It’s time to move from words to action
In a security environment that is more uncertain and threatening than it has been in decades, those responsible for critical infrastructure across the Nordic region must prepare for scenarios that were once unthinkable. It’s a situation that requires us all to ramp up efforts to strengthen our resilience.
THE THREAT LANDSCAPE IN AND AROUND THE NORDIC COUNTRIES has shifted dramatically in a short period of time. An attack on communication services and networks could have severe societal consequences. Therefore, we must collectively enhance our focus on resilience and robustness, while strengthening our ability to protect our digital infrastructure to withstand potential attacks. By doing so, we can ensure adequate security for our operations, our customers, and society.
NORDIC CO-OPERATION focused on aligning security legislation and establishing a coordinated Nordic regime for security clearance has been increasingly recognised as crucial within broader national and regional security discussions. With Sweden and Finland now members of NATO, the potential for strategic co-operation have never been greater. The requirements for national autonomy should be operationalised in a way that makes it possible to use personnel across borders, as well as share technical solutions and infrastructure. The urgency of this task cannot be overstated—simply put, there’s no time to waste.
ACCESS TO CRITICAL EXPERTISE is a shared challenge across the Nordic region that impacts the defence sector, as well as key preparedness actors in the civilian sector and the business community. A more unified Nordic approach to fostering innovation could to a larger degree motivate multinational technology providers to establish competence centres in the region which would significantly strengthen our collective digital resilience in the Nordics. This, in turn, would enhance Nordic innovation and competitiveness. The Nordic countries must pool their resources and create larger, more robust frameworks for collaboration. This can ensure access to relevant expertise and capacity needed to deliver products and services in conditions of emergency and heightened levels of alert.
We need to move into high gear to better integrate the business community into our national and regional preparedness efforts.
ALL NORDIC COUNTRIES NEED A WELL-FUNCTIONING MARKET FOR PREPAREDNESS AND SECURITY SERVICES. This can be achieved by ensuring that customers in both the private and public sectors increasingly demand products and services that meet strict security standards. Preparedness is costly. It can only be sustained if key public sector entities, such as state and municipal authorities, to a larger degree define the safeguarding of long-term preparedness considerations and national security interests as a firm requirement in public procurement processes. This is key to establishing a broader market for preparedness and security services in support of critical societal functions. It would not only improve security but also strengthen our collective resilience.
CLOSER INTEGRATION OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY into national security and preparedness frameworks is an area where more progress is needed across the Nordics. Many larger businesses that are relevant to these frameworks are still not regularly included in relevant forums. This represents a serious weakness in our overall national and regional resilience and is cause for concern. To address this, relevant authorities across the Nordic countries should ensure that key businesses are systematically integrated into security and preparedness structures, with a particular focus on enhancing information sharing, not only between the public and private sectors but also across Nordic borders. Improved mechanisms for two-way sharing of threat and security intelligence within and between Nordic countries would ensure that both businesses and national authorities are better equipped to respond to evolving threats that could escalate across borders. We need to move into high gear to better integrate the business community into our national and regional preparedness efforts.
As the threat level rises, investing in the safeguarding of the infrastructure that underpins our societies and services on which we depend is a vital preventive measure. The most important step we can take together is to move from words to action. We must continue to train for realistic scenarios across sectors, integrate the business community more closely into national and regional preparedness frameworks, and strengthen co-operation within the Nordic region and with our NATO allies.
