ECOWAS Strengthens Cyber Resilience in West Africa

ECOWAS Strengthens Cyber Resilience in West Africa.

The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the German Federal Foreign Office, the European Union, the Deutsche Gesellschaft füer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Global Forum for Cyber Expertise (GFCE), recently organized a workshop on confidence-building measures (CBMs) in Accra, Ghana.

The workshop, held from June 3 – 4, 2024, brought together representatives from Ministries responsible for Digital Economy/ICT and Foreign Affairs.

The workshop is a crucial part of the Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in West Africa, aiming to empower the ECOWAS Commission and Member States in developing and implementing CBMs to enhance cyber resilience in the region. This initiative contributes to the overall strengthening of the collective digital community.

Colonel Anorph Barnabas Akanbong, Director of Training at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), highlighted the evolving importance of cybersecurity, emphasizing the need for regional collaboration to address security challenges in cyberspace effectively.

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Ms. Folake Olagunju, Principal Programme Officer for Internet, Cybersecurity, & E-applications, delivered the welcome address on behalf of Mr. Sédiko Douka, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization of the ECOWAS Commission. She commended progress made in developing CBMs for the region and urged participants to work towards establishing a formal CBM framework across ECOWAS Member States.

Ms. Pauline Otkens, Head of Political Section, representing the German Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, acknowledged the global complexities of securing cyberspace. She emphasized the importance of collective commitment to addressing cybersecurity challenges and highlighted the workshop’s role in fostering increased trust and cooperation in the region.

The workshop concluded with participants committing to practical measures for building confidence, capacities, and cooperation at national and regional levels to reduce risks of threats from cyberspace. The Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in West Africa will focus on building regional cyber diplomacy, combating cybercrime, ensuring data sovereignty, and protecting critical infrastructure.