STATEMENT BY
MS. SHARINA SARIMIN
NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY AGENCY OF MALAYSIA
GLOBAL MECHANISM ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND ADVANCING RESPONSIBLE STATE BEHAVIOUR IN THE USE OF ICTS
2026 SUBSTANTIVE PLENARY SESSION
AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSIONS ON THE FIVE PILLARS OF THE FRAMEWORK FOR RESPONSIBLE STATE BEHAVIOUR IN THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 9 OF ANNEX C OF A/79/214 AND ANNEX I OF A/80/257
TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES
NEW YORK, 23 JULY 2026
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Thank you, Madam Chair.
Malaysia agrees that confidence-building measures (CBMs) remain an important pillar of the UN framework. As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve and our reliance on ICTs grows, the value of CBMs in building trust and reduce the risk of misunderstanding among States becomes even more important. Having agreed on a strong set of CBMs through previous UN processes, our priority now should be to support their practical implementation.
In this regard, DTG 1 should provide a platform for States to exchange implementation experiences, practical challenges and lessons learned. It should also leverage on regional experiences, recognising that regional mechanisms have accumulated valuable practical expertise in implementing CBMs.
Regional initiative such as the ASEAN Regional Forum Points of Contact Directory, demonstrate how regional efforts can complement the implementation of CBMs. We encourage continued cross-regional exchanges through this DTG to further share practical experiences and lessons learned.
Madam chair,
As many delegations have highlighted, effective implementation of agreed CBMs requires States to have the necessary capacities, knowledge, and resources to translate commitments into practical actions.
Initiatives such as the Women in Cyber Fellowship as well as the UN-Singapore Cyber Fellowship Programme has enabled us to engage in dialogue such as OEWG and Global Mechanism, which itself serves in building confidence. Malaysia also sees the Women in Cyber Fellowship programme as CBMs in their own right, as they create professional networks and valuable channels for communication, and essentially building trust and confidence between States. Through these engagements, we learn from each other’s experiences, gain a better understanding of the different challenges faced by countries, and strengthen relationships, which are important aspect of CBMs.
In this regard, Malaysia sees DTG 2 as an important platform for turning agreed confidence-building measures into practical action. By identifying States' capacity-building needs and facilitating access to relevant expertise and support, DTG 2 can help ensure that capacity-building efforts are responsive to national needs and strengthen the implementation of the agreed CBMs.
Madam Chair,
Malaysia welcomes the continued operationalisation of the UN Global Intergovernmental Points of Contact Directory and supports UNODA's ongoing efforts to ensure that it remains practical and operational. As cyber incidents continue to evolve in scale and complexity, timely communication between States becomes increasingly important. We therefore support regular communication checks, simulation exercises and continued engagement to ensure that the Directory remains effective when it is needed most.
Ultimately, we hope that our discussions will lead to practical outcomes. Malaysia looks forward to work with all delegations to ensure that our agreed CBMs are not only agreed upon but also implemented effectively.
Thank you, Madam Chair.