German Chancellor Angela Merkel was briefed on cybersecurity at NATO’s cyber center Aug. 24 during a two-day state visit to Estonia.
Merkel was given a general overview of cyber security at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE), based in Tallinn, Estonia. The briefing highlighted that cyberspace is a new domain where countries must cooperate more than before, the center said.
The CCDCOE is a NATO-accredited knowledge hub based that focuses on interdisciplinary applied research and development concerning cyber security. It includes consultations, training, and information-sharing among NATO members, allies, and partners in cyber defense.
Sven Sakkov, director of the CCDCOE, emphasized that Germany is a founding member of the center and became a major contributor in 2008 by providing researchers and a chief of staff. Germany is the largest contributor to the CCDCOE after Estonia.
“Germany, as many other nations, is building up cyber capabilities. This is a new world in which international cooperation between Allies is more important than ever,” Sakkov said in a statement, alluding to how the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) is creating a cyber unit.
“All nations are facing increasing challenges ranging from applying legislation to cyberspace to protecting their own networks. No future conflict between advanced adversaries is likely to be fought without a cyber element,” he added.
During her visit, Merkel also met with Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas and President Toomas Hendruk Ilves and also visited the e-Estonia Showroom to deliver a speech on Estonia and Germany working together at the SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.) Event Center.
“I hope that after your visit, Estonian information technology (IT) companies and experts will have a concrete opportunity to cooperate with their German counterparts in order to initiate a digital revolution in the industry; and develop smart cyber solutions together,” Rõivas said when introducing Merkel at the e-Estonia Showroom.
“I hope that my visit to Meseberg this spring and Chancellor Merkel’s visit to Tallinn today will lay the foundations for concrete cooperation between Estonia and Germany in the field of IT,” Rõivas said during their Aug. 25 meeting.
“Estonian IT companies and experts are keen to cooperate with Germans in order to find new solutions to boost our economies and improve the lives of our citizens,” he added.