The Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) Program

PMCG is engaged in the first component of a new five-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by DAI Global LLC (DAI), titled “The Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) Program.”

The Program supports the governments of countries within USAID’s Europe and Eurasia (E&E) portfolio in developing policy and legislative frameworks to ensure critical infrastructure cybersecurity and resilience, empowering critical infrastructure entities to identify and address threats, accelerating the development of their workforce, and establishing robust information-sharing networks between national and regional critical infrastructure entities.

In the course of the Program, PMCG is providing technical assistance to lead institutions in North Macedonia responsible for drafting the National Cybersecurity Legislation.

“The successful implementation of the CIDR Program in North Macedonia will give strong impetus to the development of the country’s cybersecurity ecosystem and will take North Macedonian critical infrastructure entities to a higher level of resilience,” said Shalva Khutsishvili, Sector Lead in Rule of Law and Security Policy, PMCG.

To ensure effective implementation of the Program, PMCG is focusing its efforts on the following areas:

• Targeted Legal Drafting Assistance – PMCG is supporting the national institutions of North Macedonia in drafting new cybersecurity legislation by providing targeted U.S. and international consultant advice on specific legislation (rules, regulations, guides, etc.) to ensure that the national legal framework aligns with the applicable international models and standards.
• Foreign Consultant Exchanges – Consultant exchanges between national policymakers and their counterparts in the U.S. or in Europe are being supported via workshops, meetings, and/or public and private debates to facilitate knowledge transfer in law implementation and the promotion of more secure business practices. The exchanges are being used to promote the high security standards and values of U.S.-based technologies.
• International Knowledge Sharing – We are facilitating workshops, meetings, and public and private debates to ensure exchange of knowledge and experience between international policymakers and relevant counterparts (U.S. and European) that will be reflected in the implementation of law and the promotion of more secure business practices.
• On-Demand Technical Assistance – To ensure speedy adoption of cybersecurity governance reforms, PMCG is cooperating with private sector consultants, lawyers, academics, and other subject-matter consultants to support national institutions  to draft documents and facilitate workshops and consultations aimed at accelerating the drafting process.