Centre for Multilateral Affairs (CfMA) has been participating in a dynamic two day conference, dubbed ‘ EU Cyber Agora’. As the European Union steers through the dynamic geopolitical landscape of cybersecurity and disruptive technologies, the European Cyber Agora Conference held from 23-24 April 2024 comes with a renewed commitment to fostering cross-sectoral dialogue and collaboration in the face of evolving digital challenges. Building on the successes of previous years, the conference stands as a pivotal platform for addressing the pressing issues at the intersection of technology, policy, and geopolitics.
CfMA joined by engaging in high-level panel discussions featuring representatives from EU institutions, national governments, cybersecurity agencies, civil society, academia, and industry. We delved into topics including cybersecurity policy, the future of cyber diplomacy, the geopolitics of AI, the role of the private sector in hybrid conflict, election security, influence operations, cyber mercenaries, cyber skills, and more. The CfMA participated in many sessions, actively contributed to debates and discussions, offering insights and advancing African and global south perspectives. The CfMA also participated in the regional meeting of the Global Forum for Cyber Expertise (GFCE) – for which the organisation recently joined as a partner. The Directors of the GFCE welcomed CfMA input to prioritising cyber capacity building needs of Africa, fostering coordination and incident response among African institutions and providing cyber capacity skills to members of judiciary, prosecutors, lawyers and team members in government bureaucracies, considering the evolving nature of ICTs and the skills required in providing digital evidence as well as in forensic investigations.
