The UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security is a negotiating forum established by the General Assembly's First Committee. Unlike the parallel Group of Governmental Experts (GGE), which had restricted membership of roughly 25 states, the OEWG is open to participation by all UN member states, making it the most inclusive intergovernmental track on cyber issues.
The first OEWG was created by resolution 73/27 (December 2018), proposed by Russia, and ran from 2019 to 2021. It adopted a consensus final report in March 2021 that reaffirmed the applicability of international law to cyberspace and endorsed the eleven voluntary, non-binding norms of responsible state behavior previously developed by the GGE.
A successor process, the OEWG on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021–2025, was established by resolution 75/240. It meets in annual substantive sessions in New York and addresses:
- existing and potential threats
- rules, norms and principles of responsible state behavior
- how international law applies to ICT use
- confidence-building measures (CBMs)
- capacity-building
- regular institutional dialogue
The OEWG also accepts written contributions from non-governmental stakeholders, though modalities for their participation have been politically contested, with Russia, China and several other states objecting to the accreditation of certain NGOs.
Key fault lines include whether new legally binding treaty obligations are needed (a position advanced by Russia, China and others) versus reliance on existing international law and voluntary norms (favored by the US, EU members and most Western states). Negotiations also touch on the relationship between the OEWG and the Ad Hoc Committee drafting the UN Convention against Cybercrime. A future permanent mechanism — proposed as a "Programme of Action" — is under discussion as the successor body after the current OEWG concludes in 2025.
Example
In July 2022, the OEWG 2021–2025 adopted its first annual progress report by consensus, endorsing a global Points of Contact directory as a confidence-building measure between states.
Frequently asked questions
The GGE had limited membership (around 15–25 states selected on equitable geographic distribution), while the OEWG is open to every UN member state, making it more inclusive but harder to reach consensus.
Keep learning