07 Dec 2023

Botswana has developed a National Cybersecurity Strategy which is currently being implemented. 

Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology Mr Thulagano Segokgo told Parliament that this was done in the backdrop of significant cyber threats and risks faced and efforts made to digitise the economy. 

He said progress thus far had been the initial establishment of a structure of experts with advanced tools, processes, procedures and capabilities. 

“This structure known as Communications Computer Incident Response Team (Comm CIRT) its mandate is to on a 24/7 basis keep a watch on threats made on our critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII),” he said. 

Minister Segokgo said the Comm CIRT had since been converted into a national one to serve more clients. 

He said the Digital Forensic Lab under the Botswana Police has been established and was operational and cybersecurity and public education had been held regularly. 

He said government was developing the Layman’s Instructions for developing the Cybersecurity Bill as part of efforts to protect the economic, social and security interests in the cyber space. 

He said the Bill would be tabled next year. “There are other projects to be implemented this year which are the establishment of governance structures and upgrades of government Security Operation centre at the department of shared digital services. Overall government will be working with all stakeholders in the public and private sector to ramp cybersecurity efforts,” he added. 

Mr Segokgo said Botswana had not yet ratified and domesticated the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection popularly known as Malabo Convention. 

He said given its purpose and scope which covered setting rules for establishing a credible digital environment and addressing gaps affecting regulations and legal recognition its importance was recognisable. 

He said it also covered setting up of minimum standards and procedures to reach a common approach on the security issues in Africa including harmonisation. 

He noted that the ministry had requested government permission to ratify and domesticate the treaty. 

“Botswana National Cybersecurity Incident Report is a full member of international Forum of Incidents Response and Security Teams since June this year. 

This is an organisation which assists in information technology and other defined constituency in preventing and handling computer security related incidents,” he said. Mr Segokgo said on the side of applicability of international law in the use of information and communications technology Botswana was a member of the ongoing open ended working group of the United Nations. 

He said in the event of transgressions against critical national information infrastructure national laws were not sufficient to prosecute the cybercrime from outside the borders and therefore relied on international laws. 

He said Botswana was a member of the SADC and International Telecommunications Union where matters of cybersecurity were dealt with. Mr Segokgo explained that the information and data protection commission had been established through the data protection act and became operation in October 2021. 

He added that the information and data protection commissioner was appointed in March 2022 and was busy setting up office, its policies, processes and procedures as well as other administrative functions. 

He was responding to a question from Jwaneng/Mabutsane MP Mr Mephato Reatile who asked the minister to give an update on data protection and cybersecurity in Botswana. Mr Reatile wanted the minister to state if Botswana had ratified the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data protection. 

He also asked the minister if the information and data protection commission had been established and if the IDP was operational. 

He also asked if the commission was operating independently or integrated with an existing structure such as the Botswana Police Service. ENDS