According to a Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) press release sent to AGERPRES, the head of Romanian diplomacy stressed the importance of ensuring cyber security, essential for national security and collective defence.

Luminita Odobescu called for a unified and coordinated approach at NATO and partner level to prevent and respond firmly to hostile cyber attacks and activities. These are increasing in frequency, intensity and sophistication, as demonstrated by the war in Ukraine and the growing pressure felt by the Black Sea states. Thus, a good preparedness to combat all cyber threats is necessary.

The conference marked the end of a new cycle of assessing Allied progress in ensuring their own cyber resilience as well as the resilience of the Alliance as a whole. The event takes place annually. This year’s event was attended for the first time by NATO partner states as guests in certain sessions.

This year’s discussion agenda covered topics of particular relevance both in the context of the conflict in Ukraine and from the perspective of the risks and opportunities posed by new technologies to the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure. Port cyber security and the impact of artificial intelligence on critical infrastructure protection and cyber security were among the main topics of discussion.

The NATO Cyber Defence Pledge conference, which took place on Thursday and Friday, was co-organised by Romania and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Minister Odobescu was joined at the opening of the event by Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Kajsa Ollongren, and NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana and more than 150 delegates from 50 NATO allies and partner countries participated in the works of the conference.

Romania’s co-organising and participating in the „NATO Cyber Defence Pledge 2024” conference is in line with the objectives approved by the president of Romania, as well as at the level of the Supreme Council for National Defence, to intensify Romania’s involvement at NATO level in the area of cyber defence.

According to the MAE, being co-organiser of the conference has increased the visibility of the country’s efforts as a NATO ally, while highlighting the contribution and expertise that Romania already brings to NATO in the cyber defence area.

AGERPRES