The consultation workshop on the draft Cybercrimes Bill 2023 was held in Lilongwe, Malawi on 13 May. The primary focus of deliberations was to discuss the amendments designed to ensure that Malawi’s Bill aligns with the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention). The workshop brought together more than 30 representatives of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and officials of different departments within the Malawi government were present to discuss the provisions of the draft Bill.
The support to the consultation process was requested by the national authorities following the initial workshop on the cybercrime legal framework, organised in Lilongwe between 17–19 October 2023.
A two-day internal meeting was organised with the drafting team after the consultation process, aimed at incorporating the recommendations and offer some model provisions for consideration regarding the substantive provisions and procedural powers of the Bill.
The national authorities are strongly committed to continue the process of harmonising domestic legislation on cybercrime and e-evidence, underlining a clear acknowledgment of the benefits of becoming a Party to the Budapest Convention. These benefits were outlined by the Council of Europe in the initial and updated report when drafting the legislative amendments. This milestone is seen as a crucial step in enhancing Malawi's legal framework to effectively combat cybercrime and deal with electronic evidence.
The recommendations provided by the Council of Europe during the meeting will be instrumental for amending the national legislative in line with the international norms and standards.
Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC)