SADC specialists meet in Luanda to combat cybercrime

Specialists from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are meeting in Luanda, Angola, to enhance regional mechanisms for combating cybercrime. The event, which includes the Africa CERT and SADC Cyber Drill 2026, focuses on improving response mechanisms to cyberattacks, sharing expertise, and strengthening regional cooperation.

The sessions aim to improve digital ecosystem resilience, data protection, and incident management. By simulating attacks in controlled environments, the exercise allows professionals to identify vulnerabilities, test response coordination, and evaluate the effectiveness of different teams in managing digital incidents.

During the opening, Angola's Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication, Mário Oliveira, highlighted recent domestic advancements, including a new legal framework for cybersecurity, the approval of the National Cybersecurity Strategy, and the establishment of the National Cybersecurity Council. Oliveira emphasized that the next challenge is translating these legal and institutional tools into effective capacity to prevent, detect, and recover from cyber incidents through investment in specialized training and research.