence building measures, developing public private partnerships, and continuing to strengthen the region’s contributions to UN and international cyber discussions, including the UN Open-ended Working Group on Security of and in the use of ICTs and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime.

This event was part of a larger Global Cyber Policy Dialogue Series organized by ORF America and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands which seeks to convene regional dialogues to address key cyber challenges, strengthen multistakeholder networks, and increase coordination of regional capacity building initiatives. These meetings are intended to complement ongoing international-level cyber norms processes, such as the United Nations Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cyber Crime.

On June 13, ORF America hosted the second Chips for Breakfast, a private roundtable to facilitate frank conversations among a select group of current and former U.S. government and foreign government officials, industry representatives, and academic experts about the current state of U.S. semiconductor policy,  U.S. technology leadership, and collaboration with like-minded partners to strengthen international commerce and security.

This second roundtable focused on key insights and takeaways from a recent closed-door Workshop on Technology Alliances and Emerging Technologies that  ORF America hosted in Washington, DC in early June. In addition, participants discussed the genesis of the CHIPS Act in Congress, and deliberated its current status as well as political and funding challenges ahead of its further implementation. Participants pointed out the crucial role of workforce development in light of domestic investments by U.S. and foreign semiconductor companies.  

On June 6-7, 2023, ORF America, hosted a closed-door, in-person workshop on Technology Alliances and Emerging Technologies in Washington, DC.

The two-day workshop brought together over 30 policy and technology experts from the United States and abroad to better understand the dynamics of technology alliances and critical and emerging technologies against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions.

Led by ORF America Senior Fellow Dr. Andreas Kuehn, the workshop convened leading experts from industry, think tanks, academia, and government from Denmark, France, Germany, India, and the United States to discuss how the United States and like-minded, democratic countries can effectively cooperate on critical and emerging technologies to manage technology competition with adversaries, while balancing national security and economic interests. Ms. Helena Fu, with the National Security Council, and Mr. Sree Ramaswamy, with the U.S. Department of Commerce, made keynote remarks.

Key issues that the workshop covered included geopolitical and geoeconomic competition, the semiconductor and 5G technological ecosystems, the roles and trajectories of multilateral and minilateral arrangements to manage technology, as well as unilateral and joint measures to protect and promote technology supply chains, innovation, investments, and collaboration.

Particular attention was given to identifying policy issues of concern and challenges that the U.S. government and its partners face both domestically and internationally. This included, among others, the need to foster engagement of industry in the Quad, the TTC, iCET,  and other technology alliances to drive joint activities and collaboration at scale, as well as to mitigate potential negative effects of government interventions, such as high tech export controls on industry competitiveness. While the discussion illustrated complicated relations and multifaceted economic and security interests between the United States and its partners, most experts agreed that concerted efforts among like-minded states are needed to navigate the geopolitical competition and secure science and technology leadership in the long run.

A summary of the workshop’s key findings will be made available at a later date.

On December 16, ORF America hosted a Chips for Breakfast meeting, a private roundtable to facilitate frank conversations among a select group of senior industry representatives, current and former U.S. and foreign government officials, as well as academic experts about the current state of U.S. semiconductor policy and its implications for the global semiconductor value chain, U.S. technology leadership, and international security.

This first roundtable focused on the new, far-reaching October 7 export controls and industry and U.S. partners’ responses to these measures as well as the need to balance U.S. national security and economic objectives vis-a-vis foreign partners and allies’ interests. It also addressed the need to multilateralize semiconductor export controls to ensure their long-term effectiveness. Future roundtables will address a broad range of pressing policy questions concerning the global semiconductor ecosystem and U.S. technology leadership.

