More than 800 delegates from over 100 countries across the globe are expected in Accra from November 29 to 30 to participate in the first-ever Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building (GC3B).
The two-day event themed “Cyber Resilience for Development” is organised collaboratively with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, Cyber Security Authority, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), the Cyber Peace Institute, the World Bank, and the World Economic Forum.
Addressing the media during the Minister’s Press Briefing in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of Cyber Security Authority, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, stated that the GC3B Conference was aimed at bringing together a diverse group of high-level decision-makers and practitioners from governments, international organisations, the private sector, civil society, and academia.
He stated that cyber resilience and capacity building plays a key role in enabling and supporting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development but also aims to improve the awareness and need for decision makers to leverage and create cyber capacity building programmes and opportunities.
“Expectations for the event include the development of a global cyber capacity-building agenda, improved coordination mechanisms, and increased resources for cyber resilience,” Dr Antwi-Boasiako said.
He stated that the upcoming conference was a golden opportunity for Ghana to position itself as a leader in cybersecurity development in Africa and urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the event to ensure an effective outcome.
The event, he said, was expected to foster networking opportunities, catalyse commitments on cyber capacity building, and elevate the country’s visibility and involvement in global cybersecurity issues.
“The influx of delegates is also anticipated to bring economic value to the country’s tourism sector,” Dr Antwi-Boasiako added.
The Director-General of Cyber Security Authority reiterated that the media is recognized as a vital partner in the promotion of cyber awareness, and urged the media to continuously educate the public about the importance of cybersecurity.
Already, he said, Ghana’s journey towards becoming a cybersecurity champion had been marked by significant achievements.
“The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) facilitated Ghana’s entry as the 88th member of the GFCE, actively participating in various committees and groups, including the Africa Cyber Experts Community. This engagement paved the way for Ghana to secure the hosting rights for GC3B.
The country’s impressive International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ranking, reaching 86.69 per cent in 2020, further solidified its reputation as a cybersecurity stronghold in the Sub-Saharan Region,” Dr Antwi-Boasiako stated.
The President of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) Foundation, Mr Christopher Painter, said that as the world eagerly anticipates the GC3B Conference, Ghana stands poised to lead discussions and collaborations in the critical realm of cybersecurity, contributing to global efforts for a more secure digital future.
Present at the event were the president of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, Mr Chris Painter, members of the Cyber Security Authority Governing Board; members of the Joint Cybersecurity Committee; the president, ISACA, Accra Chapter, Mr Daniel Gyampo and Executive Director, Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana, Mr David Gowu
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
