EU and Vietnam conduct advanced cybersecurity training to strengthen resilience of critical infrastructure

Cybersecurity experts from the European Union (EU) and Vietnam conducted a four-day training course focused on the protection of critical information systems and infrastructure.

The advanced course, hosted by the Institute for Defence International Relations (IDIR) under the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam, was coordinated by the EU project Enhancing the EU’s Security Cooperation In and With Asia and the Indo-Pacific (ESIWA+).

The activity represented a milestone in deepening EU-Vietnam security cooperation, in the context of high-level engagements and annual Security and Defence Dialogues, reflecting shared priorities around digital resilience, cyber norms, and responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, said Thomas Wiersing, Chargé d'affaires of the EU Delegation to Vietnam.

“This training reflects our commitment to strengthening Vietnam’s cyber resilience and our shared interest in protecting the infrastructure that underpins national security and societal stability. As a reliable security partner, the EU stands ready to contribute to the resilience of critical cyber-security infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific through operational cooperation and knowledge-sharing,” said Wiersing.

Specifically designed for cybersecurity professionals from defence institutions, the training provided in-depth information on security architecture, risk assessment methodologies, incident response planning, and the governance of emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain. The interactive sessions promoted alignment with international cyber norms and EU frameworks such as the Network and Information Systems (NIS2) Directive, the Cyber Resilience Act, and the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) threat landscape.

Opening the training, Sr Colonel Col Bui Xuan Anh, Deputy Director of IDIR, welcomed the engagement with the EU, saying: “This training reflects not only our growing cooperation with the European Union, but also the strategic trust that underpins it. In a rapidly evolving threat environment, this is not merely a technical transfer — it is a shared reflection on how our institutions prepare for, prevent, and respond to complex cyber crises affecting national security.”

Trainers include EU cybersecurity experts with deep experience in defence, critical infrastructure, and EU regulatory implementation. Vietnamese participants were selected from expert-level ranks within the Ministry of National Defence and affiliated agencies.

About the EU’s ESIWA+ project
ESIWA+ (Enhancing the EU’s Security Cooperation In and With Asia and the Indo-Pacific) promotes cooperation in four strategic areas: cybersecurity, maritime security, crisis management and addressing hybrid threats, counter-terrorism and preventing/countering violent extremism. It is co-funded by the European Commission (FPI), the German Federal Foreign Office, and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and co-implemented by Expertise France and GIZ.

Previous ESIWA activities in Vietnam
ESIWA has organised a series of trainings and pre-departure workshops given by its cooperant seconded to the Vietnamese Department for Peacekeeping Operations (VNDPKO), preparing personnel to be deployed to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, UN Staff Officers’ Course, and the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic, among others. Vietnam signed a Framework Participation Agreement (FPA) with the EU in 2019, facilitating its participation in and contribution to CSDP missions and operations.

In May 2024, ESIWA organised the first EU-Vietnam dialogue on convergences on maritime security, on board the French navy frigate Vendémiaire that made a call in the port of Da Nang.

In June 2024, ESIWA coordinated the launch of the Vietnamese version of the handbook on the EU‘s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in Hanoi in cooperation with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), and the Austrian Ministry of Defence.