DAI’s CIDR Program Wins USAID 2023 Digital Development Award

May 10, 2024

DAI is pleased to share the news that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has named the Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) program as winner of a 2023 Digital Development Award.

The CIDR program is working with seven Eastern European countries to bolster their cybersecurity resilience in the face of increasing and more diverse cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. CIDR’s assistance focuses on accelerating cybersecurity workforce development, empowering organizations to identify and address cybersecurity threats, strengthening cybersecurity governance, and facilitating the sharing of cyber threat information.

“The CIDR team is committed to protecting essential services in their home countries and throughout the region, which is why we are honored to receive this award,” said CIDR Program Director Erica Bustinza. “This wouldn’t be possible without the support of USAID and collaboration of our in-country partners.”

CIDR is a five-year program of the USAID Bureau for Europe and Eurasia and currently working in Albania, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Among its activities:

• Facilitating country-led, multistakeholder cybersecurity working groups where members share information, build consensus, and advise decision makers.
• Supporting the drafting of cybersecurity laws and establishment of cybersecurity authorities.
• Working with select institutions and critical infrastructure operators to become more resilient against cyberattacks.
• Addressing job-market demand by building capacity among critical infrastructure staff and cybersecurity instructors, updating university curricula, and attracting more women and girls toward cybersecurity careers through the Cyber Pathways for Women activity (photo above).

CIDR was one of five award winners selected from nearly 230 applicants around the world. The other winners of this year’s Digi Awards are the USAID Cambodia Digital Workforce Development activity, the USAID India Game of Choice, Not Chance™ initiative, the USAID Moldova Future Technologies Activity, and the USAID Zimbabwe Target, Accelerate, and Sustain Quality Care for HIV Epidemic Control program.