- Antonio Sanz claims that “there is no better place for it to be located” and asks the State for “institutional loyalty and support”
Antonio Sanz, Regional Minister of the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue, and Administrative Simplification, along with Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Málaga, have announced that the Governing Board of the Regional Government of Andalusia will request the State to consider Málaga as the headquarters of the National Cybersecurity Center. De la Torre has also guaranteed that the city government is presenting a motion to the February ordinary plenary session requesting that the Central Government establish the headquarters of this new center in Málaga.
Antonio Sanz, who attended a meeting of the Cybersecurity Cluster at the Andalusian Cybersecurity Center (CIAN) alongside the mayor, assured that “there is no better place for it to be established. The City Council and the Regional Government of Andalusia are offering Málaga with institutional loyalty so the Spanish Government considers it favorably and supports it.” For that matter, he emphasized that “Málaga’s name is already part of the cybersecurity vocabulary, and establishing up in this city is considered an identity mark, a seal that brings prominence and demonstrates commitment to this sector.”
In January, the Council of Ministers of the Spanish Government approved the draft of the Cybersecurity Coordination and Governance Law, which establishes that this National Cybersecurity Center is founded as the only competent national authority in cybersecurity governance. “We have no further information about this center, but considering that the latest agencies created by the Spanish Government have been decentralized, we consider Málaga meets all the requirements,” Sanz detailed.
The Presidency Minister highlighted “the commitment of the Andalusian Government to cybersecurity and, especially, to Málaga.” A key example is the Andalusian Cybersecurity Strategy of 2022-2025, that has the CIAN as the main stronghold, which is also the headquarters of the Cybersecurity Operations Center (SOC). “In Andalusia, we firmly believe that there is no digitalization without cybersecurity,” the minister assured. He also reminded that the Andalusian Digital Law (LADI) will allow the creation of the Andalusian Cybersecurity Agency, also based in Málaga, consolidating Andalusia and Málaga’s leadership in the cybersecurity field.
The city mayor, for his part, underlined that hosting the Cybersecurity National Center in Málaga “would strengthen the innovation and technology strategy of the city.” De la Torre added that Málaga has enough qualities to be “the best and most suitable option for the location of this center’s headquarters.” He also emphasized that this would be added to the city’s innovative ecosystem: Google Cybersecurity Center, Andalusia Cybersecurity Center, IMEC, Málaga TechPark, and more. De la Torre concluded that the motion the Government Board will introduce to the plenary assembly this February urges the City Council, the Regional Government of Andalusia and the Central Government to create a combined coordination framework for the establishment of this national center in Málaga, leveraging the existing experience and agreements in the cybersecurity sector.
In this way, Antonio Sanz displayed the reasons why Málaga should host this center. Firstly, he pointed out that “Málaga is a city with a desirable land, sea and air connections, and also has infrastructure that allows the creation of an ideal digital environment,” such as the Málaga TechPark, home of 687 businesses.
The minister emphasized that Málaga has become an important technology hub worldwide, attracting an increasing number of businesses and institutions. As examples, he cited the establishment of an IMEC center and the Interuniversity Center of Microelectronics, which will be focused on semiconductors research and manufacturing.
According to the minister, another key element is that “one of the main challenges in the cybersecurity field is the lack of specialized personnel.” The University of Málaga has played a major role in the development of cybersecurity, as it was the first Spanish university in launching an Official Degree in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. Besides, it will offer an Official Dual Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity next year.
Sanz also outlined “Málaga’s excellent internet connectivity, the access to advanced technological services, pleasant climate, high quality of life, welcoming community, the cultural and leisure offerings, and a high level public safety- all of which have traditionally made Málaga one of the best rated destinations”. Furthermore, he highlighted the numerous public and private entities that have their headquarters in the city. “All of this turns Málaga into a cybersecurity hub where it is easy to establish connections in order to improve the performance and help businesses and public bodies achieve their objectives,” he concluded.