Estonian-led initiative expands cyber cooperation to the Indo-Pacific region

Estonian-led initiative expands cyber cooperation to the Indo-Pacific region

The European Union has allocated an additional 6.6 million euros to the EU CyberNet project to strengthen global cyber capabilities and increase the resilience of Indo-Pacific countries to cyber threats over the next three years.

Liina Areng, Director of EU CyberNet, said that the first six years of the project have laid a solid foundation for further work. ‘In the past six years, we have built a network of over 550 experts and 123 partner organisations to support the growth of cyber capabilities in partner countries through trainings, tabletop exercises, and advisory services. We will continue to expand the network and coordinate its activities. In the second phase, we will focus more on Indo-Pacific countries, where we will help to develop cybersecurity strategies, as well as increase crisis preparedness and cyber awareness among the population,’ Areng said.

Gert Auväärt, Director of NCSC-EE, said that as cyberspace is a world without borders and cyber threats affect everyone, it is particularly important for cyber experts from Estonia and elsewhere in Europe to share their experiences, cooperate, and thereby strengthen international security. ‘As the project leader, RIA can share Estonia’s unique experiences in developing a digital state and protecting it against cyber threats. At the same time, we can also learn from others, bringing new knowledge and practices to Estonia. The EU CyberNet project will increase the international visibility of our experts and Estonia, as well as create new cooperation opportunities for our companies and research institutions. As the project leader, we can also participate in discussions that influence global trends and shape the future of cybersecurity,’ added Auväärt.