Tuesday 25th May 2021
FUALAU TALATALAGA MATA’U MATAFEO
Chairman PaCSON / Chief Executive Officer Ministry of Communications & Information Technology- SAMOA
Ms Abigail Bradshaw CSC, Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)
In-coming Mr Chairman,
Members of the Executive Committee,
Members of the PaCSON Community, Associate and Affiliate Members,
PaCSON Partners, Sponsors and Speakers,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure as outgoing Chair, to welcome you all, to this year’s Pacific Cyber Security Operational Network (PaCSON), Virtual Annual General Meeting.
Samoa has been privileged to hold the PaCSON Chairmanship for a period of two (2) years for reasons known to us and it would have been a highlight to end this term by addressing you all in person, but nevertheless, due to the prevailing unprecedented circumstances beyond our control, I am pleased to address you via this virtual platform.
I would like to acknowledge the Government of Australia’s funding and ongoing support to PaCSON through ACSC.
I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the vision and leadership of our Digital Champions, the Honorable Prime Minister, Susuga Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Honorable Afamasaga Toeolesulusulu Lepuia’i Rico Tupa’i, who are the drivers behind our Government Digital Transformation initiatives.
I thank everyone present here today for your continued faith in our Pacific Cyber Security Operational Network, which has witnessed significant growth over the years, not only in terms of the work we have been able to achieve, but equally important the inclusion of new members to our network. We have been pleased to welcome the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and CISA, as our PaCSON Partners.
And with this, I would like to acknowledge with appreciation the dedicated PaCSON Executive Committee, for your unwavering contribution to the success that the network has been able to achieve thus far.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our PaCSON family is a diverse group with enormous and wide-ranging skills that has enabled us to grow as a Network with promising potential. Apart from adjusting to the new normal of occasional lockdowns and the like, our focus on knowledge-sharing, collaborative learning and the exchange of information that is of vital importance to the security of our cyberspace has continued. And as outgoing Chair, I am adamant that PaCSON is well placed to contribute to the worldwide effort to confronting the challenges of an open free cyber space, whilst taking maximum benefit from the opportunities presented.
As a Network, we have witnessed a growing number of countries working to address and respond to the widespread proliferation of cyber threats within their respective jurisdictions. And as a Network, we have been able to take away crucial real-time lessons concerning these attacks and what is clear is that individuals, businesses and government must be constantly vigilant, in ensuring that our systems evolve to meet the ever-growing threats brought about by the advances in technology. The launching therefore of the PaCSON website and the release of the inaugural Cyber Smart Pacific campaign, are notable highpoints and timely given the continued threats to our respective countries.
I take this opportunity, to remind our PaCSON community of the important role that we play in achieving the well-established common priorities across the Pacific region, which is common amongst us.
Managing the risks arising from the mounting malicious use of cyberspace, will allow us to continue to benefit from the vast opportunities in the digital economy. It is also of critical importance in the broader economy where the Internet is a key enabler for job creation, modernization and for generating economic growth.
On behalf of our PaCSON community, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere congratulations to Mr. Klee’ and the dedicated team at CERT NZ, for their marathon efforts in establishing the PaCSON Remote Session series, which in 2020 were attended by 190 participants. This flagship event for PaCSON, has indeed, not only been timely but has been of crucial benefit to all members. These are the strengths that our PaCSON community should continue to maintain. Our ambitious PaCSON goals demand passion and commitment from each of our community members, to not only keep abreast of emerging threats, but to keep pushing the boundaries that are imperative for the network’s success.
Let me conclude by assuring you all, that PaCSON will remain actively engaged on cybersecurity, with the objective of strengthening resilience and improving cross border responses to cyber threats. It is an area where we need more regional and international cooperation, as no one country can tackle these growing and sophisticated threats in isolation.
While much has already been achieved, keeping cyberspace open, secure and free will require constant vigilance. In handling over the Chairmanship of PaCSON, I wish our community all the best for what remains of 2021, and I look forward to maintaining the close partnerships and networks forged over the years.
To the incoming Chairman. I pledge my support and wish you all the best. It is not easy to Chair the Pacific Cyber Security Operational Network, as it has not only grown in capacity and complexity, but I am confident that you will continue to build on the work PaCSON has been able to achieve over the years, with the support of the Executive Committee, and our PaCSON community. And as the late former President Mandela’s echoed, “It always seems impossible until it’s done”.
To Ms Lauren Wynn and PaCSON Secretariat, thank you for your commitment and dedicated work in supporting our Executive and the Network during our term in Office. I wish you all the best.
On this note, I revert back to wish you all the best with the work in your respective countries and I look forward to the deliberations in the next two days. And signing out as Chair, I leave you with these words from my language, “A uma ona o tatou faia se galuega, ona o tatou fa’apea ane lea, o tatou lava o auauna lē aogā, ae fo’i le viiga ma le fa’afetai i le Atua”, which is translated to mean “At the culmination of any work we do, we give praise and thanks to our heavenly Father, for we are only servants”
Thank you.
Soifua ma ia Manuia
