Ireland has decided to join the Tallinn, Estonia-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence; the Irish ambassador to the country, Frances Kiernan, visited the centre on 3 October to submit the letter of intent and start the accession process.
“With its strong digital economy and society, we believe Ireland is a country that is very much aware about the security risks in cyberspace,” Colonel Jaak Tarien, the director of the centre, said in a statement.
“Accordingly, the Irish decision to contribute to tackling various cybersecurity challenges at the international level along with a community of like-minded nations that we have in the CCDCOE is mutually beneficial, highly welcome and most timely having in mind the current Cyber Security Awareness Month.”
New avenues for cooperation
“The Irish decision to join the CCDCOE opens up new avenues for cooperation in the field of cyber defence. The multinational nature of the centre helps tie together national experiences and bring synergy in cyber skills and knowledge. We are looking forward to have an Irish cyber expert joining our interdisciplinary team,” he added.
The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is a NATO-accredited knowledge hub, think-tank and training facility, based in Tallinn, Estonia. The international military organisation focuses on interdisciplinary research and development, as well as training courses and exercises in the field of cyber security.
Twenty-two members and three partners
Membership of the centre is open to all allies and the centre is also welcoming cooperation with like-minded partners.
Currently Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States have signed on as sponsoring nations of the centre.
Austria, Finland and Sweden are part of the centre as contributing participants – the status available for non-NATO nations.
Cover: The HQ of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn.
