The “Cyber Academy” cybersecurity programme aimed at executives and technical officials from cybersecurity authorities across African nations, was launched on Monday, October 5, in Rabat.
The goal of the “Cyber Academy” programme – designed for executives and technical officials – is to shed light on the challenges surrounding decision-making and strategic leadership in this field.
Led by the General Directorate for Information Systems Security (DGSSI) and the World Bank, in partnership with the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA), this training initiative is part of the broader efforts to build the capacity of African leaders in governance and cybersecurity.
It also aims to prepare participants for challenges related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging cyber threats, while developing mechanisms for responding to cyber crises and fostering cooperation and the exchange of expertise among African countries.
William Zhang, Lead Expert in Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity at the World Bank, highlighted the importance of this training in identifying the rapidly evolving cyber risks driven by AI and the high level of preparedness required from stakeholders to address them.
Zhang noted that many cybersecurity organisations face a lack of resources to tackle current challenges, warning that AI exacerbates this situation by making it easier to detect and exploit security vulnerabilities.
For her part, Rym Jarou, Director of Partnerships, Events, and Communication at the Smart Africa Digital Academy, stated that the training aims to strengthen the capabilities of cybersecurity leaders and officials, enabling them to support the various aspects of digital transformation across the African continent.
She emphasized the importance of equipping leaders responsible for digital transformation in Africa with cybersecurity management skills and capabilities – not only at the operational level but, fundamentally, at the strategic level.
This training programme, which runs until October 8, features interactive sessions and cyber-crisis simulations, enabling participants to highlight the various practical challenges associated with decision-making and strategic leadership in cybersecurity.
AK/Sf/fss/gik/APA