The ICT4Peace Foundation is honored to have been invited by the Government of Kenya to co-host the first regional training workshop in Africa (2 to 3 March 2015) on International Security and Diplomacy in Cyberspace with over 30 participants (Diplomats, Legal, Security and Technical Staff) from 12 African Countries, the African Union, and Civil Society Representatives. The workshop was co-chaired with Dr. Katherine Getao, Secretary, ICT Authority of Kenya. The Governments of Kenya, the UK, Germany and Switzerland supported the workshop course financially and with lecturers.
This new cyber security capacity building program was developed by the ICT4Peace Foundation as a direct follow-up to some of the recommendations tabled in the 2013 Report of the “UN Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security (UN GGE)” and the Seoul Conference on Cyberspace of the London Process, held in October 2013.
The first training workshop of this kind was organized by ICT4Peace and the Organisation of American States (OAS) in Bogota for 24 Latin American Countries on 18 to 20 November 2014.
The Long Term Objectives of the Workshop Course are:
- Mitigating risks to both rights and security in the cyber-sphere through the promotion of international norms of responsible state behavior, confidence-building measures (CBMs), and international cooperation. The expected long-term impact will be: More inclusive and knowledge-based debates, consultations or negotiations with and by all regions on norms and CBMs, with all stake-holders: governments, industry, civil society, and academia; More agreements at bilateral, regional at global level on norms, CBMs and international cooperation; Progress towards a sustained open, prosperous, trustworthy, safe and secure cyberspace;
The Short Term Objectives are:
- A better and more detailed understanding by public officials, diplomats, industry, civil society representatives from all regions of the world of international norms of responsible State behavior, CBMs and international cooperation in cyberspace, to broaden the participation in the international debates and regional and global negotiations in fora such as the London Process, UN GGE, OSCE, ASEAN, OAS, in the EU, the AU and AfricaCert;
- A better understanding of the concerns, best practices, policies and institutional arrangements in the field of cyber security at the regional level;
The Course Content:
- The course provided an introduction to the subject of international cyber security negotiation efforts at the global and regional level. Participants were exposed to the context in which cyber security is being addressed in global fora, such as the UN GGE, OSCE, ARF. The specific topics of International Law and Norms of Responsible State Behaviour as well as Confidence Building Measures (CBMs). An exercise provided an active learning opportunity. The course provided an opportunity for participants and lecturers to discuss and learn of African cyber security-related concerns, best practices and policies.
Photos from the workshop can be viewed here.