[Podcast] The Diplomat’s Sofa #3: Why diplomats should care about cybersecurity

Welcome to the third episode of our new podcast series The Diplomat’s Sofa where we speak to diplomats about their craft and the latest developments in international diplomacy. 

In our third episode, hosted by Diplo’s Vladimir Radunovic, we spoke to Amb. Asoke Mukerji, former Indian ambassador and Diplo senior fellow.

At the centre of the conversation was cybersecurity and how diplomats and non-diplomats work together to address it. It is clear that cybersecurity is no longer a niche topic and ranks high on foreign policy agendas. The COVID-19 pandemic and the greater dependence on digital services has made this realisation even stronger.

Mukerji shed light on diplomatic processes, opportunities for progress, and avenues for various stakeholders to work together in more effective and sustainable ways. The conversation also touched on particular challenges for developing countries and the need to empower stakeholders from non-industrialised developing countries.

• Why is cybersecurity relevant for all diplomats and how does it relate to geopolitics and geoeconomics?
• Why is it important for developing countries to place a higher priority on cybersecurity?
• How can we work towards more effective multistakeholder processes?
• What should the tech community learn to become more effective in national and international processes on cybersecurity?
• What are the particular capacity-building needs?

Drawing on his 37-year diplomatic career, Mukerji shared anecdotes and episodes from his involvement in various negotiations, and reaching out and working with non-diplomats and technical experts. 

Watch other episodes of The Diplomat’s Sofa!

Episode #1: ‘A breakthrough in UN cybersecurity negotiations’ with guest Amb. Jürg Lauber, permanent representative of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva and former chair of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Cybersecurity (OEWG)

Episode #2: ‘Cybersecurity: A meeting place for diplomats and techies’ with guest Mr David Koh, commissioner of cybersecurity and chief executive of the Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA)