Delegates to the maiden Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building hosted by Ghana endorsed a resolution on Wednesday, calling for cyber-resilient development to promote sustainable economic growth through digitalization and connectivity.
Known as “The Accra Call for Cyber Resilient Development: An Action Framework,” the four-page resolution noted that the rapid expansion of digitalization and connectivity had also created the need for resources, expertise, and skills to reap the benefits and manage the associated risks.
“As cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats continue to grow in volume, scope, and sophistication, they can stifle growth, weaken the resilience of critical infrastructure, erode trust in the digital environment, and endanger the lives, health, well-being, and public participation of people,” said the document.
The Accra Call said the persistent digital divides, inequalities in acquiring digital skills, and uneven access to cybersecurity expertise and resources that affected developing countries, in particular, undermine efforts to implement the 2030 agenda to leave nobody behind.
It said developing countries needed capacity building to enhance their cyber resilience and preparedness.
The document added that the world is at an inflection point, as investments in digital infrastructure, systems, and services were accelerating globally, with development approaches also relying heavily on digital tools and solutions for service delivery.
“This calls for greater integration of cyber capacity building and traditional development programs, including incorporating cyber resilience across national and international development investments and projects to ensure the viability and sustainability of development results in the face of growing cyber threats,” added the Accra Call.
The two-day conference themed “Cyber Resilience for Development” and hosted by the government of Ghana, is supported by the World Economic Forum, Cyber Peace Institute, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), and the World Bank to share ideas and build capacity towards a safe and resilient cyber ecosystem globally.
Opening the two-day conference, Yaw Osafo Maafo, Senior Advisor to Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, noted that the brazen boldness of cyber criminals posed a threat to digital development as internet penetration and access to digital tools continued to increase.
Osafo-Maafo added that online attacks and cybercrimes intensify the tension between institutions and governments, weakening trust among individuals.
He said the threat landscape was increasingly volatile, and experienced cybercriminal groups continued to grow and create more sophisticated strategies and tools.
“These challenges call for governments, businesses, and stakeholders within the cyber ecosystem to collaborate and cooperate, integrating holistic strategies that will address these complex threats,” Osafo-Maafo stressed.
On His part, Chris Painter, president of GFCE, said the roll-out of digitalization had concretely demonstrated how technology could help the world achieve a better future.
“Digital technologies have been instrumental in growing the economy, increasing productivity, and advancing human and social development. As such, it has also been recognized as a key driver to attain the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” Painter said.
As the world is immersed in the era of digitalization in every area of life, he underscored the need for building the capacity to anticipate, manage, and respond to digital risks to ensure cyber resilience to sustain the delivery of key development outcomes that support the Sustainable Development Goals. “The stakes are high to ensure that no country or individual is left behind, or below the ‘cyber poverty line,” Painter added.