Endorsing a Secure Digital World
The XIX International Forum opened in Moscow in a hybrid format on September 16, 2025. The event focuses on the current issues of forming a system of international information security (IIS).
The Forum is organized by the National Association for International Information Security (NAIIS) with the support of the office of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Editorial board of International Affairs Journal.
In the new geopolitical realities the interest in the Forum and its discussed topics is growing – more than 350 experts from more than 45 countries, representatives of international organizations – the UN, BRICS, CIS, SCO, CSTO and International Committee of the Red Cross will take part in its work. They will discuss various aspects of advancing cooperation with a view to forming a balanced IIS system.
The Forum was traditionally opened by Boris N. Miroshnikov, President of NAIIS. Oleg V. Khramov, Co-Chairman of the Forum Organizing Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, in his address wished the participants of the event successful and fruitful work.
Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, welcomed the gathering via a video message and called for the development of a diverse and inclusive partnership to consolidate efforts to ensure IIS.
Dmitry G. Gribkov, Assistant Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, in his speech emphasized the blatant use of the ICT environment by Western countries to solve their geopolitical problems and achieve military-political, subversive and terrorist goals. He also addressed international partners with proposals of the possible use of the Russian low-orbit constellation of communication satellites, training of specialists and conducting exercises in the field of information security.
Representatives of specialized government bodies of the Russian Federation made reports on various aspects of the development of the IIS system and international cooperation in the field of IIS. The participants expressed great interest in the speeches of Sergey V. Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Tatyana V. Matveeva, Chief of the Presidential Directorate for the Development of Information and Communication Technology and Communication Infrastructure; Alexander M. Shoitov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation; Zhanna V. Alekseeva, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation; Sergey V. Shytkov, Acting Rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; and Sergey V. Plokhov, Head of Department at the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation.
International delegates actively supported the discussion of the issues of ensuring a safe digital world and presented their vision of joint actions. Outstanding reports were delivered by: Eko Dono Indarto, Deputy for Coordination of Communication and Information of Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs of Indonesia; Mohamed Yongawo, Ambassador of Sierra Leone; Hassan Hadi Latheeth, Head of the Cybersecurity Center of the Ministry of Interior of Iraq; Chun Vat, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia (MPTC); Sanjay Goel, Professor and Chair at the State University of New York; and Drazen Visnjic, Director of Information-communication Agency of the Republic of Srpska.
The work of the Forum continues in the form of thematic expert meetings. On the first day, a scientific and practical discussion was held at Round Table No. 1 moderated by Prof. Anatoly A. Streltsov (D.J.S., D.Eng.S.), Vice-President of NAIIS, Leading Researcher of the Center for Information Security Issues at the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics of Moscow State University. Three more Round Tables will be held in the coming days (September 17-18).
