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The Safety and Security of Digital Infrastructure
02 Oct 2024

The first meeting of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) Study Group on the Safety and Security of Digital Infrastructure (SSDI) was organised by CSCAP Singapore, with support from the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) in RSIS. Held in Singapore from 1 to 3 October 2024, the meeting was co-chaired by CSCAP Singapore and CSCAP Vietnam.

Over 40 participants attended, including representatives from eight CSCAP Member Committees and several Singapore government agencies, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the Information Fusion Centre, and the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore. CSCAP Singapore was represented by Amb Ong Keng Yong, Mr Kwa Chong Guan, Ms Asha Hemrajani, Mr Lawrence Anderson, Dr Joel Ng, and Mr Gordon Kang.

The Study Group meeting focused on the vulnerabilities of undersea cables and explored legal, regulatory, and technological frameworks for their resilience.  The meeting featured several panels that discussed key issues such as cable vulnerabilities, legal frameworks, and the role of public-private partnerships in protecting undersea cables. The keynote speech was given by Mr Kent Bressie, Legal Adviser to the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC).

Panel 1, with the theme “Cable Cuts and Their Vulnerabilities,” addressed historical, current, and emerging threats to undersea cables, including natural risks, human activities like fishing, intentional sabotage, and geopolitical tensions. The panel also discussed how cable incidents are reported and assessed response mechanisms involving governments and private companies.

Panel 2, titled “Perspectives on Laws and Regulatory Frameworks to Protect and Repair Cables,” examined the varying legal frameworks across regions. Participants discussed new legal requirements aimed at improving cable security and resilience, highlighting the importance of balancing national security with international cooperation. The need for harmonised legal frameworks to facilitate cross-border cable protection and repair was also emphasised.

Lastly, Panel 3’s theme “Public-Private Partnerships – Collaboration Between Industry and Governments to Address Threats to Cables,” focused on the role of public-private cooperation. The panel reviewed guidelines, including the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) Best Practices and ASEAN TelMin 2019 Guidelines, and discussed challenges such as differing regulations and resource limitations. Technological developments like fibre optic sensing were highlighted, alongside the growing role of private companies in cable security.

The final Group Discussion explored future topics for CSCAP, including the impact of technological advancements, areas of international law that require further study, and potential topics for policy research. Overall, the study group emphasised the need for a focus on regional security cooperation, greater capacity-building, stronger public-private partnerships to protect undersea cables, and the formulation of practical, actionable recommendations.

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