Israel on Monday, June 17, 2019, signed a new contribution agreement with the World Bank 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.

As a result of a joint contribution between the INCD and the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Israel, along with other donors, will promote the digitalization and cybersecurity in the developing world through this Multi Donor Trust Fund.

Israel will join hands with the development community for a first time to promote 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 technical assistance to countries in Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia through Israel’s contribution, 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 the outstanding Israeli experience in the field and its point of view to the table.

“There is a great demand from African and Asian countries for Israeli knowledge of cyber security,” Unna said on Monday. “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: “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.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)