On 15 May, in light of the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group Intersessional meeting, EU Cyber Direct, together with the European External Action Service, organised a side-event titled 'Bridging the Boundaries of Trust Deciphering the Full Potential of Multistakeholder Involvement in Cyber Diplomacy'.
The concept of "multistakeholderism" has earned widespread recognition for its capacity to foster collaboration and address intricate challenges, thus adding significant value to cyber diplomacy. Despite this consensus, the transition from high-level consultations and recommendations to tangible action and collaboration remains limited. The linchpin of this challenge lies in the perceived limitations of trust, which often leads to unstructured and informal cross-sectoral cooperation.
In an innovative 'speed-dating' format to foster a direct dialogue between a diverse group of stakeholders and government officials and create an opportunity for them to exchange ideas, explore potential areas of collaboration, and build trust and understanding across sectors. In this context, our event aimed to:
- Enhance understanding of each other’s perspectives, priorities, and challenges
- Identify potential areas for collaboration, partnership opportunities, and shared goals across sectors
- Strengthen relationships, trust, and communication channels between stakeholders and government representatives
