Lauri Aasmann highlighted how strategic approach to cyber capacity building strengthens broader societal resilience in addition to cybersecurity. He noted that it acts as an enabler for economic growth, digital inclusion and trust in digital transformation. Moreover, in addition to technology, trained professionals, strong institutions and legislative frameworks help to create resilience. The broader discussion underscored how “people before technology approach” benefits wider society as a whole.

As the discussion turned to international cooperation, Lauri Aasmann outlined the European Union’s strategic role in advancing global cyber capacity building. “One of the EU’s objectives in cybersecurity is to leverage cyber capacity building to bridge global divide. While cyber threats are global, resilience often is uneven,” he noted. Through EU CyberNet and LAC4 Centre, the EU has engaged with more than 22 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, delivering technical and strategic-level trainings that strengthen regional resilience and bi-regional cooperation.

Aasmann also pointed to EU CyberNet’s role in connecting initiatives, reducing duplication of efforts and ensuring that EU-funded capacity building remains strategic and sustainable. He concluded by empahsising the need for forward-looking and inclusive approaches: cyber capacity building must anticipate emergning technologies such as artificial intelligence or quantum computing or proactively involve all stakeholders from governments to private companies and academia to ensure preparedness for the cyber challenges of tomorrow.

The session, titled “International Cyber Security Cooperation and Capacity Building” included Stéphane Le Bouyonnec (Deputy Minister and CIO of the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs of Quebec), Arman Giloyan (ICT for Europe), Christina Marcotte (Global Affairs Canada) and Berta Jarosova (Czech Republic’s Cyber Attache to Canada).

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCxJs2