Cyber Security focus of 10th Annual Review Conference on Compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJEVO, 28 November 2017 - The 10th Annual Review Conference on Compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, gathering over 50 local and regional security experts and representatives of government institutions, international organizations and the civil society, concluded today, at Jahorina mountain.

The aim of the Review Conference is to assess the progress BiH achieved in terms of compliance with its OSCE and UN commitments and to formulate recommendations for the implementation of activities that will contribute to an overall increase in the country's capabilities to achieve full compliance with its security commitments. This year, particular focus  was placed on cyber security,  as the growing use of information and communication technologies poses an increasing risk to international security. 

"We will encourage the relevant authorities to effectively and pro-actively tackle challenges related to cyber-security and information-communication technologies, and to develop relevant response mechanisms," said Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Bruce G. Berton. "Recommendations developed at this Conference will set the course for the work in this field in the forthcoming period."

Sezin Sinanoglu, UN Resident Co-ordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in BiH, said: “As reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, about 80% of cybercrime originates from organized crime. This requires a whole-of-government approach, where different sectors in the government co-ordinate, collaborate and communicate in order to be able to deal with the issue from many angles. Another aspect of cybercrime is that it requires state authorities to collaborate, not just with citizens, but with the private sector as well.”         

Zoran Šajinović, Assistant Minister of Defence of BiH, emphasized that the Review Conference has a comprehensive character and includes institutions at all levels. “This is a dynamic process and new commitments require a new response, both in terms of the legislative framework and organizational structure. We strive to translate recommendations resulting from the Review Conference into guidelines that will determine our priorities in the work of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next year.”      

The 10th Annual Review Conference on Compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina was organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in co-operation with the BiH Foreign Ministry and United Nations in BiH.