“The assessment report highlights the needs gaps and opportunities in cybersecurity that should be addressed both on national and regional levels. Integrating cybersecurity into the East Africa Community regional-level promises to promote more secure and trustworthy regional and national digital transformation,“ said EU CyberNet Expert Amit Ashkenazi.

EU CyberNet was requested by the European Union to conduct an independent expert assessment in East Africa on the countries’ needs on cybersecurity at national and regional levels. The analysis, based on the gathered data, complies a state-of-affairs, description of needs and priorities for national and regional programmes, and offers short-, medium- and long-term recommendations on cybersecurity for each of the East Africa Community (EAC), and forms an input to the upcoming EU-funded regional programme Safe Digital Boost Agenda (SDBA) 2024-2027 within the SBDA framework with support of the Delegations of the European Union to EAC countries and EAC Secretariat.

The assessment was based on a cybersecurity assessment questionnaire (CAQ) which was developed using the National Cybersecurity Index (NCSI) by eGA, ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), Oxford GCSCC’s Maturity Model for Nations and the ENISA National Capability Assessment Framework.  57 Stakeholders were consulted and 53 documents integrated during the period May to August 2024.

The EU CyberNet team of experts was composed of Amit Ashkenazi, Markus Münzer and Tadas Jakstas, led by EU CyberNet Experts Lead Cecilia Popa. The final report was presented by EU CyberNet Expert Amit Ashkenazi and EU CyberNet Community Lead Silja-Madli Ossip in Arusha, Tanzania.