On December 13-14, 2022, the Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and the Centre for Information Technology Law Studies (CEDI), held a meeting in Santiago, Chile as part of its Global Cyber Policy Dialogues series. The event, which built on discussions from a January 2022 virtual dialogue, focused on improving the security and stability of cyberspace and digital transformation in the region, with a focus toward the United Nations processes. The meeting considered the UN normative framework for cyber stability, international cooperation to combat cybercrime, the intersections between those two areas and UN processes, and how digital transformation in Latin America can be enabled by an open, free, stable and secure cyberspace. The dialogue brought together 45 delegates from across the region, representing government, civil society, academia, multilateral institutions and the private sector.

The two-day meeting began with a reception hosted at the Dutch Ambassador’s residence, followed by four working sessions conducted in roundtable format so as to maximize participation and diversity of viewpoints. The roundtable was opened by Felipe Cousiño, Head of the International and Human Security Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile; Maartje Peters, Head of the Taskforce International Cyber Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Daniel Álvarez Valenzuela, National Cybersecurity Coordinator at the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security of Chile; and Director at the Centre for Information Technology Law Studies (CEDI).

The full agenda for the event is available here.

Several themes emerged in the discussion, including the prospects for further international agreement and cooperation on the UN normative framework, the need to better connect digital transformation with cybersecurity, the challenges countries in the region face to counter cybercrime and the goals of the international process to negotiate a cybercrime treaty.

This event was part of a larger Global Cyber Policy Dialogue Series organized by ORF America and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands which seeks to convene regional dialogues to address key cyber challenges, strengthen multistakeholder networks, and increase coordination of regional capacity building initiatives. These meetings are intended to complement ongoing international-level cyber norms processes, such as the United Nations Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cyber Crime. 

A full summary of the meeting is available here.

Observer Research Foundation America, in cooperation with Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), hosted a closed-door, in-person expert workshop on ‘Cyber Postures and Dynamics: China, Russia, United States and Europe’ in Washington, DC.

The workshop brought together over 30 technical, legal, diplomatic, academic and military experts from China, Russia, the United States and Europe to better understand their respective cyber postures and dynamics. It built upon, among others, previous ORF America program activities, including U.S. cyber strategy and international engagement and global cyber norms and capacity building. The workshop’s keynote address was given by Dr. Regine Grienberger, Cyber Ambassador at the German Federal Foreign Office.

Led by Dr. Andreas Kuehn of ORF America and Dr. Lora Saalman and Ms. Fei Su of SIPRI, the two-day workshop consisted of six panel discussions that offered participants a greater understanding of current and emerging trends and challenges in cyberspace; evolving cyber postures within China, Russia, the United States and the European Union; and trilateral Chinese–US–Russian interactions and their implications for the EU.

Particular attention was given to identifying new trends, interests and concerns that drive cyber posture formulation; evaluating differences in perceptions and practice of information security/warfare and cyber security/warfare; and suggesting recommendations on current and future approaches to enhance cyber resilience, deterrence and defence.

Findings from this workshop—which is part of a larger SIPRI project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office—will contribute to forthcoming publications, help build knowledge networks on cyber postures and dynamics among US and EU experts, and inform the understanding of and generating recommendations for navigating future escalation, impact thereof, and enhancing global cyber stability, especially concerning the trilateral cyber dynamics among China, Russia and the United States.

On October 31-November 1, 2022, the Observer Research Foundation America, in partnership with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Research ICT Africa, held a roundtable in Pretoria, South Africa as part of its Global Cyber Policy Dialogues series. The two-day meeting, which built on discussions from the 2020 and 2021 virtual dialogue, focused on improving the security and stability of cyberspace, and promoting digital transformation and public-private partnerships in the region. The first day discussed implementing the United Nations normative framework, international cooperation to combat cybercrime, and resilience in cyberspace. The second day focused on ways to build meaningful public-private partnerships for cybersecurity and building cyber capacity for sustainable development. The dialogue brought together around 60 participants from across Southern Africa, representing government, civil society, academia, multilateral institutions, and the private sector. 

The meeting was opened with remarks from Wopke Hoekstra, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (recorded), Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko, Ambassador at Large of Peace and Security at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, and Nathalie Jaarsma, Ambassador-at-Large of Security Policy and Cyber at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

The full agenda for the event is available here.

