Dar, Seoul team up against rising cases of cybercrimes

BERNARD LUGONGO

PERMANENT Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, Dr Maria Sasabo (centre) and the Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) Vice- President, Mr Cho Yoonhong, jointly sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on boosting cyber security in the country, in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Witnessing are KISA Deputy General Researcher Klara Lee (right), Eng Peter Mwasalyanda, Director for Information and Communication Technology (seated left) and other ministry officials. (Photo by Robert Okanda)

IN taming the risk of rising cybercrime, the government has partnered with Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) in areas that would boost cyber security in the country.

Under the five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two parties in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the KISA would offer Dar es Salaam expertise, monitor the security of the cyber infrastructures as well as put in money into the sector.

The Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications Permanent Secretary (PS), Maria Sasabo, said with the rapid growth of the information sector along with technological advancement, online security was becoming ‘increasingly jeopardised.’

“This calls upon us … to improve our performance in areas of cyber security through learning new skills and under this cooperation, the KISA will train us on new skills,” Dr Sasabo said, shortly after the signing ceremony.

The “Tanzania Cyber Security Report 2016 - Achieving Cyber Security” says Tanzanians lost $85 million from the attacks by digital criminals in 2016. In a related development, software giant Microsoft says Tanzania was spotlighted as ‘one of the top targets’ for cyber-terrorists, technology spies, hackers and digital fraudsters in the world.

This comes when most Tanzanians are now using mobile transactions more to deliver or receive, money than ever before - with the value of electronic payment services soaring by over 220 per cent in four years to reach nearly 90 trilion/- in 2015.

However, Dr Sasabo says the ministry had since been working closely with the KISA on cyber issues, only that the currently MoU now marks the official partnership between them, noting that the agreement was renewable.

KISA Vice-President, Mr Cho Yoonhong, noted that the company had established cooperation with several other countries in the world, but described the one with Tanzania as ‘pivotal’ because of the country’s location which makes it as bridge to other African countries.

He added that the company’s cooperation with Tanzania would as result strengthen partnership with their country - South Korea.

“As today we have signed the MoU, we hope that we are going to make more cooperation and it would be good opportunity for the two countries,” Mr Cho emphasised.