On March 26, PMCG hosted a conference entitled “Advancing Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Policy in Georgia.” The first part of the event was devoted to the presentation of PMC Research’s “Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience in Georgia: State of Play and Future Prospects” policy paper, authored by Alessandro Lazari and Nana Tabagua, while the second part revolved around a panel discussion.
The conference gathered a wide range of stakeholders including representatives of academia, businesses, and government, as well as field experts to share insights and learn more about the latest trends in critical infrastructure security and resilience (CISR) policy.
Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience in Georgia: State of Play and Future Prospects
At the outset, Aleksi Aleksishvili, CEO and Chairman of PMCG, delivered welcome remarks followed by a presentation of our policy paper titled ‘Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience in Georgia: State of Play and Future Prospects.’ Drafted by Alessandro Lazari (Researcher and Fellow in Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience at the University of Salento) and Nana Tabagua (Rule of Law and Security Policy Consultant at PMCG), the paper aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on CISR by offering a blend of analysis, comparative insights, and forward-looking recommendations.
The co-authors, after presenting the topical and timely paper, fielded a number of questions from the assembled and esteemed audience on the various issues raised therein. Of note, these include the key players in CISR policy, the impacts of cyber warfare during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Russia’s coercive economic tactics.
The conference and the published paper come at a pivotal point in modern history, with nations struggling to keep pace with the various threats posed to their critical infrastructure, especially cyber threats.
Reflecting the global relevance of CISR, the paper refers to the cases of Croatia and Romania, and examines how their handling of threats facing critical infrastructures could be of guidance to Georgia in its ongoing reform efforts.
Ultimately, PMCG, through this paper, hopes to influence policy decisions on CISR to ensure that Georgia’s critical infrastructures are protected to the greatest possible extent.
The Imperative of Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (CISR) and Global Insights
Meanwhile, for a more worldwide perspective, a panel discussion bearing the title “The Imperative of Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience and Global Insights” ensued in the afternoon, moderated by Lazari.
Josefine Kühnel Alba (Political Officer of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia), Giorgi Iashvili (Senior Cyber Security Expert at PMCG, Co-Founder of Cyber Trust), Shorena Lortkipanidze (Co-founder and Board Member of Civil Council on Defense and Security), Mikheil Golijashvili (Assistant Professor of the Business and Technology University), and Nikoloz Gagnidze (Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity Advisor, USAID National Governance Program) all partook in a discussion on CISR on a global scale.
