Session 13: Building resilience to address foreign interference in open societies

Oct 22, 2024 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Auditorium Testori

Description

(Auditorium Testori, English/French interpretation, available via Livestream) Foreign interference activities are testing institutions in well-established democracies and beyond. Elite capture, disinformation campaigns, electoral interference and transnational repression are just a few types of the complex foreign interference phenomena, which can impact a broad set of policy sectors and destablilise political systems. Intensifying foreign interference activities are undermining decision-making in open societies and changing the landscape of international relations. This session will explore how to design civilian governance policy responses to build resilience against foreign interference in a globalised world. It will aim to initiate a global policy dialogue to achieve a common understanding of acceptable influence versus interference, enabling countries to exercise their foreign influence in full transparency and accountability to tackle the global challenges effectively. Discussions will build on the OECD Action Plan on Stronger Open Democracies in a Globalised World. How can open societies build resilience to foreign interference without compromising the benefits of legitimate foreign influence? What are the policies and tools governments can design and utilise to develop a strategic response to the risks of foreign interference? How can the OECD support the opening of a global dialogue to reduce the threats of foreign interference and reinvigorate trust in international cooperation?