Editor's blog

DiploFoundation is strengthening its team of experts on digital policy and Internet governance. We are proud to welcome two well-known names in the IG field as full-time staff members:

Marília Maciel and Sorina Teleanu. Both Marília and Sorina will support our major projects including the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) and the GIP Digital Watch observatory.

DiploFoundation’s ‘Internet governance (IG) building under construction’ illustration is symbolic of the ever-changing world of digital policy. A new iteration sees new elements that denote emerging trends, in addition to the existing robust foundation of IG topics.

With the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit just ahead, many activities this month focused on the ASEM process. Diplo participated in the launch of the ASEF Outlook Report 2016/2017, which took place on 7 July, and trained more than 130 young people from ASEM countries during the 7th Model ASEM summit ( 6-10 July) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

DiploFoundation is proud to announce a new initiative aimed at supporting the work of its alumni, in recognition of their achievements.

The new Alumni Hub, at www.diplomacy.edu/alumni, will feature articles, events, webinars, alumni dissertations, research, and other updates and announcements, related to Diplo’s alumni.

The international workshop on Fundamental Science and Society, which took place on 7-8 July in Quy Nhon, Vietnam, brought together scientists, decisions makers, government officials, and the private industry, to address various historical, current, and future issues related to science and society.  

The already politically vulnerable Middle East is experiencing a surge of water-related conflicts, while global demand for water is expected to grow by more than 40% by 2050. By 2025, almost 2 billion people will suffer from (fresh) water scarcity, which inevitably will lead to civil unrest or even war.[1] Even the rise of ISIL in Iraq and Syria has shown that water scarcity not only causes conflict, it also can be used as a military tool to expand control over territory and to subjugate the population.

This month, Asia will be at the centre of many Diplo activities. Here is a round-up of what to expect. More updates will be made available during the month.

On 4 May, the Geneva Internet Platform and ICANN organised an open discussion on Ensuring Civil Society's Voice is Heard in ICANN. The discussion, held in Geneva, brought together experts involved in ICANN processes, and newcomers to the process, for an interactive session on the potentials and limitations of civil society engagement.

Cyberspace has become an essential component of modern society, yet its merits are accompanied by threats. A growing number of reported cyber-incidents demand governments to come up with a strategic response to counter cyber-threats. This includes building national competences for cybersecurity, especially for protecting the critical infrastructure.