The HLEG formulated proposals to the ITU Secretary-General on long-term strategies to combat cybercrime and promote cybersecurity in the five work areas of the GCA. Its outputs are represented in a strategic report on each of the five work areas and the Report of the Chairman of the HLEG to the ITU Secretary-General, which contains all proposals tabled by HLEG members. The Chairman’s Report further summarizes the work of the HLEG, the views expressed by HLEG members and other information about the work carried out by HLEG, since its inception. Some of the proposals were taken into consideration by ITU Secretary General. Those proposals that were considered have been reviewed by all three ITU Sectors, linked to the relevant ITU mandate and are being taken into account in work programmes of the Sectors.

During the year since its launch, the GCA has achieved some notable successes, including endorsement by the WSIS stakeholder community during the 2008 WSIS Action Line C5 Facilitation Meeting as a credible multi-stakeholder global framework for international cooperation in addressing the global challenges in cybersecurity. The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has also endorsed the GCA as a model for international cooperation in cybersecurity. The GCA initiative has helped ITU assume a leadership role, in both cybersecurity issues and in WSIS implementation.

Through the GCA, ITU’s reputation as a forum for international cooperation has been further reinforced. The GCA has helped ITU take a leadership role in both cybersecurity issues and in WSIS implementation. It has helped build awareness of ITU’s activities among experts within the field and won their commitment and ownership of the strategies developed by the HLEG. With its diverse public-private sector membership (including 191 Member States and more than 700 Sector Members and Associates), ITU is uniquely placed to serve as a global forum for the development of a framework for international cooperation in cybersecurity. The GCA has facilitated the establishment of multi-stakeholder partnerships with new, external partners to promote cybersecurity.

The GCA has helped mobilize and has benefited from the expertise of more than one hundred high-level experts from a broad range of different sectors and geographical regions. The GCA has helped forge a common understanding of cybersecurity threats among countries at all stages of economic development. The HLEG formulated a set of proposals in all five work areas of GCA, five strategic reports and a Chairman’s report, which includes all the work carried out by HLEG in addressing a wide range of challenges and issues related to the fight against cybercrime and the promotion of global cybersecurity.

In affirmation of the international recognition given to the GCA, Dr. Óscar Arias Sánchez, President of the Republic of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Laureate, as well as Mr.Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso, kindly accepted to be the Patrons of the GCA.

Many Member States, through their Ministers and other senior level officials, have endorsed the GCA as a framework for international cooperation in cybersecurity. Furthermore, regional institutions, such as the African Union, have offered to collaborate under the GCA umbrella.

The GCA has also strengthened ITU’s role as a key player in cybersecurity and raised its profile and visibility worldwide. The ITU and GCA have been widely referenced in mainstream media as a major forum for international cooperation in cybersecurity.

The momentum generated by the GCA and the broad nature of this ITU initiative have resulted in interest from other stakeholders and opportunities for collaboration and cooperation. Specific initiatives already undertaken under GCA umbrella include: