Cyber Security and Resilience FCO Defence Engagement MoD Programme Delivery Costs (Staffing, Monitoring and Evaluation) FCO Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Home Office, FCO, NATO UK Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, Stabilisation Unit, Industry Partners n/a Foundation, Public Body, Multilateral See above £1m ODA Government, NGO, Commercial Partners See above £2.3M ODA / £4.4m non-ODA n/a April 2020 – March 2021 £1.6m ODA WHAT SUPPORT IS THE UK PROVIDING? The Western Balkans Media, Cyber and Defence (MCD) CSSF Programme aims to improve the stability of the region. It does this by strengthening critical resilience , including: the sustainability of independent media, countering disinformation, strengthening cyber resilience and the ability to resist a cyber-attack, defence engagement, and supporting reforms required for accession to NATO. The Programme has four main pillars which are aligned to priority drivers of instability in the region. These pillars are: 1. Media Freedom and Strategic Communications which covers strengthening independent media, contributing to a free and more pluralistic media environment in the Western Balkans, supporting media organisations to help citizens hold government to account, and strengthening the capability of governments to communicate transparently and accountably; 2. Countering Disinformation which includes developing a better understanding of deliberately inaccurate media reporting in the Western Balkans, and tracking, evidencing and exposing malign activity; 3. Cyber Security and Resilience is a key issue as the Western Balkans is susceptible to a range of disruptive cyber activity, as well as cyber-enabled activity. Our work on cyber security focuses on capacity building to help governments across the region develop a stronger national cyber security capacity and an improved ability for the state to identify quickly, respond to and resist cyber-attacks; and 4. Defence Engagement, which includes supporting international peacekeeping operations in the region, developing the capacity and resilience of Western Balkans Armed Forces, encouraging greater transparency and accountability in line with NATO standards. WHY IS UK SUPPORT NEEDED? Years after the end of serious armed conflict in the Western Balkans, the region remains fragile with ongoing risks of instability and violence. There remains potential for conflict: endemic state capture, corruption, lack of media freedom, and a lack of cyber security and resilience are all key drivers of regional instability. Supporting countries on their path towards EU and NATO membership is a key way of contributing to a stable and more resilient Western Balkans, with an improved capacity to tackle its own problems. The programme’s overarching contribution to Western Balkans stability is therefore consistent with the CSSF’s focus on tackling instability and preventing conflicts that threaten UK interests.