OSCE cybersecurity points of contact from Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus visit the Netherlands

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, organized a study visit from 2 to 6 February for policy and technical points of contact from Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe and South Caucasus, who are a part of the OSCE’s network created in line with confidence-building measure number 8 (CBM 8), one of the OSCE’s 16 cyber/ICT security confidence-building measures.

Participants visited relevant ministries, institutions, and private companies responsible for enhancing cybersecurity in the Netherlands. They gained valuable insights into good practices, shared knowledge on the latest cybersecurity developments, and explored potential areas for collaboration in strengthening digital resilience. Exchanging experiences in cyber diplomacy and international cybersecurity is essential for building trust and fostering future co-operation.

 “The pace of cyberattacks is increasing and becoming more complex. To address these emerging challenges, a proactive approach is required. By building coalitions and strengthening regional and international co-operation, we can be more effective in our responses,” said Maartje Peters, Head of the Digital and Hybrid Threats Division of the Security Policy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

At a workshop at the Academy of Clingendael, the Netherlands Institute for International Relations, the participants learned about the international rules and guidelines for actions, methods and means of attributing cyber operations, as well as the Netherlands’ perspective on addressing and responding to major cyber incidents. Experts also took part in a practical exercise featuring a real-life cyber incident scenario to explore how to formulate potential diplomatic responses.

“Having just joined the OSCE CBM 8 Network, this study visit was an excellent opportunity to liaise with other points of contact from the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe regions and to exchange knowledge, experiences, best practices and lessons learned,” said Emina Merdan, Head of the Department for the European Union at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 “I am really impressed by the technical solutions that the Netherlands uses in addressing cybersecurity incidents. Additionally, the co-operation model through public-private partnerships and academia can serve as a good practice for my country,” added Alexandru Caliman, Computer Security Incident Response Team specialist at Moldova’s Agency for Cybersecurity.

This study visit was organized as a part of the “Strengthening the Work of the CBM 8 Points of Contact Crisis Communication Network” project with financial support from the Netherlands.