Viewing archives for Americas and Caribbean regional meeting

Americas and Caribbean regional meeting 2024

In an era marked by increasing cybersecurity threats and technological advancements, the 4th GFCE Regional Meeting for the Americas and the Caribbean convened in Washington, DC, to address these critical issues. This meeting provided a collaborative platform for stakeholders from governments, private entities, and academia to discuss strategies for enhancing regional cybersecurity resilience. Participants engaged in discussions focused on the rise of ransomware, the impact of emerging technologies, and the importance of fostering inclusive cybersecurity practices. The meeting underscored the necessity of cohesive efforts to build capacity, promote public-private partnerships, and address the unique challenges faced by the region.

Americas and Caribbean regional meeting 2022

It is in the context of regional cooperation, that the Secretariat of the GFCE, the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) which is the GFCE Regional Americas Hub and the Latin American and Caribbean Cyber Competence Center (LAC4EU), EU CyberNet Project organized the GFCE 2nd Regional Meeting in the Americas.

For this second regional meeting, the GFCE  hub for the Americas and the Caribbean region had the opportunity to gather 32 participants from 15 Member states. This meeting was held with the intention of discussing the role of the GFCE in Latin America and the Caribbean and how best to coordinate capacity-building efforts in the region and coordinate regional efforts more effectively. Additionally, the meeting served as an opportunity to introduce the progress of the GFCE LAC Hub, to discuss with participants the priorities for the future, and to introduce the GFCE and possibilities for involvement to key regional actors.

Additionally, the meeting set a starting point to continue the discussion around the different inputs on what could be the main angle of this region’s agenda for cyber capacity building. The region’s needs, workforce development and gender were among the issues standing out in the open discussion.

An additional outcome of the meeting was the opportunity to connect various dots in existing gaps in CCB, providing updates on various projects and providing a platform for exchange not only among the countries but also among stakeholders as the meeting had a good mix of government representatives as well as the tech community in particular. As an example, some projects presented were the CSIRT best practices project by the OAS.

Some of the main results included the opportunity to present the various CCB projects and implementers in the region and also to share global good practices that exist and that are being implemented in the region. This activity facilitated information sharing and provided an environment to promote greater coordination, collaboration, and networking opportunities among all cybersecurity stakeholders that were present during the event. Specifically, as it relates to the Caribbean region, we were able to open the dialogue on their various challenges and needs related to their cybersecurity issues.

The next step will be to draft the regional agenda and start a process around approving that, ideally with a buy-in from stakeholders across the region. This should feed into the global agenda on capacity building.

Americas and Caribbean regional meeting 2021

In 2021, the Organization of American States (OAS) became the first GFCE Regional Hub in the area, to better connect and enhance collaboration between regional stakeholders and the GFCE Community. The first GFCE-OAS LAC Cyber Capacity Building was held in March 2021 with an aim to introduce the LAC community stakeholders to the GFCE. Following that successful event, the GFCE-OAS Hub hosted a second regional event, the “Implementers and Donors Forum” with the purpose of bringing together donors and implementers involved in CCB in the LAC region to discuss coordination and find areas for collaboration and cooperation among regional actors.

Americas and Caribbean regional meeting 2023

The GFCE Regional Hub for the Americas and the Caribbean held their 2023 Regional Meeting as a satellite event to RightsCon on the 5th June, 2023. The Hub provides practical guidance, expertise, and support to cyber communities, including regional organizations, private sector entities, institutions, and governments. It also facilitates access to the GFCE’s global network for countries seeking support.  

The objective of this year’s Regional Meeting in the Americas was to discuss the role of the GFCE in Latin America and the Caribbean and how to best coordinate capacity building efforts in the region. It provided an opportunity for participants from the region to connect and engage in conversations about existing gaps in cyber capacity building, share good practices, and prioritize their needs for the future. Specific attention was given to gender aspects and cyber workforce development in the region. 

The meeting report is also available in Spanish.