Q3/2020 - Russische BRICS-Präsidentschaft

Treffen der BRICS-Kommunikationsminister, 17. September 2020 (virtuell)

Am 17. September fand das 6. Treffen der BRICS-Kommunikationsminister statt. Die Minister verabschiedeten eine Deklaration „Global Digitalization: New Opportunities and New Challenges“[1].

Die Deklaration fordert angesichts von Covid-19 eine Vertiefung der digitalen Zusammenarbeit zwischen den BRICS-Ländern. Alle fünf Länder würden mit ähnlichen Folgen der Krise konfrontiert sein und müssten den Übergang zu neuen digitalen Formen des Arbeitens, Lernens und Handelns in Politik und Wirtschaft meistern; 

Hervorgehoben wird die Rolle der Digitalwirtschaft bei der Erreichung der nachhaltigen Entwicklungsziele der UN (SDGs). Der Breitband-Ausbau in den fünf BRICS-Ländern soll beschleunigt werden; 

Beim Thema Künstliche Intelligenz wird auf das Potenzial von KI für wirtschaftliches Wachstum in Entwicklungsländern hingewiesen. Die BRICS-Länder werden aufgefordert, in diesem Bereich die Rahmenbedingungen für eigene Innovation und Entwicklungen zu verbessern. Notwendig sei, Vertrauen in KI zu stärken;

Erweitert wurden die Mechanismen der fünfseitigen Kooperation zwischen den BRICS-Staaten im digitalen Bereich. Das vor zwei Jahren gegründete BRICS-Institut für die Next Generation Internet (BIFN) hat nach seiner ersten Filiale in China jetzt Partner in Brasilien, Indien und Südafrika bekommen. Das BIFN soll Forschungen zu den in der Deklaration benannten kritischen Schwerpunkten vorantreiben und eng mit der Digital BRICS Task Force (DBTF) zusammenarbeiten.

Treffen der BRICS-Sicherheitsberater, 18. September 2020 (virtuell)

Am 18. September 2020 fand ein virtuelles Treffen der BRICS-Sicherheitsberater statt. Auf dem Treffen wurde erneut über den seit mehreren Jahren auf dem Tisch liegenden Vorschlag für ein pentalaterales Abkommen zu Cybersicherheit zwischen den fünf BRICS-Staaten diskutiert. Es gab jedoch erneut keine Fortschritte. Unterstützt wird jedoch ein gemeinsames Vorgehen im Rahmen der UNO bei den Verhandlungen der UN-GGE und der OEWG. Eine Unterstützung des russischen Vorschlags für eine UN-Konvention gegen Cyberkriminalität enthält das Kommuniqué jedoch nicht[2]. 

Treffen der BRICS-Zivilgesellschaft, 2020

Erstmals wieder seit 2015 fand unter der russischen BRICS-Präsidentschaft ein zivilgesellschaftliches BRICS-Forum statt. Wegen der Pandemie tagten die verschiedenen Arbeitsgruppen virtuell. Am 26. September 2020 wurde die einzelnen Statements der Arbeitsgruppen in einer zivilgesellschaftlichen Deklaration in Form einer „Recommendation to the BRICS Leaders“ zusammengefasst[3]. Die Arbeitsgruppe Digitalisierung verabschiedete sieben Empfehlungs-Paragraphen, die sich mit digitalen Monopolen, den Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung auf die traditionelle Wirtschaft, digitalen Finanzierungtechnologien, sozialen Netzwerken und einem verbesserten Dialog zwischen den BRICS-Staaten beschäftigen. Beklagt wird die „Einmischung von ausländischen Internet-Diensteanbietern“ in die inneren Angelegenheiten der BRICS-Staaten. Gefordert wird eine einheitliche BRICS-Position zum Thema Cybersicherheit. Die BRICS-Länder sollten sich auf ihre eigenen Stärken besinnen, eigene Innovationen fördern und das eigene geistige Eigentum besser schützen, um unabhängiger zu werden vom westlich dominierten Patentsystem. Im Bereich von sozialen Netzwerken sollten lokale, nationale und regionale Netzwerke gefördert werden[4].

