Chisinau, Moldova
[Remarks as Prepared]
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR ISOBEL COLEMAN: Thank you, Ambassador [Kent] Logsdon. Thank you, Prime Minister [Dorin] Recean, Deputy Prime Minister [Dumitru] Alaiba, and National Cybersecurity Agency Head [Mihai] Lupascu, for spearheading Moldova’s digital transformation – and for championing the cybersecurity protections upon which this transformation depends. Thank you, Rector [Viorel] Bostan and Director [Ludmila] Peca for your tireless efforts to bring this partnership to life. And good morning, everyone.
I don’t need to tell this audience that cyber threats are growing increasingly prevalent, dangerous, sophisticated, and global. And we know that the costs of these attacks can be overwhelming: in 2017, a cyber attack inflicted on Ukraine by Russian actors – now known as “NotPetya” – spread globally, causing an estimated $10 billion – nearly 180 billion Moldovan Lei – in global economic damage, including in the United States. With a full-scale war on its doorstep, Moldova is just one of many countries at sustained risk from the Kremlin as it attempts to destabilize its neighbors.
The people of Moldova deserve safety, security, and protection – which require specialized cyber tools, technology, and training. So, the Government of Moldova, the U.S., the UK, and Sweden have come together to help Moldova create the CyberCor National Institute of Cybersecurity Innovations – a state-of-the-art educational institution here at the Technical University of Moldova specifically designed to enhance Moldova’s cybersecurity. CyberCor, which I just had a chance to tour, will officially launch this summer, with the goal of training a new generation of cybersecurity experts prepared to defend their nation against cyberthreats. And not only will CyberCor educate Moldova's future cyber-defenders, but it will also lead to a more skilled, future-ready workforce. It’s a step toward reviving Moldovan universities, and a step toward boosting Moldova’s civilian security and economic prosperity.
In partnership with the private sector – including Google and Cisco – USAID has mobilized $1.3 million – over $23 million Moldovan Lei – in total funding to support CyberCor. Already, these resources have equipped CyberCor with essential cybersecurity infrastructure like servers, data centers, firewalls, network security hardware, and licenses for software. Now, we’re pleased to hand over a new array of IT equipment valued at $600,000 USD – that’s $10.7 million Lei – today. This new equipment will further enhance CyberCor’s ability to train the cybersecurity professionals of the future, who will serve on the frontlines of safeguarding Moldova’s security, autonomy, and prosperity.
Right now, governments around the world – including, most notably, Moldova's neighbor Ukraine – are showing the extraordinary benefits of embracing digitization: making it easy to get a digital ID, register a business, apply for a construction permit, make payments using mobile wallets, get salaries and pensions, and more. The result is better economic growth, reduced corruption, and greater prosperity for all. But harnessing this potential relies fundamentally on strong cyber protections and safeguards on personal data. The more secure Moldova can make its tech infrastructure, the more it will benefit from the digital revolution. The United States looks forward to continuing to partner with the Moldovan people in bringing this promising vision to life.
Thank you.