The United States and our democratic partners are committed to driving global technology and innovation. Together, we must work to shape the evolution of digital and emerging technologies in a way that serves our people and upholds our democratic values. As such, my team and I are supporting the Jamaican Government’s efforts to transition Jamaica to a digital economy.

Last year, Vice-President Kamala Harris spoke with Prime Minister Holness and announced that the United States will provide US$5.5 million to help the country develop its cybersecurity capabilities and combat cyber-enabled crime. Our US Agency for International Development will help Jamaica develop its cybersecurity capacity, a key component for growing Jamaica’s digital economy and workforce. This effort will be complemented by capacity building on investigating and prosecuting cybercrime cases by our Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

5G Technology

The United States and our like-minded partners such as the European Union are supporting Jamaica in the digital space because the world is in the midst of a great transition in telecommunications through 5G technology.

5G is transformative and will touch every aspect of our lives, including critical infrastructure such as transportation, electric power distribution, healthcare, and public health. This is sensitive data for governments, companies, and individuals alike, and securing it is of paramount importance. As President Biden has said, economic security is national security, and countries and citizens should have trust that 5G equipment and software will not introduce risks that threaten national security, intellectual property, personal privacy, or human rights.

We can only address 5G security effectively through a truly global approach. The United States is committed to engaging on this topic with all our allies and partners to promote open, interoperable, reliable, and secure information and communications technology infrastructure. This will enable not only our collective response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic but will also facilitate efforts to meet the security challenges and economic opportunities of the future. These networks are the backbone on which our digital economy is built, and a strong, trustworthy foundation is a prerequisite for the job of tomorrow. The secure development and deployment of 5G infrastructure in both developed and emerging economies is of critical concern to us all, and none of us can do it alone. That’s why the United States joined 30 other countries in supporting the Prague Proposals in November 2020 and again in November 2021, which promote a diverse and competitive marketplace for trustworthy 5G suppliers.

The United States is proud to have collaborated with the Jamaican Government as it is adeptly managing the transition to emerging technologies. In October 2021 we supported a Jamaican ministerial and technical delegation visit to Arizona State University to explore digital learning programs, cybersecurity, technical and engineering education, and renewable energy research.

The delegation then travelled to Washington where US and Jamaican Government representatives signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation on 5G. The declaration encourages both countries to develop, deploy, and commercialise 5G networks based on the principles of fairness and transparency applicable to open market competition, and keeping with the rule of law. This approach to 5G deployment will ensure the security of Jamaican citizens’ and companies’ data, as will interoperability with networks in other countries, something that is crucial for Jamaica’s tourism and financial industries.

Digital Connectivity

As Jamaica takes steps towards 5G technology, our countries continue to work together to promote reliable and affordable Internet for marginalised communities. Our Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program hosted a workshop with the Jamaican Government where US private and public sector representatives shared best practices in building resilient and robust communication networks in underserved communities. These networks are critical for economic development and public safety.

At the workshop, the Jamaican Spectrum Management Authority and US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) signed a memorandum of understanding to work closely together on common telecommunication regulatory and policy objectives. Jamaica’s leadership in this space was also evident at a regional workshop in Montego Bay where government representatives from Jamaica, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, and Grenada discussed data-driven approaches to broadband deployment, wireless infrastructure sharing, and deploying resilient and secure wireless communication networks with representatives from the FCC, National Telecommunications Information Administration, and Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Declaration for the Future

The United States and Jamaica’s close technical cooperation on emerging technology is based on our shared democratic values and desire to have our citizens connect and express themselves with the rest of the world.

Our cooperation is important now more than ever because globally we are witnessing a trend of rising digital authoritarianism where some states act to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation, and deny their citizens other human rights. At the same time, millions of people still face barriers to access, as well as cybersecurity risks and threats that undermine the trust and reliability of networks.

For that reason, we commend Jamaica for joining us and 60 other partners from around the globe to launch the Declaration of the Future of the Internet. This declaration represents a political commitment among declaration partners to advance a positive vision for the Internet and digital technologies. It reclaims the promise of the Internet in the face of the global opportunities and challenges presented by the 21st century.

To conclude, the United States and Jamaica remain close partners in promoting open, secure, and reliable communications networks. Our efforts are based on our joint belief that our citizens have the right to a free flow of information and should have trust in the global digital ecoystem.

N Nick Perry is the United States ambassador to Jamaica