ORGANISED CRIME:WEST AFRICAN RESPONSE ON CYBERSECURITY & FIGHT AGAINST CYBERCRIME (OCWAR-C)

Source of funds: 11th EDF (CRIS ref: 2017/040-386)

Decision date: 11/12/2017 (FA Signature date:27/02/2018)

EU Contribution: 7.5 MEUR

Implementation period: 48 months (21 January 2019 to to 20 January 2023)

Implementation modalities: EU MS Agency (Expertise France)

Geographical region: West Africa

Objectives:

Globally, the OCWAR programme supports regional initiatives to address the main threats to peace, security and

stability by strengthening coordination and cooperation in security; and by implementing programmes to deal

with other specific threats facing the region. OCWAR C concentrates specifically on enhancing cybersecurity and

combat cybercrime in the ECOWAS region.

Expected results (Resilience and robustness of information infrastructure)

· Strategic framework enhancing technical, operational and analytic expertise of national institutions

concerned with cybersecurity is established;

· Cybersecurity awareness and better comprehension of the governance of the internet are improved;

· Capacities to handle computer security incidents for 2 pilot countries are enhanced;

· Compliance with human rights and the rule of law for 2 pilot countries is strengthened;

· Strategic framework to implement Public Key Infrastructure for 2 pilot countries is analysed.

Expected results (Capacities of relevant stakeholders in charge of fight against cybercrime)

· Legal framework enabling citizens to enjoy the digital dividends of an open, free, secure and resilient

cyberspace is improved;

· Capacities to respond to cybercrime cases for 2 pilot countries are enhanced.

Main activities:

· Establishing a strategic framework enhancing technical, operational and analytic expertise of national

institutions concerned with cybersecurity;

· Improving cybersecurity awareness and empowerment of stakeholders to secure the internet at

national and regional levels;

· Enhancing capacities to handle computer security incidents for 2 pilot countries;

· Strengthening compliance with human rights and the rule of law for 2 pilot countries;

· Analyse strategic framework to implement Public Key Infrastructure for 2 pilot countries;

· Improve legal framework enabling citizens to enjoy the digital dividends of an open, free, secure and

resilient cyberspace;

· Enhancing Capacities to respond to cybercrime cases for 2 pilot countries.

Main accomplishments:

· 14 Beneficiary countries have designated their focal points for the implementation of the OCWAR-C’s

activities in national level;

· Organisation of the 1st workshop of the Regional Technical Committee to draft the regional

cybersecurity strategy, on November 2019;

· The cybercrime bills of Sierra Leone and The Gambian have been reviewed and analysed in close

coordination with the EU project Global Action on Cybercrime Extended (GLACY)+;

· 13 law enforcement agents, coming from the 8 beneficiary countries have been trained on: Concepts of

cyberterrorism, cyber-activism, cyber-jihadism and cybercrime (intervention of experts on

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radicalization), Surveillance and infiltration doctrines; Operating methods and monitoring of intelligence

in a digital environment; Software and digital interfaces, on child pornography and its penal repression.