CBM 6: Best practice exchange

Background: CBM 6 encourages OAS member states to actively collaborate through the formation of specialised working groups and dialogue platforms focused on cyber diplomacy and cybersecurity challenges. By promoting the signing of agreements and the exchange of best practices, the measure aims to build mutual understanding, improve coordination in responding to cyber threats, and foster a cooperative environment. Such measures contribute to institutionalising ongoing dialogue, and efforts to enhance collective cyber stability.

Practice: This CBM is closely linked to CBM 5, with its objective of exchanging best practices on cyber diplomacy, cybersecurity, and cyberspace supported by the Cyber Diplomacy Training Program. Each Working Group meeting contributes to this goal by including sessions for lessons learned and sharing best practices. Additionally, the OAS member states' CSIRT network, financially supported by Canada and the United States, implicitly supports this CBM by building a network promoting the exchange of information on cybersecurity threats.

In 2025, OAS member states also began holding meetings on the sidelines of the OEWG to coordinate and exchange information. Moreover, states engage in open, informal groups at the UN OEWG; for example, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay are part of the Confidence Builder Group, Chile and Colombia are part of a group focusing on gender, Canada and Chile coordinated inputs regarding stakeholder participation in the UN processes, and the CICTE Secretariat engaged in inter-regional cooperation regarding the role of regional organisations in the implementing the UN framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

In addition, the CICTE Secretariat facilitated two interregional dialogues in 2025 between OAS and EU Member States bringing together representatives from more than 18 states to exchange views on the future UN Permanent Mechanism on ICT security.234

Some states actively link meetings or exercises they participate in to the implementation of this CBM, for instance an expert meeting between Mexico and the United States in 2023 on cyber strategy and workforce development or member states virtually participating in a conference.235 However, since no formal agreements or dedicated working groups currently exist specifically for this CBM, its implementation remains largely implicit. Thus, CBM 6 is implemented, but not widely.

• OAS member states exchange lessons learned, best practices, and policy experiences through Working Group meetings, OEWG coordination meetings, and other regional and international dialogue formats.