Smart Africa calls for stronger trust frameworks to support African cybersecurity cooperation
Date: 2026-05-14
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Smart Africa has emphasized the need to strengthen trust between African states as a foundational requirement for advancing continental cybersecurity cooperation and digital integration.
This
position was highlighted during a session at Geneva Cyber Week, where Smart
Africa’s Director of Digital Infrastructure, Skills and Empowerment, Thelma
Quaye, moderated a panel discussion titled “Pathways to Collaboration:
Advancing Global Cooperation in African Cyberspace.”
The
session brought together cybersecurity experts from across Africa and
international partners to examine how the continent can transition from
cybersecurity aspirations to structured institutional frameworks capable of
supporting long-term resilience.
Panelists
discussed the importance of developing robust digital infrastructure while
stressing that trust between sovereign states remains a critical pillar for
securing Africa’s digital future. They noted that cybersecurity will play a
central role in determining the success of the African Single Digital Market.
Participants
included Divine Selase Agbeti, Col (Dr) James Kimuyu, Kerry-Ann Barrett, and
Samuel Famolu, alongside representatives from the United Nations Institute for
Disarmament Research and the Geneva Cyber Week organising team.
Smart
Africa reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Africa’s voice in global
cybersecurity governance through the African Network of Cybersecurity
Authorities (ANCA), as part of ongoing efforts to enhance coordination and
policy alignment across the continent.
