Digital Kazakhstan: Addressing the Global Cyberchallenge
As technology dramatically changes the way global businesses offer services, how are forward-thinking nations adapting to this new normal?
If we take away the commonly talked-about G7 nations, and also put aside the ongoing cyberbattles commonly discussed involving China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, how are other countries planning ahead to address their future in cyberspace using new technology?
A Compelling Story in Kazakhstan
In the summer of 2018, I was contacted by representatives from the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) who formally invited me to participate in the prime minister of the RK B. Sagintayev’s International Advisory Board on Digitalization.
Kazakhstan, a central Asian country and former Soviet republic, extends from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains at its eastern border with China and Russia. Its largest metropolis, Almaty, is a long-standing trading hub. The population of Kazakhstan was just over 18 million in 2017, and the country recently renamed their capital from Astana to Nursultan.
The percentage of Internet users in Kazakhstan exceeds 81 percent of the population, which is not far off the 90 percent of the population in the U.S. who use the Internet. The country is engaged in a series of ambitious new technology efforts, with detailed metrics, that affect every area of life. From business to education to international trade, Kazakhstan is rapidly upgrading infrastructure and seeking new innovative solutions.
This article from Euronews.com shows the many similarities in technology planning that exist between numerous countries around the world who recently met in Kazakhstan and states in the USA regarding economic development.
Specifically, I was asked if I would participate in a series of reviews and meetings related to “Digital Kazakhstan.” As described at their website, the Digital Kazakhstan program includes five core goals:
*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Lohrmann on Cybersecurity authored by Lohrmann on Cybersecurity. Read the original post at: https://www.govtech.com/blogs/lohrmann-on-cybersecurity/digital-kazakhstan-addressing-the-global-cyber-challenge.html
