S'pore to fund new regional cybersecurity training center

WEDNESDAY, September 19, 2018

Singapore will spend 30 million Singapore dollars (about US$21.89 million) on fully funding the upcoming ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE), the Channel NewsAsia quoted a government factsheet as saying on Wednesday.

The ASCCE will help develop the cybersecurity capabilities of ASEAN member states, and it will fulfill three principal functions, including cyber think-tank and training center, Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) center and cyber range training center.

Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran said the center will be launched in 2019

Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran said the center will be launched in 2019, as an extension of the ASEAN Cyber Capacity Programme (ACCP).

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He said in his speech at the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity on Wednesday that all ASEAN member states, dialogue partners and relevant stakeholders including industry partners and international organizations are welcome to participate in the ASCCE.

"To date, Australia, Canada, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (Britain) and the United States have indicated keen interest to work with us to develop and deliver programs under the ASCCE," he added.

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean announced the set-up of the ASCCE on Tuesday at the third Singapore International Cyber Week. He said through the ASCCE, ASEAN members can engage more closely with their international partners, in particular the ASEAN Dialogue Partners.

Teo also said the ASCCE will complement and strengthen existing cybersecurity cooperation initiatives, including the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre in Thailand.