Cyber Threats Require Collective Regional Response, Says INSA Deputy Director-General

Addis Ababa, June 30, 2026 (ENA) —Cyber threats have evolved beyond national borders, making regional cooperation essential to protecting critical infrastructure, financial systems, telecommunications, and public trust, Information Network Security Administration (INSA) Deputy Director-General Daniel Guta said at the closing of the IGAD Regional Cyber Drill 2026 in Addis Ababa today.

Addressing participants of the five-day regional cybersecurity drill, the Deputy Director-General said cybersecurity is no longer solely a national responsibility but a regional and global priority due to the interconnected nature of digital systems.

“Today, a cyber-threat crosses national borders. An attack on one country can quickly affect the entire region. Critical infrastructures, financial systems, telecommunications, and public trust span across our region. So our response must be closely connected,” he noted.

The Deputy Director-General stressed that the conclusion of the drill marks the beginning of a new phase of regional cybersecurity cooperation rather than the end of the initiative.

“This closing ceremony is not the end of the journey. Rather, it marks the beginning of the latest phase of international cybersecurity cooperation,” Daniel added.

 

To strengthen long-term regional cyber resilience, he outlined 6 priority areas for future cooperation. These include institutionalizing regular national and regional cyber drills, expanding future exercises to cover more complex cyber threats, implementing harmonized cybersecurity regulations at the national level, establishing mechanisms for rapid regional threat intelligence sharing, securing sustainable financing for cybersecurity initiatives, and developing measurable action plans to monitor progress.

Speaking on behalf of IGAD's Executive Secretary, IGAD Head of Mission to Ethiopia, Abebaw Belachew, said the drill had significantly strengthened the region's collective cyber defense capabilities.

“Five days ago, we opened this program with the fundamental truth that in our interconnected network, our security is only as strong as our collective resolve. Today, our regional cyber defence is much stronger than it was five days ago,” he added.

Abebaw noted that the exercise progressed from discussions on cybersecurity policy, governance, and emerging threats to technical training in digital forensics using AI-assisted tools before culminating in live cyberattack simulations on a cyber range platform.

 

The Head emphasized that beyond technical skills, the trust established among cybersecurity professionals from member states would play a vital role in responding to future cyber incidents.

“When the next real-world cyber incident occurs, you will not be facing it alone. You will have a regional network of colleagues you can call upon,” he stated.

Abebaw also commended Ethiopia and INSA for hosting the exercise and acknowledged the support of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the World Bank, and other development partners for advancing regional cybersecurity cooperation.

The five-day drill concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Uganda.