In the 2021 Declaration of the 13th BRICS Summit which took place a few weeks ago, countries called for an intergovernmental agreement on cybersecurity. New research published in the DirectionsBlog.eu points out that although it is easier said than done, the current political scenario in each BRICS country and similar domestic priorities make it an apt time to come to such an agreement. In a report titled 'Cybersecurity Convergence in the BRICS Countries', Luca Belli a professor at FGB Law School points out that the idea of an intergovernmental agreement on cybersecurity can easily be complicated by intra-BRICS frictions, "such as the recent China-India skirmishes and India’s subsequent ban of 200-plus Chinese apps." Belli also pointed out that, "Cybercrime, for example, is a particularly sensitive issue, considering that what constitutes a crime is the quintessence of domestic legal culture and national idiosyncrasies. However, the BRICS’ enhanced cooperation on cybersecurity is already ongoing. The current political conjuncture – including the BRICS’ increasingly similar domestic priorities; the consensus found within the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE), saluted by the 2021 BRICS Declaration; and the mandate to elaborate international and intra-BRICS responses – may make this an easier time than ever to come to such an international agreement —Cybersecurity Convergence in the BRICS Countries To support his analysis, Belli provided a lowdown of cybersecurity and information technology policies coupled with his observations and (in some cases) criticisms of each BRICS country. But first, what does the 2021 BRICS Declaration say? Essentially, the declaration…