Several themes emerged in the discussion, including the lack of equitable access, jurisdictional issues, low cyber literacy, and the need for better laws and policies. The dialogue identified potential ways forward as well as possible future research and projects to address these challenges, including around implementing the UN normative framework, countering cybercrime, CERT cooperation, the need for public-private partnerships, and effective means of building capacities necessary to tackling all of these challenges.

This event was part of a larger Global Cyber Policy Dialogue Series being organized by ORF America and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands which seeks to convene regional dialogues to address key cyber challenges, strengthen multistakeholder networks, and increase coordination of regional capacity building initiatives. These meetings are intended to complement ongoing international-level cyber norms processes, such as the United Nations Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime. 

A full summary of the meeting is available here. 

On June 1-2, 2022, ORF America, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence of North Macedonia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Metamorphosis Foundation, held a roundtable in Skopje, North Macedonia as part of its Global Cyber Policy Dialogues series. The two-day meeting, which built on discussions from an April 2021 virtual dialogue, focused on improving the security and stability of cyberspace and building cyber capacity in the Western Balkans in several key areas. The first day brought donors, recipients, and implementers together to discuss ways to improve coordination among donors who are funding cyber capacity projects in the region. The second day focused on enhancing cyber norms and defense, improving resilience through computer emergency response team (CERT) cooperation, combating cybercrime, and addressing disinformation. The meeting brought together over 50 participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (this designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UN Security Council resolution 1244 and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence), Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, representing government, civil society, academia, multilateral institutions, and the private sector.

The meeting was opened by Dragan Nikolić, State Secretary, Ministry of Defence of North Macedonia and Nathalie Jaarsma, Ambassador-at-Large, Security Policy and Cyber, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

The full agenda for the event is available here.

Several themes emerged in the discussion, including lack of equitable access, the need for a better vision and leadership at all levels, better education and awareness for policymakers, increased transparency, and better laws and policies to implement cybersecurity and resilience principles. On a positive note, the numerous existing challenges have created support for common action within the region, an increasing level of cooperation, and greater opportunities for participation. 

This event was part of a larger Global Cyber Dialogue Series being organized by ORF America and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands which seeks to convene regional dialogues to address key cyber challenges, strengthen multistakeholder networks, and increase coordination of regional capacity building initiatives. These meetings are intended to complement ongoing international-level cyber norms processes, such as the United Nations Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cyber Crime. 

A full summary of the meeting is available here.

On January 13 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, in partnership with Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America) and the Centre for Information Technology Law Studies (CEDI) hosted the virtual Global Cyber Policy Dialogues: Latin America meeting. The event focused on the linkages between the cyber stability normative framework, international cooperation to counter cyber crime, and the importance of an open, free, stable, and secure cyberspace to enabling digital transformation in the region.

An expert panel discussion covered a wide range of topics including the foundational role of cyber capacity building, the need for more practical cooperation on cyber crime, increased clarity in cyber crime legislation and terminology to protect against human rights abuses and enable effective international cooperation, and opportunities to engage in international processes as a way to build trust. A summary can be found at the bottom of this page, and recordings are available in English and Spanish.

Featured Speakers:

• Gloria Navarrete, Secretary-General for Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile

• Nathalie Jaarsma, Ambassador-at-Large, Security Policy and Cyber, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

• Kerry-Ann Barrett, Cyber Security Policy Specialist, Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, Organization of American States

• Claudio Peguero Castillo, Vice-Chair, UN Ad Hoc Committee on Cyber Crime

• Barbara Marchiori de Assis, Lecturer, International Program on Cybersecurity and Privacy Management, ESAN University

• Luis Fernando García, Executive Director, Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (R3D)

• Daniel Álvarez-Valenzuela, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Chile

• Bruce W. McConnell, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation America

Meeting Summary

Global Cyber Policy Dialogues: Latin America and the Caribbean (English) video

Global Cyber Policy Dialogues: Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish) video