Cybersecurity : Training Workshop on Cyber Threat Intelligence

Dr. the Honourable Avinash Ramtohul, Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation;

Mrs Phoolranee​ RAMPADARATH, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation;

Dr Khaleem Usmani, Officer In Charge, Computer Emergency ResponseTeam of Mauritius;

Ms Celia Pellet, Associate Capacity Development Officer, Capacity and Skills Development Division, International Telecommunication;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning and Welcome.

I am pleased to address you today on the occasion of the opening of this  training workshop on ‘Cyber Threat Intelligence’ – organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with the Computer Emergency Response Team of Mauritius (CERT-MU), in the framework of the ‘Capacity Development for Digital Transformation’ programme, funded by the European Union under its the Global Gateway initiative.

Also, I would like to address a special welcome to all the International Participants.  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Cyber threats have emerged as a significant challenge in today's interconnected world, impacting individuals, organizations, and governments alike. The sophistication of cyberattacks, including ransomware, phishing, and state-sponsored intrusions, underscores the vulnerabilities present in modern digital ecosystems. Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, energy, and public administration are particularly susceptible to these threats, as cyberattacks can disrupt essential services, compromise sensitive data, and erode public trust. 

If we are to make the digital transition a success, it is important that the digital economic growth and development go hand in hand with building cyber resiliency – people will need to know that they can trust the technology they have at hand. 

To address the ever-increasing, diverse and sophisticated cyber threats and their significant impacts, technical solutions alone are not enough anymore, it is important to adopt holistic approaches that align technical solutions with policy initiatives and governance structures. Governments, organizations, and institutions needs to be empowered to be able to design and implement robust cybersecurity frameworks that are both scalable and adaptable. 

However, most counties face an alarming cyber skills gap whilst the magnitude of cyber threats is increasing exponentially.

In order to address this gap, the European Union is funding a Global Capacity Building programme of 4M Euros called ‘Capacity Development for Digital Transformation’. The programme aims at strengthening the capacity of Policymakers and Government Officials in charge of designing the right policies and strategies to lead their countries through the digital transformation. The programme targets to train around 5000 Policy Makers/Government Officials engaged in digital transformation, in topics ranging from digital transformation, digital economy/ e-commerce, data &data governance, digital public goods and digital public infrastructure, gender, digital divide and digital inclusion, emerging technologies, digital & green, and many other related topics.

And, this training workshop will support All of you present today, Policy Makers and Government Officials, to gain cyber threat intelligence skills required to effectively create a secure and trusted digital environment and to foster resilience to cyber threats, in your countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The European Union Cyber Security Strategy aims to ensure a global and open Internet with strong safeguards where there are risks to security and the fundamental rights of people. It is based on three principal instruments, namely; regulatory, investment and policy initiatives. These three instruments address three areas of EU action:

1. resilience, technological sovereignty and leadership;
2. operational capacity to prevent, deter and respond;
3. cooperation to advance a global and open cyberspace.

And the EU is committed to supporting this strategy through an unprecedented level of investment in its digital transition, over the years to come. This would quadruple previous levels of investment. 

Moreover, the EU International Digital Strategy that was presented on 5 June 2025, is the EU’s plan to strengthen its leadership in global digital affairs, while reinforcing its digital partnerships.  It focuses on boosting European competitiveness, promoting a digital agenda focused on the security of Europe and its partners, and shaping global digital governance and standards.  It places  emphasis on deepening its existing partnerships such as Digital Partnerships, Digital Dialogues, among others, through new cooperation initiatives and projects, as well as building new Partnerships and Dialogues. It will also connect these partnerships through a Digital Partnership Network.

The dissemination of this new International Strategy is currently ongoing; the Delegations based in our Partner Countries will be reaching out to the relevant authorities on this new international strategy.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I will conclude by saying that: 

Building a safe and secure internet for the global economy is a major challenge that no country, organisation or company can solve alone. It is a shared global challenge and a shared responsibility that requires strong international cooperation. And, the EU through its new International Digital Strategy continues to promote this global cooperation, by supporting its partner countries in developing a resilient digital transformation with a human rights-based approach.

I would like to add that, this training course would not have been possible without the support of Dr the Honorable Avinash Ramtohul, the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, the CERT-MU and the ITU, and of course our Colleagues from the ‘Digital Transformation Unit’ in Brussels. I wish to express my gratitude to all of them. 

I thank you for your attention and wish you a fruitful and interactive workshop. I hope that by the end of the 5-days training, all the participates would acquire enhanced skills in threat hunting accuracy, in effectiveness of incident response, and in raising organizational awareness of the evolving cyber threat landscape, and that they will be able to share their experience with their peers back home.