Our Process

The threat to economic growth and international security is being driven by three influences: political and economic concerns, security concerns and weak governance. Within these categories are more specific issues including Internet content, surveillance, the protection of critical infrastructures, cyber crime, and Internet governance institutions. If these threats are not mitigated, trust in the Internet will erode, dissolving into a fragmented Splinternet that will undermine global economic growth and fuel international instability.

The EastWest Institute is helping to create institutions, processes and policies that reduce the pressures driving Internet fragmentation. The opportunity for the Global Cooperation in Cyberspace Initiative arises from the three aforementioned challenges and three matching objectives: economic and political development; digital security and stability; sound governance and management. More specific goals included within these objectives are securing ICT products and services; managing policy barriers that limit access to information for innovation and education; exploring surveillance, privacy and big data; working to mitigate cyber risks to critical infrastructure; modernizing law enforcement; and facilitating the design and testing for manageable and accountable Internet governance structures. Over the past five years, EastWest’s cyber collaboration has integrated public and private leadership to address several serious challenges in cyberspace, and will continue to do so in Berlin.

By using EWI’s proven process—Convene, Reframe, Mobilize—the initiative aims to achieve its objectives and mitigate the impact of the Splinternet.