Huawei Hosts Cybersecurity Platform to Advance Africa’s Digital Economy

Casablanca – Huawei hosted a panel discussion today in Casablanca as part of the Cybersecurity Innovation Series (CSIS) 2023, under the theme, “Powering up Africa’s Digital Economy: Conquering Cybercrime and Ensuring Prosperity.”

CSIS’ seventh edition brought together professionals, enthusiasts, and solution providers from IT and cyberspace to tackle changing issues, fortify cybersecurity foundations, and “develop Africa the right way,” according to panel moderator and Chief Cyber Security Officer at Huawei Egypt Mohamed Amr Madkour.

Key subjects included Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity regulations and policies to make sure that businesses have the appropriate solutions in place to ensure that they are safe in cyberspace.

“The ultimate objective is to assure a digital transformation that is responsible and secure,” Chief Cybersecurity and Privacy Officer at Huawei Morocco Youssef Ait Kaddour told Morocco World News (MWN).

Chief Cybersecurity & Privacy Officer at Huawei Morocco Youssef Ait Kaddour

Shedding light on insights into understanding cybersecurity, General Secretary at the African Center of Cybersecurity Youssef Mazouz stated that there is no such thing as “100% security,” unless one completely disconnects their gadgets from the internet.

Mazouz, who won a cybersecurity awareness prize during the event, added that information security is not limited to businesses but also extends to the general public. Therefore, every single person is concerned with the realm of cybersecurity.

Ait Kaddour, on the other hand, mentioned some of Africa’s weak points to cyber attacks, saying that “what makes Africa most vulnerable to cyber attacks is the weak infrastructure,” and stressing that the continent needs to strengthen it more.

The second weak point he cited was the awareness of management staff in top organizations, as they need to take into consideration cybersecurity as a critical component of any digital transformation project.

As for the third weak point, which is related to society at large, Ait Kaddour said that the public needs to be sensitized about the importance of cybersecurity, and that young African talents should receive extensive training in said field.

General Secretary at the African Center of Cybersecurity Youssef Mazouz

To address this type of vulnerability and ensure both digital transformation and security, he shared Huawei‘s cyber security system.

The system considers cybersecurity requirements and privacy from the outset when developing products and solutions.

“The cybersecurity system is used to address the cybersecurity concerns that organizations have during their digital transition,” Ait Kaddour said, stressing that “it is adopted globally and is continuously improving.”