On 5 February, EU CyberNet hosted Stakeholder Community Day in Brussels, bringing together cybersecurity experts, policymakers and professionals. The final panel, titled “Critical Infrastructure Protection, Secure and Resilient Connectivity and Global Gateway” examined relationship and intersection between cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection and connectivity.

Panellists brought together perspectives from both the European Union and Sub-Saharan Africa, agreeing that cybersecurity is fundamental to economic and societal stability. However, the protection of critical infrastructure extends beyond cybersecurity, encompassing geopolitical stability, economic dependencies and data sovereignty.

Moreover, panellists identified several challenges in in cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure, notably the need for reducing reliance on non-EU vendors and fostering cooperation and public-private partnerships within the EU. Key challenges discussed included:

• Regulatory and policy gaps, such as lack of harmonised cybersecurity frameworks.
• Incident preparedness and response readiness with a need to improve coordination and response mechanisms.
• Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, including trusted vendor issues, undersea infrastructure protection, dependencies on foreign infrastructure, and accountability.
• Spread of disinformation by foreign actors.

As panellists discussed on future scenarios, they explored several ways forward to ensure self-sufficiency, legislative alignment and technical sovereignty:

• Developing resilient cybersecurity frameworks and updating national cybersecurity strategies, including improved regulatory harmonisation and development of incident response mechanisms.
• Strengthening capacity building efforts within the EU and beyond, focusing on upskilling, cyber hygiene, and awareness raising.
• Enhancing public-private partnerships to reduce dependency and improve implementation of cybersecurity measures.
• Improving critical infrastructure security beyond cyber: emphasising physical protection is as crucial as digital protection.

In conclusion, panellists noted that resilient digital ecosystems are vital for both economic growth and international stability: global challenges require global solutions, with an emphasis on region-specific, collaborative and sustainable approaches.

Panelists:

• Jakub Dysarz (Cyber Attaché, Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU)
• Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola (African Union Cyber Security Expert Group Chair)
• Florian Marcus (Head of Sales and Partnerships, Cybernetica)
• Tom Doise (Policy Officer, Policy Outreach and International Affairs Unit, DG CNECT)

Moderator:

• Camille Lalevee (Policy Officer, Digital Transformation Unit, DG INTPA) 

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eucybernet/albums/72177720323621845/