WASHINGTON, CMC – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a US$6.5 million loan to help Jamaica strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, benefiting more than 2.8 million people by enhancing the resilience of public institutions and critical infrastructure against cyber threats.
The Washington-based financial institution stated that the operation, which includes US$3.5 million in counterpart funding, totaling US$10 million, will support the country’s efforts to modernize cybersecurity governance, enhance incident response capabilities, and expand its pool of specialized professionals.
It said cyberattacks in Jamaica have increased significantly, with over 34 million attempted attacks reported in the first half of 2025. The IDB-financed project seeks to address these gaps by implementing a national critical infrastructure protection strategy and strengthening the government’s cybersecurity response.
The programme will also promote cybersecurity awareness and provide training for professionals in the public sector and critical infrastructure. It will support the development of cybersecurity curricula for primary and secondary schools, as well as improve accreditation standards for university-level programs.
The project will directly benefit 15 scholarship recipients for postsecondary cybersecurity studies, approximately 225 students enrolled in improved university programs, and 25 government and infrastructure professionals receiving specialized training.
“The operation aligns with Jamaica’s Vision 2030 development plan and the National Cybersecurity Strategy. It also contributes to the IDB Group’s institutional priorities of promoting digital transformation, strengthening institutional capacity, and enhancing citizen security. Additionally, it supports the regional programme, ONE Caribbean,” the IDB said.
It added that this is the third IDB loan operation focused exclusively on cybersecurity, following similar initiatives in Uruguay and Argentina.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT) states that a significant number of Jamaicans, both at home and abroad, are benefiting from the country’s strengthened cyber defense capabilities through the work of the National Security Operations Centre (NSOC).
The Centre serves as a coordinating body for the country’s cybersecurity efforts, focusing on monitoring, detecting, and responding to cyber threats to protect critical infrastructure.
JaCIRT Director, retired Lt. Col. Godphey Sterling, said the entity pools together cybersecurity resources to monitor the cyberspace where many Jamaicans interact.
“We can see vulnerabilities and anomalies, provide roadmaps or playbooks to respond to certain incidents, and analyse malware and the actions of adversaries. This allows us to identify who the perpetrators are quickly and to modify our response when an incident occurs,” he told the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) News.
Sterling said that Jamaica also plays a key role in global cybersecurity cooperation, serving as the single point of contact for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the OAS.
The Centre interacts with international countries, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
“This is geared towards managing our cyber threat landscape,” the Director said, noting that the work of the NSOC is vital in today’s digital environment.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s cyber-attack surface has widened, with more businesses, schools, and citizens now relying on online services.
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