Connectivity is a vital element in commerce and digital growth, leading to an increased reliance on undersea cable infrastructure, which can present major national and economic security risks. The security, resilience, and integrity of undersea cables is thus critical.
On 27 September 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (“MFA“) announced that Singapore had endorsed principles for a shared global approach to ensure the security, reliability, interoperability, sustainability, and resiliency for the deployment, repair and maintenance of undersea cable infrastructure. This includes communication cables and any elements related to their construction, operation, surveillance, maintenance and repair.
The principles include the following:
- designing undersea cable infrastructure and services with resilience, redundancy, and security (including cybersecurity) in mind;
- seeking closer government and industry coordination for supporting responsible undersea cable deployment, maintenance, and repair;
- encouraging undersea cable network service providers, as well as operations and maintenance providers, to have transparent ownership, partnerships, and corporate governance structures;
- considering security risk assessments regularly across the cable lifecycle;
- promoting data risk mitigation frameworks and data security measures; and
- complying with applicable international law, domestic law, and industry best practices.
Other endorsers include the United States, United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, Japan, and Republic of Korea.
Click on the following link for more information:
- MFA Press Statement titled “Joint Statement on the Security and Resilience of Undersea Cables in a Globally Digitalized World” (available on the MFA website at www.mfa.gov.sg)
Disclaimer
Rajah & Tann Asia is a network of member firms with local legal practices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Our Asian network also includes our regional office in China as well as regional desks focused on Brunei, Japan and South Asia. Member firms are independently constituted and regulated in accordance with relevant local requirements.
The contents of this publication are owned by Rajah & Tann Asia together with each of its member firms and are subject to all relevant protection (including but not limited to copyright protection) under the laws of each of the countries where the member firm operates and, through international treaties, other countries. No part of this publication may be reproduced, licensed, sold, published, transmitted, modified, adapted, publicly displayed, broadcast (including storage in any medium by electronic means whether or not transiently for any purpose save as permitted herein) without the prior written permission of Rajah & Tann Asia or its respective member firms.
Please note also that whilst the information in this publication is correct to the best of our knowledge and belief at the time of writing, it is only intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and should not be treated as legal advice or a substitute for specific professional advice for any particular course of action as such information may not suit your specific business and operational requirements. You should seek legal advice for your specific situation. In addition, the information in this publication does not create any relationship, whether legally binding or otherwise. Rajah & Tann Asia and its member firms do not accept, and fully disclaim, responsibility for any loss or damage which may result from accessing or relying on the information in this publication.
