139th IPU Assembly and Related Meetings
Geneva, 14-18.10.2018
Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in the age of innovation and technological change
Address by Mr. Mihai Alexandru VOICU
Member of the Executive Board of the Romanian Group to the IPU
Madam President/Mr. President,
Distinguished colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am most grateful for the opportunity to take the floor during the 139th IPU Assembly. We are introduced in the era of global change which has upgraded the notion of development to its next stage – the information society. As we all know, digital technologies have affected all areas of society. New technologies have changed the social relationship between people, buyers and producers, customers and public sector.
The world’s digital transformation will accelerate with the rapid advance of new technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and blockchain. Like previous major technological progresses, digitization affects how people live, interact, study and work. Some jobs will disappear, other will be replaced, new jobs will be created, many jobs industries will be transformed and new activities will emerge. This makes investing in one’s digital skills throughout life of the utmost importance. Education and training are then the best investments in the world’s future.
One of the objectives of Romania is to digitalize society and economy in our country.
I would like to specify some of the measures that are on the agenda to reduce the digital gap between Romania and other partners: developing high-speed broadband networks, ensuring the interoperability of digital systems and services and enhancing cyber security, developing dependable, reliable, high-speed and affordable networks and services that protect the fundamental rights of consumer’s privacy and protection of personal data, while encouraging innovation.
We pay particular attention to capitalizing the potential that technology specialist have, especially as the discrepancy between demand and supply of workers with digital skills is increasing, while at the same time, digitization and innovation lead to the creation of new jobs in the industry.
We can all agree that technology is a double-edged sword. While some people are using it with peaceful thoughts, others can use the same tools to plan attacks.
This is why Romania has invested in the development of national capabilities in recent years as cyber security has become a priority of national security. The main effort to strengthen the institutional capabilities of cyber defense was the setting up of the National Cyber Security System (SNSC) and the Operational Council for Cyber Security (COSC), entities provided by the Cybernetics Security Strategy of Romania. Another important milestone was the creation of the National Civic Incident Response Center (CERT-RO) in February 2011.
In order to develop modern capacities to respond to cyber threats, we support the harmonization of internal measures with the international provisions in the field, and within the multilateral formats of cooperation of which Romania is part. At OSCE level Romania manages the cyber file by through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at EU and NATO level, Romania has an important contribution in increasing the awareness with regard to cyber-threats while exchanging information.
As a closing statement, I would like to underline that Parliaments are powerful agents of change and they can play an important role in signalizing the importance of science, technology, innovation and S.T.E.M. education for society.
Thank you!