The US Embassy to Georgia published the US-Georgia memorandum of understanding on 5G security on Thursday.

“The United States and Georgia declare their desire to strengthen cooperation on 5G,” the US Embassy to Georgia said in its statement. “Secure fifth-generation wireless communications networks (5G) will be vital to both future prosperity and national security,” the Embassy noted.

“5G will enable a vast array of new applications, including the provision of critical services to the public, which will benefit our citizens and our economies. Increased amounts of data on 5G networks will further interconnect the economies of the world, including the United States and Georgia, and facilitate cross-border services and commerce,” the Embassy stated.

The US Embassy stressed that “protecting these next generation communications networks from disruption or manipulation and ensuring the privacy and individual liberties of the citizens of the United States, Georgia, and other countries, is of vital importance.”

“To promote a vibrant and robust 5G ecosystem, a rigorous evaluation of suppliers should take into account the rule of law; the security environment; ethical supplier practices; and a supplier’s compliance with secure standards and industry best practices,” the statement reads.

The Clean Network is a 2020 U.S. government-led program to address the long-term threat to data privacy, security, human rights, and principled collaboration posed to the free world from authoritarian malign actors.