ECOWAS Online Workshop on the Review of the Preliminary Draft of the Re-vised Supplementary Act A/SA.1/01/10 on Personal Data Protection within ECOWAS
04 Nov, 2024The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission’s Directorate of Digital Economy and Post successfully hosted an online workshop on October 21, 2024, to review the preliminary draft of the revised Supplementary Act A/SA.1/01/10 on Personal Data Protection within ECOWAS.
The objective of this workshop was to refine the preliminary draft of the Revised Supplementary Act, taking into account the recommendations from the previous workshop held on 15 July in Abuja. This effort aims to ensure robust protection of personal data within the ECOWAS region.
The meeting featured presentations by Groupe DPSE, discussions on member states’ inputs, and validation of provisions and recommendations. Key participants included representatives from ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Digital Economy and Post, Ministries of Digital Economy from ECOWAS Member States, Data Protection Authorities from ECOWAS Member States, and Groupe DPSE.
Adopted in 2010, the ECOWAS Supplementary Act on Personal Data Protection is a crucial regional framework for data protection. Its revision is necessary to address the challenges posed by digitalization and global data protection trends. This workshop is part of ongoing efforts by the African Union Data Policy Framework to strengthen data protection in Africa.
The revised Supplementary Act will provide a robust framework for safeguarding personal data, promoting digital economy growth, and ensuring confidentiality. This project is being carried out in cooperation with European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), under the Data Governance in Africa initiative implemented with the support of GIZ African Union.
