Israel Signs On To World Bank Program Advancing Cybersecurity Tech In Developing Countries

Israel has signed an agreement with the World Bank’s Digital Development Partnership to support cybersecurity programs in developing nations, according to the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry. The ministry and the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) will contribute $1 million to the partnership.

The Digital Development Partnership connects public and private sector partners together to support the digital growth of developing countries.

With Israel’s contribution, the Digital Development Partnership will help prepare countries in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe to face challenges in cyberspace, the Israeli ministry said.

Israel will team up with a global development team made up of members from various countries including Japan, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, and Norway, to share cybersecurity experience and knowledge.

Yigal Unna, the director-general of INCD, said in a statement that there was “great demand from African and Asian countries for Israeli knowledge of cybersecurity.”

“The agreement…will continue to position Israel at the forefront of global action in the field of cyber capabilities,” he added.

Ohad Cohen, the trade commissioner of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, stated that the “end goal” of Israel’s involvement in the program was to “mainstream cyber protection in any development initiative that is using digital space as a platform to close the development gap in the world.” He believes that “cyber protection is a central and essential component” to the “economic stability of the countries.”

Israel is considered a global leader in the cybersecurity field, with over 400 active cybersecurity startups and companies. The country hosts two major cybersecurity conferences a year, Cybertech, the largest annual cybersecurity event outside of the US, and Cyber Week at Tel Aviv University, a five-day confab that draws thousands of participants.

At Cybertech 2018, former CIA director Gen (Ret) David H. Petraeus called Israel a “cyber superpower.”