This notification was posted on Monday to the website and social media accounts of the West African bloc.
According to ECOWAS, this project aims to strengthen regional cyber diplomacy, protect vital infrastructure, combat cybercrime, and defend data sovereignty, as seen in a report issued by the Nigerian news platform, the PUNCH NG.
The ECOWAS Action Plan, intended to strengthen regional cybersecurity capabilities and resilience, is officially launched with the help of this event, which ECOWAS is organising in partnership with valued partners.
“ECOWAS will launch, on Tuesday, 12 September, in Abuja, Nigeria, the Joint Platform for the Advancement of Cybersecurity in West Africa, focusing on regional cyber diplomacy, the protection of critical infrastructures, the fight against cybercrime and data sovereignty,” the post read.
A two-day workshop on confidence-building measures (CBM) for regional collaboration will be held after the anticipated launch on September 12. The significance of CBMs as a way to strengthen cyber resilience in the area will be highlighted in this session.
During Germany's G7 presidency, the Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in ECOWAS was established. It is governed by an Action Plan that has been approved and covers the years 2022 to 2025.
Its main objectives are to promote regional diplomacy, combat cybercrime, ensure data sovereignty, and protect vital infrastructure.
The initiative comes at a time when ECOWAS faces internal tensions, including calls for democratic leadership in Niger and strained economic relations.
The BLOC, led by Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has warned Niger to return the rule to a democratic leader following the country’s recent military coup.
