The National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in cooperation with the Observer Research Foundation America and the Center for Studies on Democracy and Governance, organized a regional cyber policy dialogue on 20-21 November 2024, in Tirana, Albania. The event brought together 60 participants from government, business and civil society from the six Western Balkan economies, other European countries and the United States.
The agenda of the meeting addressed ways to improve regional cooperation in cyber defense, cyber diplomacy, protection of critical infrastructures, the fight against cybercrime, preserving the integrity of elections in the face of disinformation, and coordination among donor countries.
The Director General of the NCSA, Mr. Igli Tafa, stated:
“Cyber threats to one party in the Western Balkans are threats to the entire region. Visible regional cooperation is essential for the collective security and protection of our communities in cyberspace.”
Maartje Peters, Director for Digital and Hybrid Threats at the Dutch MFA, said:
“Given the wide range of actors needed to find solutions and achieve results in the cyber field, this multilateral dialogue promotes the cooperation of the whole of society to combat cyber threats in the Western Balkans.”
This dialogue builds on the results of previous meetings held in Skopje, North Macedonia, in June 2022 and September 2023, as well as a virtual meeting in April 2021. The next discussion is planned for 2025 to review the progress achieved.
