CyberBridge blends security, tech diplomacy and development — a model that fits within the Mattei Plan and the broader Euro–African agenda promoted by the Italian government.
The Big Picture: On 3 December 2025, the Med-Or Italian Foundation and the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) unveiled in Rome the “CyberBridge – Strategic Training Programme for Digital Resilience in Africa,” developed with the support of Leonardo and backed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The initiative: It targets sub-Saharan African countries with a national cybersecurity strategy, aiming to build a long-term bridge between Italy and Africa in cyber training, cyberspace governance and digital diplomacy.
- Opening remarks were delivered by:
- Med-Or president Marco Minniti,
- ACN director general Bruno Frattasi, and Nicoletta Bombardiere,
- Director general for Global Affairs at the Italian MFA.
- A roundtable — “Africa 4.0: Between Digitalisation and New Cyber Threats” — highlighted how fast the continent’s digital transformation is advancing, often quicker than the defensive capabilities of individual states.
Why It Matters: CyberBridge combines technical training, institutional capacity building and cyber diplomacy, including modules on norms, governance and threat management.
- The multilayered approach reflects a geopolitical reality: the major digital infrastructures connecting Europe to the rest of the world — from undersea cables to the growing use of satellite platforms — increasingly transit through African maritime and territorial spaces.
- This is the core of the bridge concept — a keyword for Italy’s ambition to position itself between the political West and the so-called Global South. Protecting Italy’s and Europe’s digital security, therefore, requires cooperation, interoperability and trust with African partners.
Africa as a Connectivity Hub. Speakers emphasised a key point: space and the underwater domain are now critical nodes in digital networks. Africa, crossed by several major global data backbones, has become a strategic corridor for Euro-Mediterranean connectivity.
- At the same time, the continent is undergoing rapid technological acceleration:
- a young population demanding stable internet access,
- growing investment in the IT economy,
- new AI-related infrastructure.
- Within this landscape, the Blue Raman digital corridor and emerging AI hubs — both part of the Mattei Plan — play a central role.
Yes but… The opportunities come with vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks, foreign interference, disinformation and information manipulation are rising sharply, especially where institutional capacity remains limited.
Training as a Strategic Tool. CyberBridge is among the first European programs designed to integrate:
- specialised training on threats and defensive techniques,
- technical visits and expertise exchanges,
- cyber diplomacy aimed at setting common standards and preventing hybrid escalation.
- Strengthening African digital skills is a priority of the Mattei Plan and a core objective of Italy’s strategic posture.
- Training is seen as the engine for reducing the digital divide — one of the main drivers of inequality between the West and the Global South.
A Pillar of the Italy–Africa Agenda. The technological-bridge concept promoted by CyberBridge aligns with the narrative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni advanced at the EU–African Union summit, where all sides recognised the need for balanced, non-extractive partnerships focused on investment and training.
- CyberBridge thus becomes an operational tool of Italy’s new strategy: it boosts local capabilities, supports digital governance, and strengthens Italy’s presence in a domain — cyber — increasingly central to geopolitical competition.
What’s at Stake: As global power competition unfolds across invisible but decisive infrastructures, Africa sits at the centre of a fragile strategic balance.
- Through CyberBridge, Italy positions itself as a key partner for building resilience, ensuring secure connectivity, and supporting inclusive digital development.
- A bridge that is not just metaphorical, but an infrastructure of relationships, skills and security designed to endure.
What they’re saying: “African countries contribute directly to the implementation of this project,” Frattasi said during the event.
- “When a collaborative experience begins, contributions are driven by mutuality grounded in respect and trust. These grow through shared training — based on human values, knowledge and competence, not only technical aspects.”
