The CyberSouth+ joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe held its first Steering Committee meeting to review the implementation of activities and progress in 2024.
Representatives from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine* and Tunisia, shared their assessment on achievements and provided information on priorities and needs for the year to come.
In the opening of the meeting the representative of the EU Commission recognised the crucial role of the joint project to build up trust relationships among the partners, thus fostering international cooperation in a very complex environment such as the cyber space.
Enhanced skills and knowledge on online child sexual exploitation and abuse, advancing the gender agenda in the cybercrime area and a wider pool of national trainers on cybercrime and electronic evidence for judiciary were among the results achieved since the official launch of the project in April 2024.
In accordance with the objectives of the CyberSouth+ project and capacity building needs expressed by the delegates, the focus for the next period will be on training of trainers on cybercrime and electronic evidence for magistrates, highly specialised training modules for law enforcement agencies (financial investigations, online child sexual exploitation and abuse, ransomware attacks, digital forensics) as well as some legislative revisions.
The Cybercrime Programme Office of Council of Europe (C-PROC) will continue working with the Southern Mediterranean partners and synergise with other projects in the region having cybercrime and electronic evidence among their objectives.
Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC)
* This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of Council of Europe and European Union member States on this issue.