ICRC Statement on Threats

Ambassador Gafoor, Excellencies,

 

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is grateful for the opportunity to participate in this 9^th meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG), and to address the group with respect to potential threats arising from the malicious use of ICTs.

 

As this group recalled in the 3^rd Annual Progress Report, the use of ICTs in future conflicts is becoming more likely and “ICTs have already been used in conflicts in different regions.”

 

The ICRC would like to raise awareness and deepen delegations’ understanding of conflict-specific threats by emphasizing some of the threats identified at the 34^th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held in October. This conference brought together all High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions and components of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. 

 

One of the resolutions it adopted focused specifically on protecting civilians against the potential human cost of ICT activities during armed conflict. We would like to emphasize four threats about which the conference expressed concern, and that could also be reflected in the final report of the OEWG.

 

First, during armed conflict, connectivity and ICTs are of great importance for the delivery of many goods and services for the civilian population, for humanitarian relief operations, for civilians to seek and receive information on where to find safety and objects essential for their survival, and for maintaining family links. Thus, cutting connectivity or disrupting ICTs during armed conflict poses a serious risk to civilians. 

 

Second, the malicious use of ICT capabilities by parties to armed conflicts risks causing harm to the civilian population, including across international borders. In particular, there is a shared concern that such capabilities will be directed against, or incidentally affect, ICTs that are part of civilian objects, including objects indispensable for the survival of the civilian population, as well as works and installations containing dangerous forces such as dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations.

 

Third, ICTs may enable or be used to encourage civilians to conduct or support ICT activities in armed conflict. In our assessment, and as confirmed by States and other humanitarian organizations, civilians are often not aware of the risks involved when conducting ICT activities during armed conflict, or the legal limits that they must respect.

 

Relatedly, and as this group is aware, private technology companies provide a range of ICT products, services and infrastructure on which civilian populations, governments and humanitarian organizations rely. Given the importance of ICT services for civilian populations during armed conflict, it is important for private technology companies to consider the needs of all people affected by armed conflict when offering their services, consistent with applicable law.

 

Fourth, since 2022 the ICRC has repeatedly drawn the attention of this group to the threat of ICT activities that target humanitarian organizations and their data. Data breaches and disinformation, for instance, disrupt relief operations, undermine trust in their work, and threaten the safety and security of their personnel, premises, and assets, ultimately harming their ability to meet the needs of affected populations in armed conflict. We commend the reference to this threat in the latest OEWG annual progress report.

 

Chair, 

 

The threats we have just mentioned are of great importance for the lives and well-being of civilian populations during armed conflict, and they are widely acknowledged by States. The ICRC stands ready to continue its contribution to the discussion on threats and commends your efforts in reflecting many of these concerns in the final report. 

 

Thank you.