Nowadays, the civil society is facing a multitude of threats that are increasing both in type and frequency. This type of challenges is requiring complex and dynamic coping strategies. Such threat scenarios need an enhanced focus on preparedness, taking into account an increasing number of unknowns. Two central pillars in that context are cooperation and knowledge management. This encompasses cross border information exchange and data management which are imperative for successful crisis and disaster management. The challenges faced during the management of COVID-19 made multiple gaps visible encompassing the capabilities for interoperability as well as methodologies and facilities for data fusion of very different types of data. Such data encompass for instance medical information, status of infrastructures and availability of resources, sensor data or outcomes of modelling procedures as a basis for achieving a common situational awareness.

Apart from the need for enhanced cooperation it turned out in the last years, that the level of preparedness needs to be enhanced. For this purpose, solid methodologies for evaluation of performance are requested to enable improved crisis and disaster management, both of first and second responders acting in the field as well as the equipment applied. Digital solutions for performance validation have the capability to pave the way to enhanced crisis and disaster management. In general terms, there is need to identify best possible solutions for actors being exposed in disaster prone areas.

The identification of best possible capabilities requests knowledge management supported by recent digital evolutions such as AI. At this stage, a major focus in crisis and disaster management is to enhance solutions for decision support. In the close future, there is need to move toward a new digital ecosystem realising elements such as chain of trust, governance of cooperation or digital sovereignty. This evolution makes it possible to move more and more away from obstacles such as isolated silo thinking towards data economy, supported by common standards.

As conflicts are changing with new technologies and moving fluidly between the world we live in and the cyber realm, state-of-the-art technologies play a central role in modern, increasingly atypical forms of conflict. Digital technologies form an increasingly important part of the political landscape of conflicts. Digital activism is on the rise and the internet is used to initiate and drive popular movements.

The ongoing fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), centred on the digitization of processes and the fusion of technologies, affects all aspects of human interaction, including Civilian Crisis and Conflict Management. As the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres become blurred, the Peace-Security-Technology nexus must receive our full attention.

EU, UN, OSCE and other actors in this increasing field include the digital ecosystem surrounding them in their analysis and their strategic and operational plans. Has the time come to transform traditional UN peacekeeping operations, EU CSDP missions and operations or OSCE field missions into “smart missions”, based on state-of-the-art technological innovations? How can various tools and processes, such as social media, geographic information systems, data analytics, virtual reality frameworks and other digital technologies provide added-value in international efforts in civilian crisis and conflict management?

In this session, we will look at

• use cases for technological solutions (border management, training, secure communications)
• technology which enables receiving, analysing, and managing data in real-time to help missions and their counterparts in the host nation to make better decisions
• efficiency gains through more consistent use of existing data and digital solutions (sentiment analysis, e.g. for public policy-making or network analysis, e.g. for conflict resolution),
• developing linkages between data collection and its analysis by AI (e.g. through satellite-based technology or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for monitoring and documenting human rights crimes)
• the potential of Open Source Intelligence (OS-INT – i.e., in social media, blogs, podcasts, online forums) to predict escalations of conflict and enable preventive action by peace workers
• possible frameworks of an integrated PeaceTech approach in the operationalisation of peacebuilding and conflict resolution on the ground
• creating avenues to build essential peacebuilding skills through the effective use of digital learning tools

Border security faces a wide range of challenges. Adapting to evolving threats such as terrorism, transnational crime and drug trafficking necessitates the implementation of proactive measures and the sharing of intelligence among relevant stakeholders. Moreover, cross-border cooperation is critical to prevent criminals from exploiting jurisdictional gaps and conducting illicit activities across borders.

In order to operate border security effectively, it is also essential to have skilled personnel who receive regular training on emerging threats and technologies. In summary, effective migration management, cross-border cooperation, public confidence, skilled personnel, privacy protection, simplified procurement processes and international cooperation are essential to ensure robust border security in an ever-changing world.

Introduction on the importance of digitalization in the field of counter-terrorism. Presentation of the UNOCT’s CT Travel Programme as a best practice in border management, as well as discussion among different stakeholders on the complementarity of mandates and international cooperation.

A responsible use of personal data in digital identity management is possible through adequate safeguards in regulation and technological solutions. This session will explore risks and opportunities associated with technology in the field of security, while protecting and promoting Privacy and Data Protection.

While military actions in Ukraine attract quite a lot of attention from the world’s leading outlets, the cyber dimension of the war and the importance of digital infrastructure for the proper functioning of the state remains underestimated. Maybe that could have changed if one could take a nice and eye catching photo of a cyber attack (but pls not a usual guy in a hood over his head staring at a monitor). Russia has been trying to destroy Ukraine’s critical infrastructure with cyber attacks for many years with a few successes. Digital infrastructure not only survived, but also became a major tool for the Government to reach to the people and provide basic services.

In December of 2022, two interrelated EU directives came into effect: Directive 2022/2555 addressing measures to establish a high level of cybersecurity uniformity across the Union, and Directive 2022/2557 on enhancing the resilience of critical entities (CE). Also at OECD level the 2022 Policy Framework on Digital Security, and the  OECD Council Recommendation on the Governance of Infrastructure point to the pivotal role of CE in upholding vital societal functions, from energy, transport, water, production and distribution of food, public health, and financial services. The convergence and interdependence of physical and digital infrastructures generates a kind of hypercriticality, both in the sense that the functions are of vital importance, and in the sense that they are subject to new vulnerabilities. This session will address following questions:

• How to establish an adequate level of interoperability and joint situational awareness, including sensitive data sharing practices, in order to prevent significant cross-sectoral cascading repercussions?
• How to draft command & control rules in the context of public-private partnerships in order to ensure accountability in the public interest?
• What measures can be taken to mitigate excessive foreign dependence, and thwart foreign interference in the operations of critical entities?
• How to effectively conduct risk assessments, defining zones of tolerance and intolerance in order to avoid shock and cyber-physical breakdown, while anticipating future misuse and the weaponization of infrastructure?

Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, transforming the way we communicate, work, and interact with the world. The digital security domain is complex and diverse, encompassing areas such as cybersecurity, data protection, privacy, and encryption. To address these challenges effectively, competent partners and stakeholders are essential. European funding programmes for security research, alongside national initiatives like the Austrian KIRAS programme, serve as exemplary models for fostering innovation in the digital security field. These funding frameworks provide a solid foundation for collaborative research, development, and implementation of cutting-edge technologies and practices. By bringing together experts, researchers, and industry leaders from various disciplines and backgrounds, these programmes create a vibrant ecosystem that ensures the security and resilience of our digital infrastructure, protecting individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.