Singapore signed an agreement with Canada and the United States focusing on data sharing, technical certification programmes, and capacity building initiatives. A two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) with Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development.
The agreement includes the member's partnership in areas like information exchange on cyber threats and cyber-attacks and best practices on human resource development. It will also include developments of provisions of technical and certification services, cybersecurity improvements, and building the member's regional cybersecurity capacity.
The agreement aims to improve Singapore's cybersecurity capabilities crucial to its operations. The country significantly uses cybersecurity in its infrastructure protection, domestic cybersecurity ecosystem development, and the development of its cyberspace.
Singapore and Canada's MOU was witnessed by the Canadian prime minister and the Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and it was signed by CSA chief executive David Kohand the High commissioner of Canada in Singapore Lynn McDonald.
According to the CSA, they, also, signed a separate Declaration of Intent (DOI) with the United States government in the aim of collaborating in the development of a technical assistance programme for ASEAN member states. The agreement is a collaboration of Singapore's ASEAN CYBER Capacity Programme (ACCP) and the US' Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership initiative.
The agency said that the partnership with the United States will provide three cybersecurity training workshops covering technicalities in cybersecurity capacity building that will involve the country's technology partners. The workshops are planned to be held in Singapore and in other ASEAN member states that are participants of the agreement.
David Koh, CSA Chief Executive, said that with cybersecurity a transboundary issue, strong international partnerships remain key to navigating the increasingly complex cyber terrain. He also said that the partnerships with Canada and the U.S. might strengthen the cybersecurity capacity development effort in ASIA. The 33rd ASEAN Summit made the signing of the agreements possible. The summit was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US Vice President Mike Pence. According to reports, the Singaporean government is also committed to a cybersecurity partnership agreement with other nations including Australia, France, and India.
Prime Minister Lee said that although Singapore and US bilateral relationship is also comprehensive, they are still discovering new ways to cooperate, for example, in energy, advanced manufacturing, and technology partnerships.
According to Mr. Pence, the new initiative will leverage American business expertise to help their ASEAN partners defend their digital borders.
