Nairobi: Morocco stands out particularly in the fight against cybercrime, as evidenced by its active participation in the Council of Europe’s Global Action on Cybercrime program, where the Kingdom has played a pivotal regional role, Spiridon told MAP on the sidelines of the 3rd African Forum on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence, held on November 25 and 26 in Nairobi.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, thanks to its central role and strong expertise in the area, Morocco has become an example to follow in Africa, he said, noting that the Council of Europe’s collaboration with the Kingdom is a long-term one as a solid partner in the fight against cybercrime. Morocco, as a State Party to the Budapest Convention and a signatory to the second additional protocol, stands out particularly in the field of cybercrime legislation, the Council of Europe official said.
On the subject of challenges posed by cybercrime, Spiridon emphasized that these challenges are now the same worldwide, whether in Africa, Europe,
or elsewhere, and that their nature and complexity vary depending on the resources invested by criminal networks and the impact of digitization in each country. He recalled that these challenges include ransomware and other forms of sophisticated cyberattacks, sexual exploitation of children online, and the use of artificial intelligence to commit crimes, adding that strengthening the legislative framework will enable African countries to build robust, harmonized systems adapted to their context.
Morocco’s participation in this Forum reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to combating cybercrime at the national, continental, and international levels. A pioneer in this field, Morocco was among the first countries to accede to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, the first international legal framework dedicated specifically to protection against computer-related crime.
Morocco has also signed the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, an action that illustrates the Kingdom’
s willingness to work towards strengthening digital security at the national, African, and global levels. In line with this approach, the Kingdom also recently signed the UN Convention on Cybercrime in Hanoi, demonstrating its commitment to strengthening international cooperation in the face of these threats.
The Forum’s agenda includes several thematic workshops on key issues relating to cybercrime and electronic evidence. These include a review of cybercrime legislation in Africa and international standards, with a focus on the alignment of African legislation with international standards and the synergy between the new UN treaty on cybercrime and the Budapest Convention.