The Partnership for Strengthening Cybersecurity project, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, aims to enable partner countries and regional organisations to better protect the global, open, and free cyber space and to improve collaboration of partner countries and regional organisations with Germany. The project is financed by the German Federal Foreign Office and includes different co-financing agreements with the European Union. Activities are implemented in the following regions: Western Balkans; Eastern Partnership countries (esp. Armenia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine), the Southern Neighbourhood, Africa, particularly at the level of regional organisations (currently African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Its regional components are complemented by the global initiative “Her CyberTracks” (co-funded by the EU for 2025-2027), a training and mentoring programme to strengthen women in cyber professions.

The project works towards reaching the following objectives:

• Western Balkans: Regional cooperation in the field of cybersecurity on the path to EU Accession is increased.
• African continent (ECOWAS, African Union): Capabilities to enhance cybersecurity and AI frameworks and protect critical information infrastructure are strengthened.
• Eastern Partnership Countries: Critical information infrastructure industry frameworks and national/sectoral cybersecurity governance and legal frameworks are strengthened in line with NIS2 core pillars, and the functioning of national incident response capabilities is improved based on EU standards and best practices.
• Southern Neighbourhood: Prevention, preparedness and response of relevant stakeholders with regards to cyber threats is improved.

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close cooperation with respective global, regional or bilateral partners

The total budget (37 MEUR) of the Global Programme “Partnership for Strengthening Cybersecurity” includes co-financing from the European Union:
- Support to Digital Transition in the Southern Neighbourhood: 4,0 MEUR (DG MENA)
- Capacity building for cybersecurity and artificial intelligence: 2,5 MEUR (DG INTPA)
- Safe Digital Boost in Africa (SDBA) – Continental: 3,1 MEUR (DG INTPA)
- Strengthening Cybersecurity in the ECOWAS region: 1,5 MEUR (DG INTPA)
- Improving cyber resilience in Eastern Partnership countries II: 1,8 MEUR (DG ENEST)