Fighting Online Scams: How the EU ESIWA+ Project Strengthens Cyber Cooperation with the Indo-Pacific

Beyond financial losses, these schemes undermine public trust, exploit vulnerable communities, fuel organised crime networks, and erode confidence in the process of digital transformation. 
 
As mentioned in the European Union’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, the ESIWA+ (Enhancing the EU’s Security Cooperation In & With Asia & the Indo-Pacific) project — co-implemented by Expertise France and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) — plays a central role in strengthening security cooperation with regional partners. 
 
Within the project, cyber security and cybercrime initiatives ensure strategic coherence between supporting policy dialogue, operational cooperation, and raising awareness of the EU’s role as a reliable global security partner. 
 
Over the past year, ESIWA+ has significantly expanded EU engagement in the fight against online scams across India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, contributing to a structured and regional approach to cyber resilience. 
 
Structured Contribution to EU Scam-Fighting Efforts 
 
The fight against online scams demands sustained cooperation across legal, operational and diplomatic levels. 
 
ESIWA+ amplifies the EU role in: 
- Supporting policy dialogue on cybercrime legislation and regulatory frameworks 
- Facilitating operational cooperation and simulation exercises 
- Promoting norms of responsible state behaviour and rules-based cyberspace 
- Encouraging public-private partnerships 
- Strengthening regional and international coordination 
 
Cyber security and cybercrime are designed under ESIWA+ as an integrated track combining resilience, crisis preparedness, regulatory dialogue and enforcement cooperation. By connecting national authorities, EU institutions, Member States, regional organisations and private actors, ESIWA+ strengthens collective capacity to disrupt scam networks and protect citizens. 
 
The cumulative impact of these actions is visible in: 
 
- Deepened EU-Thailand and EU-Malaysia cooperation on cybercrime 
- Increased regional interest in expanding scam-related dialogue 
- Strengthened integration of platform governance discussions into cybercrime policy 
- Reinforced EU presence in Indo-Pacific cyber diplomacy 
 
Online scams will continue to evolve, driven by artificial intelligence, cross-border financial flows and organised crime networks. Through ESIWA+, we ensure that the EU remains a trusted and proactive partner in building cyber resilience across the Indo-Pacific. 

About ESIWA+

ESIWA+ (Enhancing the EU’s Security Cooperation In and With Asia and the Indo-Pacific) supports EU-Indo-Pacific ties in four strategic areas: cyber security, maritime security, crisis management/ addressing hybrid threats, and counterterrorism/ preventing violent extremism. The #TeamEurope project is co-funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, Germany and France, and is co-implemented by Expertise France and GIZ International Services.