Africa at Forefront of Championing Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation in the Global Arena

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Date

Aug 16, 2024

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The Ad Hoc Committee established by the UN General Assembly to negotiate a new convention on cybercrime have agreed on the draft United Nations Convention on Cybercrime which will be presented to the General Assembly for adoption.

The Ad Hoc Committee which was formed to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes was chaired by Algeria, an African Union Member State and currently one of the A3 (African Three) Member States representing the continent in the UN Security Council.

The adoption of this important international instrument echoes the vision of the African Union on the need to develop a legal framework on cybersecurity at a global level. Recognising the future impact of emerging technologies on the development of an information society for Africa’s, as well as the need to ensure that these emerging technologies are anchored on regulatory frameworks on cyber-security and personal data protection that ensure the rights of citizens, guaranteed under the fundamental texts of domestic law and protected by international human rights Conventions and Treaties, particularly the African Charter on Human and Peoples'Rights; the African Union adopted the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection on 27 June 2014 and Cyber Security was adopted as one of the Flagship Projects of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

In 2024, several key instruments and frameworks have been adopted by the African Union including:- the African Common Position on the application of International law to use the ICTs in Cyberspace which was adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council in January 2024 and endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government during their 37^th Ordinary Session; and in June 2024, The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the African Digital Compact were endorsed by the STC on Communication and ICT and both of which will constitute Africa’s contribution to the Global Digital Compact and the United Nations Summit of the Future in September 2024. The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the African Digital Compact are anchored on The Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa .

The various initiatives undertaken by Africa demonstrates the forward thinking that has been in place as relates to Africa’s developing legal instruments and strategies on matters ICT; and the agreement on the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime drafted while being chaired by an African Union member State is a reflection of actions being taken to ensure that Africa’s voice and common position is heard at a global level and a mark of working towards achieving Aspiration 7 of Agenda 2063.

Learn more :

Draft United Nations convention against cybercrime The Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa
The Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy The African Digital Compact
African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection

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Department Tags

AUC

STC Tags

STC on Communication and Information Communications Technology

Directorate Tags

Information and Communication Directorate

Agenda 2063

Flagship Projects

Integrated High Speed Train Network

Connecting African capitals and commercial centers through a High-Speed Train Network; facilitating the movement of goods, factor services and people as well as reducing transport costs and relieving congestion of current and future systems through increased rail connectivity.

African Commodities Strategy

Transforming Africa from a raw materials supplier by enabling countries to add value, extract higher rents from commodities, integrate into global value chains promote diversification anchored in value addition and local content development.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

The African Passport & Free Movement of People

Removing restrictions on Africans’ ability to travel, work and live within their own continent by transforming restrictive laws and promoting visa free travel to enhance movement of all African citizens in all African countries.

Silencing the Guns by 2020

Ending all wars, civil conflicts, gender-based violence, violent conflicts and preventing genocide in the continent by 2020.

The Grand Inga Dam Project

Generating an estimated 43,200MW of power to support current regional power pools and their combined service to transform Africa from traditional to modern sources of energy and ensure access to clean and affordable electricity.

Single African Air-Transport Market

Promoting intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa by creating a single unified air transport market in Africa, as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda.

African Economic Forum

Multi-stakeholder meeting bringing together the Africa’s policy makers, private sector, academia and civil society to reflect on accelerating Africa’s socio- economic development and transformation by harnessing its vast resources.

African Financial Institutions

Accelerating integration and economic development through the establishment of organisations which will play a pivotal role in the mobilization of resources and management of the African financial sector.

The Pan African e-Network

Transforming Africa into an e-Society by implementing policies and strategies that lead to transformative e-applications and services in Africa such as broad band terrestrial infrastructure, cyber security and revolutionary bio and nanotechnology industries.

Africa Outer Space Strategy

Strengthening Africa’s use of outer space to bolster development in critical sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, remote sensing, climate forecast, banking and finance, defense and security.

African Virtual & e-University

Using ICT based programmes to increase access to tertiary and continuing education in Africa by reaching large numbers of students and professionals in multiple sites simultaneously.

Cyber Security

Incorporating emerging technologies in Africa’s development plans and ensuring these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions and nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online.

Great African Museum

Preserving and promoting African cultural heritage by creating awareness of Africa’s vast, dynamic and diverse cultural artefacts and Africa’s continuing influence on world cultures in art, music, language, science, and so on.

Encyclopaedia Africana

Provide an authoritative resource on the authentic history of Africa and African life.

NOW

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Agenda 2063

Key Resources