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Advancing cybersecurity resilience in Asia and the Pacific

To enhance digital development and bolster cyber resilience within Asia and the Pacific, the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are working together to strengthen cybersecurity capacity in the region.

As part of this partnership, joint cybersecurity capacity building trainings were held in Cambodia together with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC), and in the Philippines with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Participants at the MPTC-ITU-JICA Joint Training on Cybersecurity Capacity Building in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Participants during the tabletop exercise at the DICT-ITU-JICA Joint Training on Cybersecurity Capacity Building in Manila, Philippines.
Participants gained valuable insights at the high-level executive training held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Stakeholders from across the Critical Information Infrastructure ecosystem in both countries gained knowledge on Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) services and National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS). Participants are now applying their knowledge gained in their day-to-day activities, to strengthen national cybersecurity readiness in their respective countries.

Additionally, a high-level executive training on cybersecurity was held in Bangkok, Thailand, for senior officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan from government agencies, including the Cabinet Secretary, the GovTech Secretary, and the Commissioner from the Royal Civil Service Commission. The participants underwent advanced tabletop simulations, training sessions, and study visits to institutions in Thailand. During the visit, the participants not only enhanced their cybersecurity awareness but also learned from Thailand’s experience in fostering interagency cybersecurity collaboration.

“Participants have a better understanding of cybersecurity, recognizing it as a country-wide responsibility. They understand that robust cybersecurity leadership and dedicated contributions from every agency are vital to enhance Bhutan’s overall cybersecurity posture and preparedness,” said Dechen Chhoeden, ICT Analyst at Bhutan Computer Incident Response Team (BtCIRT).

As an outcome of this executive training, BDT organized a follow-on workshop with finance, telecommunications, and power sectors stakeholders from both the regulatory and private sector, highlighting the impact of cybersecurity incidents on Bhutan and how to further implement the critical information infrastructure identification methodology in the country.

This is an ITU Development #DigitalImpactUnlocked story

About the partnership

A Joint Statement between BDT and JICA was signed in January 2025 to provide support to countries in enhancing digital development and cybersecurity. Activities include training and technical assistance, as well as awareness raising with stakeholders in the region. This collaboration complements regional efforts like the ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy.