Stakeholders charged with processing personal data in information systems based in the South West Region of Cameroon are being drilled on data protection techniques in a three-day training workshop organized by ANTIC in Limbe.

 The workshop which went underway on Wednesday under the theme; “Privacy and Data Protection in the Digital Era: Challenges, Opportunities and Trends in Cameroon,’’ has  brought together stakeholders from the telecom sector, public administration, local councils, financial institutions and Startups of the Silicon Mountain with a view to raising their awareness on personal data protection as well as strengthening their capacities on data security.

It has also offered a platform for knowledge sharing with the sole objective of fostering the development of regulatory instruments relating to privacy and personal data protection in Cameroon.

 In his  keynote address at the workshop opening, ANTIC’s Director General, Prof. Ebot Ebot Enaw underscored that the workshop provides a platform for data protection specialists to work even more closely together to improve on protective measures across sectors and to ensure that privacy protection is a guiding principle of privacy efforts in cybersecurity.

 Prof. Ebot Ebot Enaw noted that without effective data protection, the right to online privacy is at the very least fragile and far from guaranteed. The workshop seeks to strengthen the capacities of all stakeholders in the effective use of ICTs with emphasis on data security and the protection of online personal data, which is vital for an emergent Cameroon.

 The more personal information is being processed and stored in the Cameroonian cyberspace, the more organizations are expected to ensure effective implementation of cyber security measures that guarantee privacy protection. 

 Some of the sub themes being addressed at the workshop include: Laws and policies regulating privacy and personal data protection in Cameroon; Privacy and personal data protection on Social Media; Data risk management process and Privacy and data protection in an era of Big data and cloud.