Washington, DC - Senior representatives and other non-governmental stakeholders from the United States and Brazil participated in the U.S.-Brazil Internet and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Working Group to strengthen our joint commitment to an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure cyberspace.

The meeting focused on key cyber and Internet policy topics, such as cybersecurity, data protection, and the free flow of data in the digital age. Officials also discussed recent developments in the field of international security in cyberspace. Working Group discussions facilitated ongoing engagement on cyber and ICT issues in relevant regional and international fora. The dialogue further affirmed our partnership in cyber defense and combatting cybercrime.

Mr. Robert Strayer, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy at the U.S. Department of State, led the U.S. government interagency delegation that included representatives from the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Commerce. Experts from the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission also participated in the Working Group.

Ambassador Benedicto Fonseca Filho, Director of the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation at the Ministry of External Relations, and Thiago Camargo, Secretary for Digital Policy at the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communications, led the Brazilian delegation. The Brazilian delegation also included officials from the Office of the Presidency, Institutional Security Cabinet, Cyber Defense Command, the telecommunications regulatory body Anatel, as well as Brazilian Embassy Attachés from the Federal Policy, Ministry of Defense, and Brazilian Intelligence Agency.

The United States and Brazil agreed to explore a series of technical exchanges and conduct consultations to share best practices on data protection, cross border data flows, ICT procurement, international security in cyberspace, cybersecurity, and military and law enforcement cooperation. The delegations committed to work towards consensus on issues of mutual priority at the International Telecommunication Union in the lead-up to the 2018 Plenipotentiary Conference, in the Inter-American Telecommunication Union, and in other relevant international arenas. The Department of State will share these outcomes and follow-on activities with the non-governmental stakeholders that participated in the Working Group.