The Governments of Spain and Mauritania reinforce collaboration on cybersecurity issues

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, Óscar López, and the Minister for Digital Transformation and Modernization of the Administration of Mauritania, Ahmed Salem Bede, after signing the agreement.

Óscar López stressed that "today is an important day for technological cooperation. Mauritania and Spain signed a Declaration on digital infrastructure and cybersecurity that strengthens the strategic ties between the two countries".

The signing of this agreement has taken place within the framework of the first High Level Meeting (HLM) between Spain and Mauritania, which is taking place in Nouakchott. The meeting, chaired by President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and his counterpart, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, is a diplomatic milestone that consolidates a new stage of enhanced cooperation.

Specifically, this agreement, signed by the Spanish National Institute for Cybersecurity (INCIBE), part of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, establishes a collaboration framework to strengthen digital resilience and cyberspace security in both countries, exchange information on threats, vulnerabilities and best practices, and promote awareness-raising, training and academic cooperation programmes.

This project also aims to boost research, talent and industry in cybersecurity, as well as child online protection. Planned activities include exchanges of experts, training sessions, technical missions, participation in seminars and educational programmes, among others.

The Government of Spain is thus responding to the Mauritanian government's request for support in the development of talent, the design of a national cybersecurity strategy, the creation of structures in this area, such as a national incident response centre, and the cybersecurity of energy infrastructures, among others.

"Just as without cooperation there will be no sustainable development, without cyber security there will be no digital transformation. Spain is clear that no industrial revolution is worthwhile if it does not redistribute wealth and technology among territories and people. I hope that the agreement we are promoting today is only a foretaste of the many steps that Mauritania and Spain will take tomorrow," López stressed.

It should be noted that INCIBE has signed around ten similar memoranda with third countries such as Japan, Argentina and Costa Rica, based on the development of cybersecurity capacities, technical cooperation and the creation of resilient digital ecosystems. This international experience is supported by investments such as the more than 224 million euros mobilised in Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI), including 163 projects linked to the development of new cybersecurity solutions.

"From today, INCIBE will put resources and professionals at the disposal of Mauritania, an absolute priority partner for Spain in the Sahel region," concluded the Spanish minister.

Non official translation.