Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you Chair.
New Zealand is committed to advancing responsible state behaviour in a free, open, peaceful, and secure cyberspace.
Cyberspace is not a lawless space. All states have agreed, by consensus, that international law applies to state cyber activity. States have also agreed, by consensus, a UN Framework for responsible state behaviour, which also confirms expectations we have set for each other, about how states should conduct themselves in cyberspace during peacetime.
Unfortunately, we continue to see examples of malicious cyber activity carried out by state and state-sponsored actors, which breach international law or do not conform to agreed norms.
Chair, in situations of armed conflict, International Humanitarian Law prohibits the targeting of civilians or civilian objects. This prohibition includes attacks that employ cyber means. And any cyber activity during armed conflict must comply with the principles of military necessity, humanity, proportionality, and distinction.
We remain concerned about the rise of ransomware attacks and malicious cyber activity targeting critical infrastructure and democratic institutions, which have cascading effects and can amount to a threat to international peace and security.
New Zealand welcomes the adoption of a third consensus Annual Progress Report by the UN Open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies in July and the resolution presented by Singapore as Chair of the OEWG. We have made a lot of good progress and would like to see further progress on
three urgent tasks ahead. Firstly, to continue building a common understanding of how international law applies in cyberspace. Secondly, to implement agreed cyber norms and strengthen accountability for malicious state activity that falls short of these expectations. Thirdly, we support confidence-building measures, and ongoing efforts to build the capacity of all states to implement the framework.
New Zealand supports a permanent, inclusive, flexible, and adaptable mechanism for regular institutional dialogue after the conclusion of the current OEWG to continue the implementation of the framework for responsible State behavior and further facilitate work on a range of issues including on capacity building, building on the outcomes from successive Group of Governmental Experts and OEWGs.
As a supporter of the Programme of Action New Zealand will continue to engage constructively in the OEWG on regular institutional dialogue and support progressing action-orientated initiatives to promote responsible state behaviour within the UN.
Chair, New Zealand is a committed member of multilateral export control regimes. These regimes are vital tools to address proliferation risks. Export controls are in line with UN Security Council resolution 1540, to which all UN Member States are bound. It requires all UN member states to adopt and enforce appropriate and effective national measures preventing the proliferation of WMD and related materials.
We are concerned at any suggestion that implies that multilateral export control regimes place “undue restrictions” on developing countries’ access to goods and technologies. We are not aware of any evidence that multilateral export control regimes hamper the international exchange of technology for peaceful uses or hinder any country’s economic development. Rather, export controls promote and enable access by building confidence that technology transfers will not contribute to proliferation of WMD or advanced conventional weapons and dual-use components for non-peaceful purposes.
Lastly, New Zealand is pleased to support the biennial resolution on Women, disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control. We strongly support integration of a gender-responsive approach to all aspects of disarmament.
Thank you.