April 05 2022
Fight Against “Organised Crime: West Africa Response on Cybersecurity (OCWAR-C project)”: Holds its 3rd Steering Committee meeting
In the framework of the implementation of the OCWAR-C Project, the third Steering Committee Meeting was held in a hybrid format (Project office and videoconference) on April 05, 2022.
The objective of the meeting was to oversee and validate the overall direction of the project, specifically, to:
· Review the implemented activities,
· Validate the visibility actions for 2022,
· Validate the planning, budget and No-Cost Extension (NCE) request,
· Validate the 2nd progress report.
The meeting was opened by welcome and introductory remarks by the Co-Chairs: Dr Zouli BONKOUNGOU, ECOWAS Commissioner for telecommunication and information technologies and Ms Cecile TASSIN-PELZER, Head of Cooperation/European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, and finally by the statement from Expertise France’s representative, Ms Marie-Claire BOILLOT.
In her opening remarks Ms Cecile TASSIN-PELZER the EU head of Cooperation mentioned that OCWAR C programme contributes to enhancing cybersecurity and to combat cybercrime in West Africa and encouraged the programme to intensify all action ongoing.
Dr. Zouli congratulated the OCWAR C project for its efforts on enhancing cybersecurity and combatting cybercrime and mentioned that many actions must be carried out at the regional level to achieve all the objectives set by the project.
He also encouraged the need to intensify the current awareness campaigns and the coordination of actions at the regional level
The OCWAR-C team presented the activities implemented from February 2021 to January 2022, notably the support on the establishment of strategic frameworks, the delivery and handovers of digital forensic equipment to the national cybercrime units of the beneficiary countries and the campaigns raising awareness on digital hygiene and capacity building. During the discussion, the Committee congratulated Expertise France for the level of implementation of the activities.
The committee also urged Expertise France to revise the 2022 budget and share it with the Delegation of the European Union and the ECOWAS Commission for adoption and planning of activities in order to prepare the next mid-term evaluation and the extension formalities.
During the closing remarks, the participants were encouraged by the co-chairs to continue to work in synergy for the implementation of the project.
OCWAR-C is an ECOWAS Project funded by the European Union with a Contribution of 8 MEUR and implemented by Expertise France.
The Initial Implementation period is 48 months (21 January 2019 to 20 January 2023) and the objectives of the program are to support regional initiatives aimed at addressing major threats to peace, security and stability by strengthening security coordination and cooperation; and implementing programs to address other specific threats facing the region.
OCWAR C specifically focuses on strengthening cybersecurity and combating cybercrime in the ECOWAS region and in Mauritania.
Some results are expected, including the resilience and robustness of the information infrastructure are improved, a strategic framework strengthening the technical, operational and analytical expertise of national institutions concerned with cybersecurity are established.
More info on OCWAR- C Project:
Media Contact:
RAO SU ECOWAS: kskouadio@ecowas.int
OCWAR-C: communication@ocwarc.eu
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