Treffen der SCO-Außenminister, 6. September 2020

Bei einem Treffen der Außenminister der SCO am 6. September 2020 warnte der russische Präsident Wladimir Putin vor einem Anstieg von Cyberkriminalität. Die SCO-Staaten müssten ihre Anstrengungen verstärken, um dieser neuen Gefahr adäquat zu begegnen. Die SCO würde eine wachsende Rolle in der Weltpolitik, vor allem im Euro-Asiatischen Raum, spielen. Unter der russischen SCO-Präsidentschaft sei das Interesse an der SCO gewachsen. 16 Länder hätte ihr Interesse bekundet, Mitglied, Beobachter oder Dialogpartner der SCO zu werden.  Putin kündigte ein virtuelles SCO-Gipfeltreffen für November 2020 an[5]. Die SCO-Außenminister unterstützen die Vorschläge zur Ausarbeitung von Prinzipien und Normen für ein verantwortungsvolles Verhalten von Staaten im Cyberspace sowie für ein völkerrechtliches Abkommen gegen Cyberkriminalität im Rahmen der UNO. Die Minister einigten sich auch auf den Entwurf eines Statements zur „internationalen Informationssicherheit“, das die Staats- und Regierungschefs bei ihrem Gipfeltreffen im November verabschieden werden[6]. 2021 übernimmt Tadschikistan die SCO-Präsidentschaft.

Die russische Regierung hat im 3. Quartal 2020 ihre politischen Positionen zu einer internationalen Cyberdiplomatie weiter präzisiert. Das betrifft insbesondere die geplanten Aktivitäten im Rahmen der UNO und eine neue Initiative zur Wiederbelebung der bilateralen Cyberdialoge mit westlichen Ländern, insbesondere den USA und Deutschland.

Zu den Prioritäten Russlands auf der 75. UN-Vollversammlung zählt eine Stärkung der OEWG und die Beförderung der Initiative einer neuen UN-Konvention gegen Cyberkriminalität. In dem am 23. Juli 2020 veröffentlichten Dokumenten vermeidet die russische Regierung die im Westen geläufigen Begriffe „Cyber“ und „Digital“ und verwendet dafür durchgehend den Begriff der „International Information Security“ (IIS). Es gibt keinen Bezug zu der von UN-Generalsekretär António Guterres präsentierten Roadmap on Digital Cooperation[7].

Am 25. September 2020, drei Tage nach dem UN-Gipfeltreffen zum 75. Jahrestag der Vereinten Nationen und sechs Wochen vor den US-Präsidentschaftswahlen, wandte sich der russische Präsident Wladimir Putin an den amerikanischen Präsidenten Donald Trump mit einem Vorschlag zur Widerbelebung des russisch-amerikanischen Cyberdialogs. Putin schlägt regelmäßige hochrangige Konsultationen zwischen beiden Ländern unter Einbeziehung der CERTs, ein bilaterales Abkommen zur Vermeidung von Cyberkonflikten nach dem Modell des Vertrags zwischen den USA und der UdSSR zur Vermeidung von Zwischenfällen auf hoher See aus dem Jahr 1972 sowie den Verzicht auf Einmischung in die inneren Angelegenheiten vor, um neues Vertrauen aufzubauen[8].

