VOST Europe Participates in EU & Latin America and the Caribbean Bi-Regional Seminar on Peace, Security, and Defence Challenges
VOST Europe is honoured to have been invited to participate in the EU & Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) bi-regional seminar on peace, security, and defence challenges, held from 17 to 20 September 2024 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. This four-day seminar brought together civilian and military experts from 35 countries across the EU and LAC regions, focusing on how to strengthen cooperation in addressing the shared security and defence challenges of today’s geopolitical landscape.
Seminar Focus: Addressing Emerging Security Threats
- The event, organized with the support of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Security and Defense College (ESDC), and other key partners, aimed to foster a deepened collaboration between Europe and Latin American countries. Discussions revolved around a wide range of contemporary security threats, such as:
- Hybrid threats
- Foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI)
- Transnational crime
- Cybersecurity
- Maritime security
This seminar represented the first bi-regional gathering of its kind and it revealed itself to be an important platform for building stronger partnerships and sharing expertise to enhance both global and regional security.
VOST Europe’s Role: Tackling Disinformation and AI Challenges
VOST Europe was invited to contribute to the seminar’s discussions on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), disinformation, and the evolving challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Our participation centred around presenting EU-level initiatives designed to counter these threats that can be replicated outside of the EU space, which include:
- The FIMI ISAC Initiative: An Information Sharing and Analysis Centre, led by the European External Action Service (EEAS), that enables rapid sharing of intelligence on FIMI to bolster responses to information manipulation across Europe.
- The Code of Practice on Disinformation: A strengthened self-regulatory framework that VOST Europe actively contributes to, aimed at countering online disinformation through transparency, fact-checking, and better data access for researchers.
- The Digital Services Act (DSA): A key piece of legislation aimed at regulating digital platforms and ensuring transparency, accountability, and user protection to combat illegal content, including disinformation.
- The AI Act: Europe’s first legal framework aimed at regulating the use of AI, ensuring that these technologies are developed and deployed in a way that respects fundamental rights and mitigates the risks of misuse, including their potential to spread disinformation.
Enhancing EU-LAC Cooperation on Security and Defence
This seminar was also an important opportunity to explore how the EU and LAC countries can work together on crisis management, with examples such as the participation of Latin American countries in EU-led military operations and naval missions. VOST Europe’s insights into combating digital threats like disinformation and FIMI aligned with the seminar’s broader agenda of strengthening bi-regional partnerships.
As the digital landscape evolves, the growing threats posed by AI-enhanced disinformation and manipulative online behaviour demand a collaborative approach. VOST Europe’s expertise in using open-source intelligence (OSINT), along with our role in EU-level disinformation countermeasures, was shared with a very interested and curious audience that was keen to know more how to be better equipped to handle these emerging challenges.
Moving Forward: Collaborative Solutions for Global Security
As the seminar ended, VOST Europe looks forward to engaging in further discussions with experts and decision-makers from both regions. We remain committed to contributing to a safer and more secure information environment by leveraging technology, AI, and collaborative partnerships. By working together with the EU and LAC partners, we can develop comprehensive solutions to protect our societies from evolving security threats, both digital and physical.
The dialogue and insights shared during this seminar will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening global security frameworks, and VOST Europe is proud to play a role in these ongoing efforts.