[{"bbox": [87, 153, 505, 183], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 1.3 Zone benefitting from the Action"}, {"bbox": [87, 199, 508, 224], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action shall be carried out in El Salvador"}, {"bbox": [87, 295, 321, 325], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [87, 360, 233, 386], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [97, 405, 1134, 724], "category": "Text", "text": "**The Action is aligned with national policy objectives.** It directly supports digital transformation, which specifically relates to the \"Digital Agenda 2020-2030\" led by the Presidency's Innovation Secretariat (SIP) of El Salvador. It additionally supports the National Policy on Cybersecurity from 2021, which is also managed by the SIP. The policy contains eight components, which include strengthening cybersecurity capacities, promoting knowledge about cybersecurity threats, and strengthening the cybersecurity regulatory framework. The action will directly support the implementation of this policy priority in close coordination with the SIP. The Ministry of Economy is also active around digital skills for jobs, working closely with the private sector. The Delegation has a solid policy dialogue with the Ministry services; they are involved in all the Actions we have financed on digital transformation. During his inauguration speech as President of El Salvador on 1st June 2024, Bukele emphasised that the economic development of the country will be a national priority. This is going to be linked to a secure digital transformation, as said before, supporting small businesses and creating employment opportunities for the most vulnerable groups, such as women and persons with disabilities."}, {"bbox": [97, 736, 1134, 869], "category": "Text", "text": "**Cybersecurity issues in Latin America and especially in El Salvador are significant.** A report by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) indicates that cyber-attacks in the region cause economic damage estimated at 0.5-1% of the economies' GDP. Latin America has been identified as an area of fraud in the creation of bank accounts. A sample of cyber incidents in LAC indicates that 93% of them were carried out for financial reasons, 11% for espionage and 2% for ideological reasons⁶."}, {"bbox": [97, 881, 1134, 1120], "category": "Text", "text": "**The region is not sufficiently prepared to handle cyber-attacks.** Only 7 of the 32 countries studied in the IDB and OAS report (2020) have a critical infrastructure protection plan, while 20 have established cybersecurity incident response teams, often called Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) or Cyber Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs)⁷. This limits their ability to identify and respond to attacks. Some of the difficulties are due to the legal framework: one third of countries do not have one to deal with cybercrime, and only five have ratified the Budapest Convention⁸, also known as the Convention on Cybercrime, the main framework for international cooperation in handling cybercrime⁹. In the case of El Salvador, Budapest convention has not been signed, The country does not yet have a national plan for the protection of critical infrastructure and its ability to combat cybercrime is considered limited."}, {"bbox": [97, 1132, 1134, 1318], "category": "Text", "text": "**El Salvador is one of the least prepared countries for cyber-attacks.** While El Salvador adopted a National Cybersecurity Policy in 2022, it does not yet have a National Cyber Security Strategy, an objective of the Digital Agenda 2020-2030¹⁰. The country has a nationally recognized CSIRT called SalCERT, which responds to cyber security incidents, but with limited success. International exchanges of knowledge have also taken place on issues such as the protection of critical infrastructure and the improvement of cyber security with countries such as Estonia and Croatia (EU funded through TAIEX), Ecuador, Spain, Israel, and Korea. However, despite all these efforts, El Salvador remains one of the least prepared countries in Latin America to face cyber-attacks, according"}, {"bbox": [87, 1409, 425, 1429], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ 2023 data Breach Investigations Report. Verizon."}, {"bbox": [87, 1429, 1143, 1525], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Teams) and CIRTs (Cyber Incident Response Teams) are specialised teams in responding to cybersecurity incidents. Its main function is to provide services related to the prevention, detection, analysis and response to IT security incidents. These teams can be part of a government or private organisation and are often the first point of contact when cyber threats or attacks are detected. Its aim is to minimise damage and restore operability as quickly as possible following a security incident. In addition, they are working on developing policies and practices to improve IT security and reduce the likelihood of future incidents. Source: Advanced Experience in Cybersequential Policies and Practices, IDB 2016."}, {"bbox": [87, 1525, 1143, 1603], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ The Budapest Convention, also known as the Convention on Cybercrime, is the first international treaty on crimes committed through the internet and other computer networks. It deals in particular with copyright infringements, computer fraud, child pornography and breaches of network security. The Convention provides a framework for international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime, providing an optimal legal standard for the different national legislations dealing with cybercrime. Cybersecurity report 2020, IDB and AEO 2020."}, {"bbox": [87, 1603, 141, 1621], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ Idem."}, {"bbox": [87, 1621, 445, 1644], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ https://www.innovacion.gob.sv/ciberseguridad.php"}, {"bbox": [1028, 1656, 1143, 1682], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 24"}]