Israel and Ghana foster cybersecurity collaboration

Ghana and Israel have taken a significant step towards enhancing cybersecurity cooperation to build a resilient digital ecosystem.  

The collaboration aims to foster partnerships between Ghanaian and Israeli cybersecurity entities, focusing on threat intelligence exchange, joint response planning, and harmonization of cybersecurity laws.  

It also emphasized the importance of protecting critical infrastructure, with Ghana implementing new guidelines under the Cybersecurity Act, 2020, to enhance the resilience of essential services. 

The Embassy of Israel in Accra, in partnership with the Cyber Security Experts Association of Ghana (CEAG), at a Cyber Awareness Month Breakfast Meeting, underscored the need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard Ghana’s digital transformation journey, with Israel positioned as a strategic partner. 

The event, on the theme: “Strengthening Cybersecurity Collaboration: Israel-Ghana Partnerships for a Resilient Digital Future,” brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for fortifying Ghana’s digital landscape against evolving cyber threats.  

Known for its innovative solutions and resilience against cyber threats, Israel’s expertise provides Ghana with a unique opportunity to enhance its cybersecurity framework. 

During the meeting, Ghanaian and Israeli representatives highlighted the potential benefits of knowledge sharing, technological adoption, and capacity building.  

Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), whose speech was read on his behalf by Mr Alexander Oppong, Director in Charge of Capacity Building and Awareness Creation, CSA, lauded Ghana’s strides in cybersecurity, referencing its recent Tier 1 status in the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) and a role model country with a score of 99.27 per cent. 

This ranking, he noted, reflected Ghana’s commitment to protecting its digital infrastructure and combating cybercrime. 

Mr Antwi-Boasiako further stated that the strides made as a country – a leader in the region – had paved the way for further collaboration and innovation.  

“It is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated professionals and the collaborative efforts between government, academia, and the private sector,” he said.  

The Director General said it was also a recognition of the international cooperation efforts and commitment to leveraging the strengths and learning from global leaders like Israel, whose expertise could guide Ghana in addressing the evolving challenges of cybersecurity. 

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), countries that invest in cybersecurity cooperation and capacity-building see, on average, a 10 per cent increase in digital adoption rates.  

This growth contributes to a five per cent improvement in their innovation and competitiveness scores, as measured by the Global Innovation Index (GII) and the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. 

Mr Antwi-Boasiako, therefore, observed that considering the borderless nature of cybercrimes, a cyber-attack in one country could have ripple effects across other nations, disrupting services, economies, and even national security, which called for a coordinated and unified approach to cybersecurity. 

Ghana, he reiterated, was committed to greater collaboration and information sharing as a mechanism to combat cybersecurity threats and intensifying efforts to cooperate in exchanging threat intelligence, planning responses to cyber incidents, and harmonizing cybersecurity laws and policies.  

Mr Aviel Avraham, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, said cybersecurity was no longer just a sector of technology but a foundation of modern society, protecting every aspect of lives, from banking to healthcare to transportation and national security.  

The relationship between Ghana and Israel, he said, continued to deepen across several sectors, and cybersecurity was one of the most promising areas with the recognition of secure digital infrastructure as critical for national progress. 

The Deputy Chief of Mission noted that Israel’s collaboration with Ghana in cybersecurity had been about building partnerships, exchanging expertise and fostering an environment where both countries could learn from each other.  

“Israel has been particularly encouraged by Ghana’s approach to cyber security, which is both strategic and proactive. Ghana has made impressive strides, from establishing the Cybersecurity Authority to implementing a robust framework that protects the country’s digital assets,” he said. 

Mr Abubakar Issaka, President, Cyber Security Experts Association, Ghana, said the theme for the meeting encapsulated its vision to merge the cutting-edge innovation of Israeli cybersecurity with Ghana’s robust expertise and unique perspectives with a collaboration of building a resilient future for both counties.  

Keynote speakers from the Economic and Trade Mission of Israel, CEAG, and leading cybersecurity firm Checkpoint delivered insights into the global cybersecurity landscape followed by panel discussion where experts shared strategies for tackling shared cybersecurity challenges and improving collaborative defenses. 

Source: GNA

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