As part of the EU–LAC Digital Alliance and the Global Gateway, between 18 and 20 March, more than 120 representatives from governments, academia, civil society and the business sector gathered in the French capital to address common challenges in cybersecurity and secure connectivity, reaffirming that bi-regional cooperation is key in the face of threats that know no borders.
It is no secret that cyber-threats are increasing daily in scale and sophistication. For this reason, the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are making progress in developing a joint response to this constant threat through the EU–LAC Digital Alliance.
The Paris dialogue highlighted the shift from strategic alignment towards the concrete implementation of joint actions between the two regions, against a backdrop where critical infrastructure, data and digital services are increasingly exposed. Here, initiatives such as the EU–LAC Digital Alliance and Cyber-SHIELD are of paramount importance in building a trustworthy, inclusive and resilient digital ecosystem.
In this context, RedCLARA and the BELLA II project – represented by Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA; José Palacios, Chair of its Board of Directors and of the REUNA Board; and Juan Pablo Carvallo, Executive Director of CEDIA and member of the RedCLARA Board – continue to position themselves as key players in driving collaboration between Latin America and Europe, contributing to the development of cybersecurity capabilities and the strengthening of meaningful and secure connectivity for the region.
The presence of representatives from RedCLARA, which leads the BELLA II project, reaffirms the commitment of the Latin American advanced networks community to strengthening regional cybersecurity capabilities and building a robust, resilient and reliable digital infrastructure.
The bi-regional shield
One of the main outcomes of the meeting was progress on the EU–LAC Cyber-SHIELD, an initiative currently under development that aims to establish a structured and operational framework to improve preparedness and response to cybersecurity incidents.
The project involves the creation and strengthening of Security Operations Centres (SOCs), support for Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), the development of common protocols and secure channels for information exchange, and the conduct of joint simulations to improve coordination.
These actions aim to reduce existing fragmentation and strengthen the capacity to respond to cyber incidents at both national and regional levels.
Secure connectivity
Secure and resilient connectivity was central to the discussions, which highlighted progress towards practical tools such as the forthcoming 5G Implementation Guide for LAC, designed to promote reliable and sustainable roll-outs across the region.
Opportunities linked to the European IRIS² satellite programme were also explored; this programme seeks to expand connectivity in remote areas through secure, high-performance communications infrastructure, complementing terrestrial networks such as fibre optics and 5G.
RedCLARA: a proven track record in cybersecurity
Since its creation, RedCLARA has worked to strengthen the security of academic and research networks in Latin America, promoting collaboration among its national member networks and facilitating the exchange of best practices, technical knowledge and operational capabilities.
The Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks has driven initiatives aimed at regional coordination in response to security incidents, building technical capabilities in cybersecurity, adopting international standards in network management, and collaborating with global stakeholders to improve digital resilience, amongst other things.
In this context, BELLA II reinforces the efforts of RedCLARA and its member National Research and Education Networks by consolidating an advanced, secure and resilient digital infrastructure between Europe and Latin America, integrating cybersecurity as a cross-cutting component in the development of high-capacity connectivity.
For further information, please visit: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/cyber-shield-europe-and-latin-america-caribbean_en
