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Kenya to play host to the inaugural Africa Cyber Defense Summit | July 9-10, 2018

by Felix Omondi
Africa Cyber Defense Summit

Africa like the rest of the world is increasingly facing cybersecurity concerns, with reports of alleged spying on the African Union installation in Ethiopia by the Chinese and North Korea’s clandestine activities in Kenya and other Asian countries.

To talk about these concerns and how to strengthen the continent protection against these online threats, the continent is set to hold its first Africa Cyber Defense Summit come July this year. The East African nation Kenya will play host to this inaugural event.

Global cybersecurity experts and government representatives from various countries will converge in Kenya for the Summit. The Kenyan government has partnered with other stakeholders including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Africa Cyberspace Network, and the African Union (AU) in partnership with NASEBA to organize the summit.

According to Kenya’s ICT Secretary Dr. Kate Getao, the country is one of Africa’s most connected countries, with a 78% broadband connectivity penetration. While that should be a good thing, it also makes Kenya a target for hackers looking for victims from the African cyberspace.

Related: Microsoft warns Kenyan business to take cybersecurity seriously

Dr. Getao unveiled that plans were in action to set up a pan-African Cybersecurity Research Institute in the country. The institute mission will include building high-level skill and knowledge institutional capacity and innovation to boost not just Kenya cybersecurity defense, but the continent at large.

She reiterated the need for Africa Cyber Research Institute since the continent has invested massively in the installation of ICT infrastructure, and more investment is still on-going. The institute will also address the shortage of skilled human resource, vulnerabilities in the corporate supply chain, cyber threats companies face both internally and externally.

The Africa Cyber Defense Summit will be held from July 9th to 10th 2018 in Nairobi.

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