Gilles Schwoerer represented WB3C this week in Prague at the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Regional Development Forum for Europe, hosted by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade.
In a session on Partner2Connect matchmaking, the focus was clear: how to better align countries’ needs with partners’ expertise and investment to accelerate digital development.
Bringing together diverse voices across governments, industry, academia and international organisations, the discussion moved towards a more practical question—how to turn cooperation into concrete, measurable results.

The panel brought together a strong cross-sector group of experts spanning technology, digitalisation and cybersecurity:

Mr. David Vicente Ninou, Director, Andorra Digital, Andorra
Mr. Amb. Janis Karklins, Head of Government and International Organization Engagement, ICANN
Mr. Gilles Schwoerer, Head of WB3C, Montenegro
Mr. Boris Radanović, Head of International Development, SWGfL, United Kingdom
Mr. Per Fröjdh, VP International Standards, Ericsson
Prof. Volodymyr Shulha, Rector, State University of Information and Communication Technologies, Ukraine

For WB3C, this forum was a great opportunity to showcase our work focused on translating priorities into operational capacity and regional impact.
We are grateful that, as a result of this forum, WB3C’s cybersecurity contribution is now included among the official submissions to the ITU Regional Development Forum for Europe—opening further space for partnership and delivery.

There are many initiatives across the Western Balkans focused on building capacity in cybersecurity — but how can donors work more closely together to use resources more efficiently and maximise impact? And how do we ensure that training and learning are translated into real operational capability?
At the same time, how can the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) mechanism, coordinated by Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), for mapping regional needs and ongoing support be strengthened to enable more tailored, targeted capacity building?
These were the key questions guiding today’s discussion at the WB3C, where we hosted colleagues from the IISG Secretariat — AGRON SOJATI, Ibrahim Begic and Ajsa Buko-Durmić — as part of their mission to Montenegro.
The conversation focused on how to take the existing needs assessment further — towards a more detailed and actionable mapping of institutional needs, closely linked to national strategic priorities and aligned with EU requirements. 
We look forward to continuing our strong cooperation with RCC and IISG in taking these ideas forward and translating them into concrete, coordinated action for the region.

Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos visited the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) in Podgorica today, as part of her official visit to Montenegro.
During her visit, she met with high-level representatives of WB3C’s founding partners, including Her Excellency Anne-Marie Maskay, French Ambassador to Montenegro, Her Excellency bernarda gradišnik, Slovenian Ambassador to Montenegro and His Excellency Ivan Leković, Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, as well as the leadership of the Centre — Naim M. GJOKAJ, Deputy Director General Elect and Gilles Schwoerer Programme Director. 
Commissioner Kos was accompanied by members of her delegation, including Adele Marsullo and Andreas Gahleitner, both members of her Cabinet, Heinke Veit, Deputy Head of Unit B4, DG ENEST and His Excellency Johann Sattler, Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro.
The discussion focused on WB3C’s role in strengthening regional resilience against cyber and hybrid threats, and its contribution to the objectives of the Berlin Process and the EU accession pathway. Commissioner Kos expressed interest in how the Centre translates EU cyber priorities into operational capacity across the Western Balkans and stressed the importance of the WB3C role in supporting countries of the region in building both cyber and democratic resilience, and that EU is willing to support WB3C in this process. 
With its newly formalised status as an international organisation, WB3C is further consolidating its role as a trusted regional platform, capable of scaling its support to partners across the Western Balkans and aligning its programmes more closely with European Union priorities and standards. 

The visit follows the recent approval of a €3.5 million EU grant, which will support the expansion of WB3C’s core programming across cybersecurity, cybercrime and cyber diplomacy, while introducing additional focus areas such as the protection of critical infrastructure and countering disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).

During the visit, Commissioner Kos toured the WB3C facilities and tools-based classrooms providing a first-hand view of the Centre’s practice-oriented approach and its engagement with professionals from across the region.