Theme: “Supporting the Establishment of African Centre for Coordination and Research in Cybersecurity (ACCRC) in Togo”

On 23-24 March 2022, the Republic of Togo, in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), co-hosted a Cybersecurity Summit in Lome, Togo. This event brought together leaders from government, the private sector, and civil society to tackle Africa's cybersecurity challenges. During the summit, Member States endorsed the "Lomé Declaration on Cybersecurity and the fight against cybercrime," committing to adopt the African Union's "Malabo Convention. During the summit, it was agreed for the establishment of the African Centre for Coordination and Research in Cybersecurity (ACCRC), which will work towards combating the proliferation of cyber threats, aid in early assessment, detection and mitigation of cybercrimes and ensure continuous monitoring of cyber threats in collaboration with all African States. ACCRC will also aim to enhance regional and continental cooperation, coordination and partnerships on cybersecurity.

To operationalize the Lomé Declaration, the Republic of Togo and UNECA initiated the creation of the ACCRC. This regional hub, based in Lomé, Togo, aims to bolster cyber resilience across Africa through coordinated efforts and formal mechanisms for regional cooperation.

UNECA solidified its commitment to this initiative by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Togo on August 16, 2022, formalizing their partnership for establishing the ACCRC. Supported by both Togo and UNECA, the ACCRC has garnered backing from other African nations, showcasing its potential to become a pivotal entity in enhancing cybersecurity across the continent.

Recognising the significance of the ACCRC, the World Bank Group has enlisted KPMG in partnership with GFCE to provide technical assistance for the establishment of ACCRC. It is in this regard that this concept note aims to articulate and propose a session on Togo ACCRC during the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) 2024 to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 20-22 November 2024.