December 12, 2007

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopted new guidelines on combating cyber crime in the sub-region, following a workshop that concluded 11 December in Lome, Togo.

The guidelines were developed by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in response to a request made by ECOWAS and the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA). The guidelines are aimed at modernizing the instruments for promoting e-commerce, preserving personal data and curbing cyber crime through the necessary sub-regional and national legislation. ECOWAS Heads of States are expected to adopt the guidelines as directives in 2008.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Minister of Communication and Civic Education of Togo, Mr. Gahoun Georges Hegbor, said: “by dealing in priority with ICT domains that are among the most pressing ones, namely e-commerce, data protection and fight against cybercrime; ECA wants to bring its support to ECOWAS, UEMOA and their Member States to take into account the needs of the Information Society. This will lead to a concrete operationalization of National Information and Communications Infrastructure (NICI) plans in West Africa.”

Current developments in ICTs represent a major opportunity for the economic development of Africa, especially for boosting regional integration efforts. These developments have however led to the emergence of cybercrime and criminal justice systems in ECOWAS States are not fully equipped for dealing with the phenomena. The new guidelines are an important step in addressing some of the gaps in the justice systems.

ICT experts, lawyers, parliamentarians, private banks, economic operators, academia and economists from West Africa attended the workshop. ECOWAS, UEMOA, the African Union (AU) Commission, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), the West African Telecommunications Assembly (WATRA) and the International Organization of Francophony (OIF) also attended.

The workshop also adopted a roadmap for implementing the guidelines at the sub-regional and national levels; and proposed the establishment of a West African Council on ICTs to monitor implementation of the guidelines and other matters related to the Information Society.

Background

ECOWAS and ECA signed in 2004, a Memorandum of Understanding that includes collaboration on the development of an ECOWAS strategic medium term plan on the Information Society. In this context, ECA’s sub regional office in West Africa and the ICT, Science and Technology Division of ECA commissioned two studies on a harmonized legal framework for e-commerce; and on a harmonized legal framework on ICTs in general with emphasis on cyber crime, personal data protection and e-commerce. The studies were funded by the government of Finland and the Canada Fund for Africa respectively.

The documents of the workshop are available at: http://www.uneca.org/disd/events/2007/ecowas-legal-framework/

For more information, please contact: Makane Faye

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