The files we follow: Geopolitics of transboundary water resources; the UN in the face of contemporary crises and hybrid threats;
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The Coercive Tools of Cyberspace, An Existential Threat to the United Nations
As the United Nations prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary, the organization can claim to have fulfilled its founding mission of preventing a third world war. Despite recurring criticism of its effectiveness, the UN has so far managed to avoid a conflict on the scale of the two world wars of the 20th century. However, the rise of cyber threats casts doubt on this achievement. The coercive use of cyberspace by numerous actors is not new, but its global impact has never been so profound or destabilizing. This form of digital confrontation, often referred to as a “smokeless world war,” raises the question: is the United Nations still capable, in 2025, of guaranteeing international peace? As the first global treaty dedicated to combating cybercrime has just come into force, an overview of this threat from the UN’s perspective is imperative.
