New national cyber security centre to be set up

Businesses will soon be able to tap into funds to beef up their cyber security after the state agency for digital development won a bid to obtain national and European funding to set up a national centre to coordinate efforts in the space.

MITA was awarded €2.9 million to carry out a project that is co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme, operated by the European Commission, and national funds. The project aims to strengthen cyber security capabilities in Malta and in the European Union.

This was announced during a press conference by Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Chris Bonett, Principal Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana, MITA CEO Emanuel Darmanin and European Services in Malta CEO Mandy Falzon.

A National Coordination Centre will be set up, as in other member states, to build the necessary cyber security capacity through cooperation and joint actions.

With the assistance of European Services in Malta, MITA has set out the objectives of this project where funds will be allocated to SMEs to invest in state-of-the-art solutions, including training to employees.

Five cyber security areas have been identified which are a priority for local SMEs. These areas focus on problems related to the digital sector encountered on a daily basis by businesses in Malta. Through these funds, businesses should find help to invest more in cyber security.

Parliamentary Secretary Bonett said that through this project they will be helping businesses so that they too are protected from cyber threats that can have an effect on their business. Dr Bonett thanked the European Services in Malta that through their assistance MITA was able to obtain these funds.

In his speech, Mr Sultana, who also serves as chairman of MITA, remarked that the work done in recent years has made MITA a national reference point in technology. He mentioned that this investment in cyber security will be another step forward for the agency to continue to assert its credentials and further improve its services to the government in the use of technology.

MITA CEO Emanuel Darmanin spoke about the importance of this project, noting that the plan is to achieve its objectives within two years.