Mehr zum Thema
Q3/2020BRICS
  1. [1] BRICS Ministers of Communication discuss digital economy development and prospects for BRICS cooperation in ICTs, 18. September 2020, Kapitel 2: Digital Governance: “We acknowledge the importance of digital governance in the era of global digitalization and reaffirm our commitment to cooperate with each other in the area of digital governance as agreed at the 5th BRICS Communications Ministers Meeting. 7. BRICS countries encourage continued development of holistic, secure, open and reliable Internet, preserving its integrity, stability and security. We acknowledge the importance of leveraging new and effective forms of interactions among governments, businesses, technical community of BRICS countries and other relevant international organizations in the interest of building the Internet ecosystem. 8. We encourage relevant public institutions and private sectors of BRICS countries to undertake awareness and prevention campaigns to increase public awareness on risks and threats caused by the misuse of ICTs. 9. We encourage the effective protection of personal data on the Internet by addressing the challenges related to cross border data flow in accordance with relevant applicable legal frameworks. The increased use of ICTs also led to increased awareness of the need for personal data protection and other confidential information. We recognize the importance of privacy and data protection in the digital identification systems. It is in our interest that digital identification systems become trustworthy, bring real benefit and are used for good of each individual. 10. We express our concern that the issue of child protection from online content harmful for their health and development still exists. It is our intention to cooperate with each other to develop initiatives aimed at ensuring safety of the minors on the Internet, to share best practices, organize preventive activities, strengthen interaction among public and other non-public organizations, information dissemination promoters and web hosting providers. 11. We note the work of the International Telecommunication Union aimed at confidence building and security in the use of ICTs and results of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). We encourage BRICS countries to organize contests among interested group experts, students in order to increase readiness in the use of ICTs. 12. In the era of globalization and digitalization we encourage efforts to support and preserve the national socio-cultural heritage, traditions as well as multilingualism in the digital environment, by making use of advanced information technologies. 13. We invite the Digital BRICS Task Force (DBTF) to include in its work program the subject of digital governance, sharing experiences and best practices for the benefit of all BRICS countries.” In: https://eng.brics-russia2020.ru/news/20200918/582139/BRICS-Ministers-of-Communication-discuss-digital-economy-development-and-prospects-for-BRICS.html
  2. [2] BRICS National Security Advisors discuss topical issues of security cooperation, 18. September 2020: „There was also a proposal to continue working on a pentalateral agreement in order to create a comprehensive system for countering cyber threats. The meeting demonstrated that the BRICS countries shared close or similar approaches to most of issues on the international agenda. They reaffirmed their commitment to the universal and recognised norms and principles of the international law and the UN Charter, and their willingness to enhance coordination within the key international organizations and forums, primarily at the UN. The meeting participants also noted that cooperation within BRICS is aimed at building a multipolar system of international relations based on the principles of justice and equality, abandoning the outdated practices of bloc diplomacy.“ In: https://eng.brics-russia2020.ru/news/20200918/582132/BRICS-National-Security-Advisors-discuss-topical-issues-of-security-cooperation.html
  3. [3] Civil Forum to present recommendations to the BRICS Leaders, in: https://eng.brics-russia2020.ru/announcements/20200911/568597/Civil-Forum-to-present-recommendations-to-the-BRICS-Leaders.html
  4. [4] RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BRICS LEADERS, CIVIL BRICS FORUM 2020, Advancing BRICS People-to-People Cooperation for Sustainable Future, 25. September, 2020: „1. Digital Monopoly and Competition. Digital technology has created unprecedented opportunities for information exchange. At the same time, information transmission channels are excessively monopolized and commercialized. This leads to the violation of the rights of citizens to the access to information and to the interference of foreign providers in national political lives. It is proposed to develop a common position of the BRICS countries on cybersecurity - on the admission of foreign digital service providers to national markets and on the protection of national information providers in international markets. It would be advisable to create a pool of information resources of the BRICS countries, exchanging messages about interesting projects and opportunities arising in each participating country and the BRICS as a whole. It also would be important to establish a widely available public channel for the exchange of information on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and other natural and technological disasters. 2. Impact of the digital revolution on traditional sectors of the economy. Many traditional sectors of the economy are undergoing major changes as a result of the digital revolution, such as online ordering of hotels and vehicles, the retail delivery industry, the provision of digital government services, etc. Mobile communications and geolocation play an ever-increasing role in ordinary traditional business. Telemedicine is actively developing. The Internet is beginning to penetrate into everyday household appliances and household management. The competitiveness of the BRICS countries will be facilitated by the strengthening of cooperation in the creation and implementation of startups in the fields of IT, high technologies and the development of digital applications and solutions for traditional sectors of the economy. In the BRICS countries there are a large number of interesting, competent and active people who could and would like to implement various projects not only in the field of business and commerce, but also in the development of digital government, and civil, social initiatives….4. Inclusiveness and exclusivity in the digital economy. Within the BRICS, it is necessary to organize the mutual protection of intellectual property inside and outside the BRICS. It is necessary to work out a unified position on intellectual property rights in order to increase the availability of technology and intellectual resources, and to reduce the monopoly of Western patent systems and Western law. Each of the BRICS countries has innovation centers. It is necessary to promote the creation of a network of international innovation platforms. Such a network would facilitate the development of relations within the BRICS and provide consulting and financial support to the joint projects. 