The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in joint collaboration with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the Uganda Computer Emergency Response Team (UG-CERT) and with the support of AfricaCERT organised a Regional Cybersecurity Summit for Africa from 20 - 23 November 2023. The event was kindly hosted by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
In our progressively interconnected global landscape, cybersecurity is becoming paramount for the safeguarding of delicate data, fortification of vital infrastructure, and bolstering trust in our digital transactions. The ITU Plenipotentiary Resolution 130, which underscores the need to reinforce the role of the ITU in building confidence and security in the application of ICTs, acts as a central and guiding principle for this Regional Cybersecurity Summit.
This summit, dedicated to addressing security, critical infrastructure, and cyber resilience, also conformed to multiple other key resolutions such as
WTSA Resolution 50 concerning cybersecurity,
WTSA Resolution 58 advocating for the creation of national computer incident response teams, with particular attention to developing countries, and WTDC Resolution 69 which supports the formation of computer incident response teams (CIRTs), especially in underdeveloped nations, along with fostering their collaboration. The summit also recognized and abided by WTDC Resolution 45, which endorses enhanced cooperative strategies in the realm of cybersecurity, including fighting and reducing spam. Furthermore, the summit's goals were aligned with the priorities of Africa's regional initiative 3, which emphasized trustworthiness, safety, and security in the deployment of telecommunication/ICTs as well as the protection of personal information, and
WTSA Resolution 89 that proposes the use of ICTs to bridge the gap in financial inclusion.
Objectives
The objectives of the Summit included, but were not limited to:
- Introducing the work of ITU-T Study Group 17 and showcasing key standards on security with special focus on
ITU-T Recommendation X.1060 on “Framework for the creation and operation of a cyber defence centre”;
- Facilitating the exchange of best practices, experiences and lessons learned on security baselines for digital infrastructure and security for emerging technologies;
- Showcasing the
ITU DFS security lab and the practical guidance available to developing countries on implementing robust security assurance frameworks for digital financial services;
- Exploring approaches to assess cyber resilience of critical infrastructure in telecommunication networks with a focus on infrastructure and application security for digital financial services; and
- Providing a platform for cybersecurity experts from the Africa region to strengthen their readiness, resilience and coordination in response to safeguard critical infrastructure and respond to emerging threats in the cybersecurity landscape.
Program overview:
The summit was targeted at representatives from telecommunications regulators, national cybersecurity agencies, ministries, service and solution providers and vendors, academia, R&D institutions and other organizations working on matters related to security. Participation was free of charge and was open (from 20 to 22 November 2023) to all interested stakeholders, including ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academic Institutions and to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU and who wishes to contribute to the work.
Participation in the SG17RG-AFR meeting on 23 November 2023 was limited to Representatives of Member States, Sector Members and Academia from the African region, as well as Associates that belong to Study Group 17 and the African region, in addition to participants invited by the regional group, could participate in the SG17RG-AFR meeting on 23 November 2023 as defined in WTSA Resolution 54 (Rev. Geneva, 2022) (Resolves 4-6).
