Africa: Experts Call for Efforts to Strengthen Cyber Resilience
Presentation about Cyber Resilence in the Informatic Space of Africa, Oct 2024 Photo: @AcdfNetworks
October 17, 2024 Hour: 6:59 pm
James Kimuyu, director of Kenya’s National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee, expressed optimism during a panel session at the forum.
On Thursday, digital technology experts attending the 2024 Africa Cyber Defense Forum, which officially opened on Wednesday in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, called for concerted and unified efforts to safeguard Africa’s digital infrastructure against rising global cyber threats.
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“There’s a need to have a common goal to secure Africa because cybersecurity is the next drive,” William Baraza, chairman of the forum, said during the meeting, emphasizing that collaboration among African nations is crucial to counter the growing cyber threats targeting businesses and governments across the continent.
James Kimuyu, director of Kenya’s National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee, expressed optimism during a panel session at the forum.
“Threats are common, and so are the solutions. Working together between the private and public sectors will help create a safer environment for businesses to thrive,” he said.
Innocent Muhizi, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Information Society Authority, highlighted the importance of identifying and valuing critical infrastructure for effective protection at the event.
“We need to know what critical infrastructure looks like and attach value to it to inform security strategies,” Muhizi explained.
Zareefa Saleh Mustafa, manager of the cybersecurity department at Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency, underscored the importance of sharing cybersecurity best practices among African nations. She emphasized that adopting proven solutions from neighboring countries could be more effective than starting from scratch.
Speaking at the forum, Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s minister of information communication technology and innovation, called for harmonized cybersecurity laws across Africa to address the capacity gaps that hinder the continent’s digital growth. She stressed the need for collective efforts to effectively counter cyber threats and ensure a secure, inclusive future for Africa.
The forum, which runs through Friday and has brought together more than 400 cybersecurity experts from 50 countries, aims to discuss strategies for strengthening Africa’s cyber resilience with a focus on cybersecurity policies, incident response frameworks, and capacity-building initiatives.
Autor: OSG
Fuente: DW-Africanews
