About this phase
The initiation phase of a National Cybersecurity Strategy provides the foundations for its efficient development. This phase is expected to focus on processes, timelines, and identification of key stakeholders who should be involved in the production of the strategy. The outcome of this phase is the elaboration of a plan for the development of the strategy. When foreseen by the country’s governance process, the plan may require the approval of the country’s Executive.
For advice on this phase see the ‘Guide to developing a national cybersecurity strategy’; Second Edition, 2021, p.16.
What are preconditions for this phase?
Preconditions for the effective Initiation of national strategy development include Leadership Interest and Lead Official(s) Support. In other words, there should be political direction for a strategy to be produced, and there should be a lead official or officials who will receive that direction and take responsibility for implementing it by organising the process of strategy production. At the point of Initiation there might be important details of this political direction and lead official support that are still to be worked out. For example, will there be a high level committee overseeing the strategy production? However, as a minimum there should be a political direction and a lead official with responsibility for directing the strategy production.