Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan strengthen expertise on international law in cyberspace
40 public sector officials, political advisers, and heads of legal and policy units from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan deepened their understanding of how international law applies to cyber activities during a specialised training programme led by the e-Governance Academy (eGA).
According to Merle Maigre, Project Team Lead at eGA, understanding the international legal dimensions of cybersecurity has become a growing priority for governments worldwide, including Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
“As societies grow more dependent on information and communication technologies, their exposure to harmful, disruptive, and coercive cyber operations correspondingly increases. Moreover, we also witness the rapid growth and increasing sophistication of cybercrime. Understanding how international law governs cyberspace is therefore essential,” said Maigre.
This in-person training on the application and practice of international law in cyberspace took place in Tajikistan on 8–9 June 2026 and in Kyrgyzstan on 11–12 June 2026, as part of the cybersecurity component of the EU-supported project “Team Europe Initiative on Digital Connectivity in Central Asia”. Through interactive sessions and practical exercises, participants explored the application of international law to inter-state cyber activities, legal approaches to combating cybercrime, and avenues for international cooperation. The training also supported informed policy development at both national and regional levels.
“A good understanding of international legal instruments, and of how they operate alongside domestic law and human rights obligations, is essential to ensure lawful, effective, and internationally coordinated responses to criminal activity in cyberspace,” added Maigre.
The public officials from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan particularly appreciated the practical nature of the training. They highlighted real-life legal case examples that helped translate complex international legal concepts into concrete situations, as well as hands-on exercises that enabled them to apply newly acquired knowledge in practice and better understand how legal frameworks operate in the cyber domain.
To further strengthen regional engagement in global cyber policy discussions, the project also supported the participation of Tajik and Kyrgyz officials in the 7th Tallinn Cyber Diplomacy Summer School, held in Tallinn from 15 to 19 June 2026.
Together with around 60 participants from across the world, the officials joined discussions on cyber diplomacy, artificial intelligence governance, trusted connectivity, cyber threats, international law, responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, cyber capacity building, and public-private cooperation.
The five-day programme combined expert insights, practical discussions, and peer learning to help build a stronger international community of cyber diplomacy and promote a more secure, open, and resilient cyberspace.
Opening the Summer School, Margus Tsahkna, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasised the growing importance of cyber issues in international relations and security. “Cybersecurity, AI, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies are no longer technical topics. They shape economic competitiveness, democratic resilience, conflict prevention, and international stability. This makes them fundamentally diplomatic questions,” said Tsahkna.
The Tallinn Cyber Diplomacy Summer School is financed by the European Commission and co-organised by the e-Governance Academy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and the Estonian Centre for International Development.
Both training programmes form part of the Team Europe Initiative on Digital Connectivity in Central Asia: Cybersecurity Component, which supports countries across the region in strengthening cybersecurity capacities and improving resilience against cyber threats.