5. Digital financing technologies in the BRICS countries: grant programs, crowdfunding, online sales. It is necessary to exchange experience in the use of various digital financing technologies by non-profit organizations of the BRICS countries. It is proposed to start work on the creation of a joint grant fund for the development of joint civic initiatives. Expand the activities of national crowdfunding platforms to all BRICS countries. It would be useful to summarize the experience of the BRICS countries and to develop recommendations on standards for informing consumers on the websites of national online stores and aggregators, including those engaged in cross-border trade. 6. Social dialogue in the economy. The liberal economic model has contributed to the development of world trade and the general growth of the world economy. However, the time has come to adapt the economic model of recent decades to new social realities. Not only and not so much transnational corporations, but also national states and regional and local communities, as well as various social groups, should have their own voice in determining the directions of investment and employment prospects. 7. Exchange of information and experience among the BRICS countries. In terms of providing assistance to the economy during a pandemic, all eyes, as a rule, are turned towards the Western countries. However, the BRICS countries have accumulated their effective experience in dealing with the pandemic and its social and economic consequences. It is proposed to create a channel for the exchange of information on social and economic measures of the BRICS countries.“ In: http://civilbrics.ru/
  5. [5] Vladimir Putin, Meeting with SCO foreign ministers, 6. September 2020, in: http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/64016
  6. [6] Press release on the Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of SCO Member States, 11. September 2020: „The ministers expressed deep concern over the growing scale and interconnection between international terrorism and its funding, separatism, extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organised crime and cybercrime, and pointed out the importance of redoubling joint efforts against security risks and threats. The ministers noted that it is unacceptable to use modern technology, primarily the internet, for promoting terrorist and extremist ideology and for interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign states. They spoke up in favour of drafting, under the UN guidance, of the rules, principles and norms of responsible state behaviour in the information space and universal binding instruments aimed at preventing the use of ICT for criminal purposes. They approved in principle the draft statements by the SCO Heads of State Council on combating the proliferation of terrorist, separatist and extremist ideologies, including online, and on interaction aimed at fostering international information security.“ In: https://eng.sco-russia2020.ru/news/20200911/756931/Press-release-on-the-Meeting-of-the-Council-of-Ministers-of-Foreign-Affairs-of-SCO-Member-States.html
  7. [7] RUSSIA’S POSITION AT THE SEVENTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 23. Juli 2020: „We believe that the UN should play a key role in the consolidation of joint efforts to ensure international information security (IIS), which should result in the elaboration and adoption under the UN auspices of genuinely universal and comprehensive rules of responsible behaviour of states in information space aimed at preventing conflicts therein. The rules should consolidate such principles as the non-use of force, respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and respect for human rights, as well as guarantee equal rights for participation in Internet governance for all states. We believe that it is crucial to ensure continued discussions on international information security at the UN in the framework of the Open-Ended Working Group on IIB (OEWG), the first genuinely democratic, transparent, and inclusive negotiating mechanism created upon Russia’s initiative. Currently, a number of states are striving to shift the focus from achieving key objectives in ICTs to less relevant issues, seeking to stall the discussion and even disrupt the negotiation process at the UN by postponing the OEWG closing session (initially scheduled for July 2020) to late spring 2021. Besides, the work of the OEWG is being linked with the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on information security established in line with US-sponsored UNGA resolution 73/266 of 2018. The GGE mandate expires in May 2021. In this context, it is necessary to avoid the duplication of the OEWG and the GGE negotiation processes and the disruption of the OEWG’s status. We call on our partners to support our stance and expressly come out in favour of intensifying and ensuring the continuity of the OEWG’s work on all aspects of its mandate, first of all on drafting rules, standards, and principles of responsible behaviour of states in information space., … We should strengthen efforts to implement UNSC Resolution 2354 aimed at curbing the spread of terrorist ideology and propaganda, including through the Internet.“ In: https://www.mid.ru/en/mezdunarodnaa-informacionnaa-bezopasnost/-/asset_publisher/UsCUTiw2pO53/content/id/4252717
  8. [8] Statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin on a comprehensive program of measures for restoring the Russia – US cooperation in the filed of international information security, Moskau, 25. September 2020: „One of today’s major strategic challenges is the risk of a large-scale confrontation in the digital field. A special responsibility for its prevention lies on the key players in the field of ensuring international information security (IIS). In this regard, we would like to once again address the US with a suggestion to agree on a comprehensive program of practical measures to reboot our relations in the field of security in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). First. To restore a regular full-scale bilateral interagency high-level dialogue on the key issues of ensuring IIS. Second. To maintain a continuous and effective functioning of the communication channels between competent agencies of our States through Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers, Computer Emergency Readiness Teams and high-level officials in charge of the issues of IIS within the bodies involved in ensuring national security, includig that of information. Third. To jointly develop and conclude a bilateral intergovernmental agreement on preventing incidents in the information space similarly to the Soviet-American Agreement on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas in force since 25 May 1972. Fourth. To exchange, in a mutually acceptable format, guarantees of non-intervention into internal affairs of each other, including into electoral processes, inter alia, by means of the ICTs and high-tech methods. We call on the US to greenlight the Russian-American professional expert dialogue on IIS without making it a hostage to our political disagreements. These measures are aimed at building up trust between our States, promoting security and prosperity of our peoples. They will significantly contribute to ensuring global peace in the information space. Addressing all countries, including the US, we suggest reaching global agreement on a political commitment of States on no-first-strike with the use of ICTs against each other.“ In: