Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Collaborate on Advancing Cyber Diplomacy Through Inter-Regional Study Visit

The ECOWAS Commission, in partnership with the German Federal Foreign Office, the European Union, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and in close collaboration with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretariat in Vienna, Austria has organised an inter-regional study visit aimed at enhancing cyber diplomacy.

The head of the delegation is Mr. Sédiko Douka, the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitisation. The study visit, scheduled to take place from September 9 – 13, 2024, will bring together diplomats from ECOWAS Member States and other regions, including the Americas and the Asia. This visit aims to facilitate the exchange of information with international cyber diplomats, particularly from other Regional Economic Communities such as the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Organisation of the Americas (OAS) and the African Union. Participants will learn about best practices in Confidence Building Measures (CBM) governance and implementation, gaining practical insights applicable to the ECOWAS region and sharing their own experiences.

Additionally, participants will observe the meeting of the Informal Working Group Established by PC Decision 1039.  The purpose is to gain insights from the OSCE and its Member States on the CBM process, as ECOWAS prepares to establish its own mechanism for cyber confidence building and adopt a first set of CBMs.

This collaborative effort underscores the commitment of both organisations to address the growing challenges in the digital domain and to foster stronger international cooperation.

The inter-regional study visit is part of the Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in West Africa, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office within the framework of the ECOWAS-German and EU partnership and was established under the German chairmanship of the G7 in 2022.

The Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in West Africa will focus on building regional cyber diplomacy, combatting cybercrime, ensuring data sovereignty, and protecting critical infrastructure.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).