UNIDIR, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and with support from Global Affairs Canada, hosted a cyber capacity-building and policy training in Islamabad. This bilateral initiative expands on UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme work on strengthening national cybersecurity frameworks across Southeast Asia.
Held from 12 to 16 January, the week-long interactive training aimed at enhancing cyber resilience in Pakistan by fostering greater cohesion and collaboration among national stakeholders. This workshop is part of UNIDIR’s broader commitment to supporting States in implementing the UN cyber norms and responding to the call for more localized and responsive capacity-building, as emphasized by the UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICT Security.
Strengthening cyber resilience in Pakistan
The training opened with high-level remarks capturing the strategic importance of cybersecurity for national resilience and international stability. The session featured addresses by Ambassador Amna Baloch, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan; Ambassador Tarik Ali Khan, High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan; Dr Robin Geiss, UNIDIR Director; and Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan.
Rapid technological change is unfolding amid an increasingly complex geopolitical context. UNIDIR serves as a trusted, neutral partner to help states like Pakistan build more secure, stable and resilient digital future.
Robin Geiss, UNIDIR Director
The training brought together over 70 experts, representing a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from government ministries, critical infrastructure providers, academic institutions, private sector, civil society, and national and provincial computer emergency response teams. Sessions were tailored to the specific cybersecurity context of Pakistan, addressing key topics such as threat evolution, emerging risks and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cloud, IoT and 5G, incident management, and international cyber governance.
The programme introduced UNIDIR’s Foundational Cyber Capabilities framework. This model outlines essential components for national cyber resilience, including strategic planning, legal and institutional development, operational capabilities, and trusted partnerships.
One of the highlights of the week was various dynamic scenario-based exercises to apply UNIDIR Taxonomy of Malicious ICT Incidents to real-world scenarios. This scenario-based activity allowed participants to practice real-time decision-making, coordination, and response strategies in a controlled setting—reinforcing the importance of strategic thinking, preparedness and collaboration.
Aligning policy decision-making with technical response capabilities
The training featured parallel policy and technical tracks designed to strengthen whole‑of‑government cybersecurity preparedness. The UNIDIR-led policy track equipped participants with strategic insights on cyber diplomacy, international law, the UN framework for responsible State behaviour, and national‑level decision‑making during cyber crises, including coordinated responses to ransomware and disinformation.
In parallel, the technical track led by the International Telecommunication Union provided practical exercises and expert briefings for practitioners on incident detection and response, and protection of critical information infrastructure. Together, the two tracks promoted integrated, cross‑sectoral approaches to cyber resilience by linking technical response capabilities with policy, legal and diplomatic frameworks.
Advancing regional cyber resilience
This training in Pakistan forms part of a growing regional series of bilateral trainings – also held in the Philippines, Indonesia, Lao PDR and Thailand – aimed at reinforcing national and regional cybersecurity capacities. Strengthening digital resilience is crucial for preserving open, peaceful, safe and secure cyberspace in the years ahead. UNIDIR remains dedicated to supporting governments with tailored tools and training, enabling them to respond effectively to today’s fast-evolving cyber challenges.
To learn more about UNIDIR’s research-driven training and capacity-building programmes, visit the UNIDIR Academy.
This project is funded by Global Affairs Canada under its Indo-Pacific Strategy.