IBSA can play vital role in reforming digital governance

IBSA can play vital role in reforming digital governance

Subject : International relations

Section: Groupings

Concept :

• As per the Geneva-based DiploFoundation, the tripartite IBSA Forum which includes India, Brazil, and South Africa could play a significant role in the process of reforming digital governance, at a time when digital geopolitical tensions are rising.
• The foundation also notes that the first tangible results from IBSA’s digital momentum can be expected during India’s G-20 presidency, which would promote a new gold standard for data.
• The report has highlighted the fact that digitisation is driving growth in the IBSA economies and that India with a vibrant digital economy is the leader among them.
• According to the report of the DiploFoundation, digital geopolitics will be centred on the issues pertaining to the protection of submarine cables and satellites, the production of semiconductors, and the free flow of data.
• India’s G-20 presidency urges for a new standard for data that can help address competing issues around the free flow of data and data sovereignty.

About IBSA Forum

• The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange.
• The grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia (Brazil) on 6th June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
• IBSA does not have a headquarters or a permanent executive secretariat.
• At the highest level, it counts on the Summits of Heads of State and Government.
• Joint Naval Exercise:
  • IBSAMAR (IBSA Maritime Exercise) is an important part of IBSA trilateral defence cooperation.
  • Seven editions of IBSAMAR have been held so far, the latest one being in thePortGqeberha (also known as Port Elizabeth), South Africa in October, 2022.
• IBSA Fund:
  • Established in 2004, IBSA Fund (India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation) is a unique Fund through which development projects are executed with IBSA funding in fellow developing countries.
  • The fund is managed by the United Nations (UN) Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).
  • Each IBSA member country is required to contribute $1 million per annum to the fund.
• IBSA Fellowship Programme:
  • It focuses on multilateral institutional frameworks to coordinate, support and enable sustainable development globally; joint research for cooperation and exchange of information in the fields of macro-economy, trade and development; and any other area as may be found of interest within the IBSA framework.