The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the European Union and Expertise France, hand over cybercrime material to the digital investigation laboratory and launch an awareness campaign on cybersecurity in Burkina Faso

As part of the implementation of the project “Organised crime: West African response on cybersecurity and the fight against cybercrime” (OCWAR-C), the ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the European Union, Expertise France and the Government of the Republic of Faso proceeded on Tuesday March 30 2021 with the official handing over of the equipment of the digital investigation laboratory, followed by the launch of an awareness campaign on cybersecurity in Burkina Faso. These activities enter

This equipment delivery was followed by an interactive digital hygiene awareness workshop in Burkina Faso. These activities aim to contribute to the strengthening of cybersecurity and the fight against cybercrime in West Africa.

Dr Zouli Bonkoungou, Commissioner of Telecommunications and Information Technologies of the ECOWAS Commission on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Dr. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU, reported that: ” The use Increased digital technologies have also fostered the presence of more malicious actors who exploit Internet vulnerabilities to their own advantage through cyber attacks such as phishing, use of disinformation and malware infiltration that result in huge financial losses for our countries. For example, one Member State encountered 3.8 million malware attacks and 16.8 million potentially unwanted application (PUA) detections for the period January to July 2020 ’’.

The Minister of Digital Economy, Posts and Digital Transformation Ms. Hadja Fatimata Ouattara while thanking the ECOWAS Commission, and the European Union pointed out that: According to several studies, cybercrime costs the economy every year world more than 500 billion dollars. In Burkina Faso, the financial damage suffered due to cybercrime activities is estimated at more than one (01) billion FCFA according to the 2020 statistics of the Central Brigade Against Cybercrime

Mr Wolfram VETTER Ambassador, Head of Delegation in Burkina Faso said that: ” Burkina Faso is one of the three Member States to have accepted to be a pilot country for the implementation of a digital forensic laboratory . The specialized equipment that we are handing over to the Ministry of Security today will enable Burkina Faso to increase its capacity to investigate security incidents and fight cybercrime. ”

Following the various speeches, the symbolic handing over was marked with a visit to the equipment and an interactive workshop in which the partners of the Ministries in charge of the digital economy, security, integration, justice. and agencies such as ANSSI and experts from Expertise France were able to discuss with the public and give recommendations and answers to current problems in the fight against cybercrime.

A total of 3 countries will benefit from this pilot phase of transfer of digital investigation equipment Burkina, Gambia and Liberia (ECOWAS funding).