News
Government of Monaco Adopts a VMware Sovereign Cloud to Enhance Data Security, Confidentiality and Digital Impact for the Principality, its Citizens, and Businesses
October 2023 by Marc Jacob
VMware, Inc. announced that the Government of Monaco has adopted a VMware Sovereign Cloud, provided by Monaco Cloud. This deployment marks a significant step toward bolstering the Principalities’ data security and confidentiality credentials and accelerating its digital services targets.
A VMware Sovereign Cloud is a service that helps customers assure sensitive data is better protected, compliant, and resident within the national territory and subject to the laws of that country. Adopting a VMware Sovereign Cloud by the Government of Monaco is driven by a rapid increase in the nation’s digital capabilities. This approach enables the Government to safeguard its critical data assets while harnessing the power of cloud technology to modernise public services, enhance citizen experiences, and create greater economic value for Monegasque businesses.
Monaco Cloud, a VMware Sovereign Cloud partner, will operate the Government’s sovereign cloud to help rapidly accelerate Monaco’s ‘Extended Monaco’ program, designed to make digital technology the foundation of all public policies and services. As a VMware partner, Monaco Cloud will support the Government’s goals, guaranteeing that data is stored in Monegasque territory, and all data processing is carried out within the country. With a VMware Sovereign Cloud, Monaco can move one step closer to becoming a robust digital hub, creating services through Monaco Cloud and leading projects in e-health, e-education, and smart cities.
The key benefits to the Government of Monaco are:
• Accelerated digital transformation. A VMware Sovereign Cloud empowers Monaco to deploy innovative digital services quickly and securely, to create improved and engaging experiences for its citizens, and competitive advantages for businesses.
• Enhanced data security. VMware Sovereign Cloud is designed so that all sensitive and critical data remains within the Principality’s borders. The sovereignty over data is crucial for compliance with data protection regulations and safeguarding business and national interests.
• Guaranteed resiliency. Monaco Cloud’s infrastructure is based in Monaco and the data stored is subject to Monegasque law. To help enable the Government to swiftly recover and resume operations and services in the event of an unforeseen disruption, data will also soon be backed up to a site owned by Monaco’s e-Embassy in Luxembourg.
• Economic benefits to organisations including smaller businesses. Many small companies lack the necessary security and data compliance expertise in-house. The sovereign cloud capabilities and digital services delivered by Monaco Cloud will provide these businesses with higher levels of security and economic value by enabling them to focus on their core business and not infrastructure.
Jean Charles, CIO for the Government of Monaco, says: "VMware’s sovereign cloud strategy and services align perfectly with Monaco’s commitment to a more secure, digitally advanced government and nation. Monaco stands as one of the countries with the highest level of security in the world. The Principality of Monaco aims to establish itself as a robust digital hub, just as it has been a strong financial centre, and data confidentiality and security is paramount to this. This is a story about enabling growth, efficiency, and secure digital transformation for all enterprises in Monaco. We are currently experimenting with AI to see how our services can benefit, but our journey into the future is marked by careful steps, but with a vision that’s bold, inspiring, and transformative.”
Davy Lissoir, CISO, at Monaco Cloud, says: “Monaco Cloud was born out of delivering excellence in data security and confidentiality for Monaco, with ambitions to deliver these cloud services beyond our national borders. The services we can offer through a VMware Sovereign Cloud will help to accelerate the Principality’s digital transformation. Data security for Monaco Cloud is by design–we adhere to the highest data compliancy regulations within Monaco. Digital technology is now at the heart of every economy, and it’s essential to be a significant player in the field.”
Monaco Cloud is a joint venture with the Government of Monaco, established to provide digital services to the Government and with an ambition to deliver services to businesses across Europe and internationally. As a non-EU country, Monaco is not governed by international data sharing regulations. However, the company meets the Principality’s legislation and the highest data compliancy regulations to offer services beyond its national borders.
VMware Sovereign Cloud partners provide sovereign capabilities to nations to help ensure classified data is protected, compliant, and resident within the national territory and subject to the laws of that country. Being within a sovereign jurisdiction, sovereign clouds are exempt from foreign jurisdictional control and managed by national citizens with the relevant national security clearance offering more securely operated cloud infrastructure and cloud modernisation services.
About the Government of Monaco’s Extended Monaco Programme
With the Extended Monaco Programme, Monaco Government is setting out to combine the best that digital technology can offer and to apply it simultaneously to all of its public policies and its economy. It was launched by HSH Prince Albert II in April 2019, and is led since then by Frederic Genta, Member of Government in charge of Attractiveness and Digital Transformation.
This new model advocates a responsible and protective digital universe that is at the service of human. Created to benefit both Monégasques and those who choose the Principality as their place of residence, for their business or for tourism, it is based on three main priorities:
• Enhancing an already exceptional quality of life;
• Inaugurating a new cycle of economic prosperity;
• Boosting the value of the civil service.
