By Itzhak Rabihiya
Israel signed today (Monday,
17 June 2019) with the World Bank a new contribution agreement that is aimed
to support developing countries with cybersecurity by joining the Digital
Development Partnership (DDP). This partnership was declared last month in
Washington, by the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) Director General
Yigal Unna and the Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank, Makhtar Diop.
By a joint contribution
between the INCD and the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Israel, along with
other donors, will promote through this Multi Donor Trust Fund the
digitalization and cyber security in the developing world. Israel for the
first time will join hands with the development community in promoting a
strategic sector and will sit around the table with key players in the arena
such as Japan, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, and Norway; as well as
with major entities such as GSMA. The World Bank will provide, through
Israel’s contribution, technical assistance to countries in Africa, Latin
America, Eastern Europe and Asia and will build the foundation for their
preparedness for challenges in the cyberspace.
According to the agreement,
the Ministry of Economy and Industry and INCD will contribute $ 1 million in
the DDP (Digital Development Partnership) for various outputs of knowledge
sharing, awareness raising and capacity building. In addition, Israel will be
part of the Fund's other efforts to develop digital technologies and
cyberspace in developing countries. Israel will share its knowledge and
experience in raising the readiness and resilience of critical sectors for
cyber events, and will make its academics and entrepreneurs available for the
development needs. The Israeli representatives
will be part of the Partnership’s discussions bringing to the table the
outstanding Israeli experience in the field and its point of view.
"There is a
great demand from African and Asian countries for Israeli knowledge of cyber
security," Unna said today. "The agreement will allow the Israeli
cyber industry and academy to contribute from its vast knowledge and will
continue to position Israel at the forefront of global action in the field of
cyber capabilities."
Ohad Cohen, Trade
Commissioner, Ministry of Economy and Industry said: "With the increase
in the development and in the use of digital tools in developing countries,
cyber protection is a central and essential component in building public
confidence in these tools and in the economic stability of the countries that
rely on them. The World Bank Group, and the DDP as its pro-active arm in the
digital arena, is an important channel to expand the global cyber protection
and extend the Israeli expertise to new places that are in need of it. The
end goal of this collaboration is to mainstream cyber protection in any
development initiative that is using digital space as a platform to close the
development gap in the world".
With the increase in the development
and in the use of digital tools in developing countries, cyber protection is
a central and essential component in building public confidence in these
tools and in the economic stability of the countries that rely on them. The
World Bank Group, and the DDP as its pro-active arm in the digital arena, is
an important channel to expand the global cyber protection and extend the
Israeli expertise to new places that are in need of it. The end goal of this
collaboration is to mainstream cyber protection in any development initiative
that is using digital space as a platform to close the development gap in the
world.
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