Accra, Ghana – June 8, 2024- A collaborative effort between the ECOWAS Commission, the German Federal Foreign Office, the European Union, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Diplo Foundation saw a cyber-diplomacy simulation workshop held in Accra, Ghana, from June 5th to 7th, 2024. The workshop brought together representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the ECOWAS member states.
The core objective of the workshop was to deepen participants’ comprehension of critical cyber-related issues and processes relevant to international peace and security, while simultaneously enhancing their cyber diplomacy skills. The simulation exercises focused on applying international law in cyberspace, along with established norms, confidence-building measures, and capacity building. These exercises were anchored around the United Nations’ “Negotiations of the Open-Ended Working Group on Security of and in the Use of Information and Communications Technologies 2021–2025.”
In his opening address, Ambassador Baba Gana Wakil, the Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Ghana, representing Mr. Sédiko Douka, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization, underscored the critical importance of cyber diplomacy in today’s interconnected world. He highlighted the urgency for collaboration among ECOWAS member states, given the rapid digital transformation of the region and the transnational nature of cyber threats.
Ambassador Wakil emphasized that cyber diplomacy empowers diplomats to form alliances, share intelligence, and strategize collectively to defend against cyberattacks. By engaging in international dialogues, ECOWAS can play a crucial role in shaping global cyber policies, ensuring a secure and equitable digital future. He concluded by reaffirming ECOWAS’s commitment to safeguarding nations, promoting economic interests, and fostering global cooperation through cyber diplomacy.
H.E. Sivine Jansen, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, representing the German Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, addressed the increasing complexity of cyber security challenges. She emphasized the necessity for diplomats to continuously update their negotiating skills and cyber security knowledge. The workshop, she pointed out, aimed to bridge gaps, build trust, and empower diplomats to influence the evolving regional and global cyber security agenda. Participants were encouraged to disseminate their newly acquired knowledge to their national and regional colleagues.
This training equips diplomats to play a crucial role in addressing cyber security challenges as cyber and digital issues gain prominence in foreign affairs. Jansen stressed the need for a unified approach to enhancing cyber capabilities, enabling West Africa to make significant contributions to global cyber security discussions.
The workshop simulations were led by Mr. Ljupčo Gjorgjinski, a Senior Fellow for Science and Technology Diplomacy with the Diplo Foundation and former Chair of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWS) under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
The workshop concluded with a resounding call for a united effort from ECOWAS member states in addressing cybersecurity challenges, paving the way for a more secure and interconnected ECOWAS region. The workshop which is an initiative of the Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in West Africa.
