from ODIRILE TOTENG in Gaborone, Botswana
Botswana Bureau
GABORONE, (CAJ News) – THE Botswana government is collaborating with the Forum of Incident Response and Security Team (FIRST) to strengthen the country’s cyber resilience and map a safer digital economy.
This is through the inaugural Botswana National Cyber Drill 2026 hosted by the Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) in Gaborone.
The drill that ends on Friday under the theme, “Cyber Resilience in Action”, is held in collaboration with FIRST, the global organisation that facilitates cooperation and information sharing among computer security incident response teams (CSIRTs).
David Tshere, Minister of Communications and Innovation, officiated at the exercise, which had Olivier Caleff, the Chairman of FIRST, in attendance.
The minister said the government had set an ambitious vision to build a Botswana that is a creator, innovator, and a leader in the safe and secure adoption of these tools.
He underlined that a key output of the cyber security framework was the establishment in 2025 of the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), which will provide strategic oversight, coordination and policy direction for cyber security across all sectors of the Botswana economy.
It was established under the Cybersecurity Act (2025) a legal instrument that strengthens the mandate of the National Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT).
The legislation is a national point for incident reporting and coordination, threat intelligence sharing, national cyber situational awareness and capacity building.
Tshere added that the cyber security drill provided a safe and structured environment to learn from global experts, share experiences and develop practical skills to handle real-world cyber security crises.
“The Cybersecurity Drill is not just an event, it is the beginning of a national culture of cybersecurity preparedness, collaboration and resilience,” the minister said.
Caleff stressed on the need for collaborations to tackle cyber security issues.
– CAJ News