During 28–30 May, a workshop on the legislative reform on cybercrime and electronic evidence took place in Yaounde, Cameroon. The workshop gathered around 70 participants from the Ministry of Postal and Telecommunication (MINPOSTEL), Ministry of External Relationship (MINREX), Ministry of Justice (MINJUS), Police, the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies-ANTIC, as well as private sector representatives to discuss the findings and recommendations of the assessment report on the national framework on cybercrime and electronic evidence and further explaining the provisions of the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).
In-depth presentations and discussions were held on the substantive provisions, procedural powers and international cooperation on cybercrime and e-evidence by analysing the provisions of the Budapest Convention towards the national legislation, emphasising the gaps and the potential improvements.
A key outcome derived from the discussions was the consensus on the relevance to incorporate all recommendations provided by the Council of Europe into the legislative amendments. Moreover, there was a notable recognition of the differentiation between cybersecurity and cybercrime, leading to internal discussions on the potential benefits of developing separate Bills to comprehensively address these distinct yet interconnected areas. This strategic consideration aims to optimise legislative measures and tailor them to effectively tackle specific challenges posed by cyber activities.
Additionally, stakeholders emphasised the importance of inclusivity in the legislative process. They underscored the need for involvement of Internet Service Providers and civil society in consultations for drafting the new cybercrime legislation.
On 31 May, a workshop on the 24/7 Network was held to present the organisation and responsibilities of the members of the Network. On this occasion, very constructive discussions were held with the representatives of different national stakeholders in view of understanding the role and setup of the 24/7 Point of Contact in Cameroon. Given its responsibility for operational cooperation on cybercrime and electronic evidence, an internal process will be initiated for establishing the POC within the authorities with responsibilities on cybercrime investigations.
Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC)
Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
Ministry of Postal and Telecommunication
National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies