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Press Release

Organization of American States and Canadian Government Cooperate on Cyber Security

The Organization of American States (OAS), and the government of Canada this week jointly held a Roundtable Discussion for Cyber Security Policymakers in which senior officials from OAS Member States exchanged experiences about best practices and strategies for enhancing cyber security.

During the event, Canada showcased its Cyber Security Strategy, which is the government’s policy – and its commitment – to keep Canadians safe in cyberspace, and to keep Canada safe, secure, and prosperous. Representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and the United States also delivered presentations on their policies in the area, their capacities regarding cyber incident response and critical information infrastructure protection, as well as legal frameworks, technical capabilities, and existing technology to combat cybercrime.

Neil Klopfenstein, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the OAS, said “I appreciate the tremendous support that Canada has provided to OAS Member States on cyber security issues, and I call upon other countries in the region to develop national cyber security strategies, like Canada, Colombia and the United States have done. New threats are always emerging and they call for new training, new policies, and the continued sharing of information and best practices.”

Vic Toews, Canada´s Minister of Public Safety, said “Canada is committed to playing an important role with OAS Member States and our partners around the world in building a global culture that promotes an open, trusted and secure cyber community.” He added that “Canada is pleased to be working with other OAS Member States whose efforts are creating a strong foundation for our collective security and prosperity.”

“Cyber security is critical to sustaining economic growth, building a connected global society, and keeping our citizens safe” said Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs). “Dealing with cyber threats in isolation is not enough. Our government is determined to tackle these issues in concert with our allies, as part of our broader commitment to enhance security in the hemisphere and to deepen our relationships with countries throughout the Americas,” she said.

This workshop is part of a larger OAS cyber-crime initiative funded by Canada’s Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program (CTCBP). Announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in August 2011, Canada is contributing over $1.2 million to assist states in the Americas to prevent, monitor and respond to cyber threats by enhancing national-level planning and coordination and to promote regional cooperation. Through this project, states are encouraged to join the OAS Secure Hemispheric Network of Cyber Security Incident-Response Teams (CSIRTs).

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-305/12