In 2018, McAfee, a global computer security software company, released a report that estimated the likely annual cost of cybercrime to the global economy at nearly US$600 billion, up from US$45 billion in 2014.

FROM LEFT: Phil Sticha, TechCamp Programme Manager: U.S. State Department; Dr Anicia Peters, Dean: Faculty of Computing and Informatics; Josephina Mikka, Junior Lecturer: NUST Department of Computer Science; Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor, and Eric Atkins, Public Affairs Officer: U.S. Embassy.TechCamps are hands-on, participant-driven workshops that connect private sector technology experts with key populations, to explore and apply innovative technological solutions to such global issues. These key populations include journalists, law-makers, civil society representatives, industry and non-governmental organisations.

The workshop consisted of 80 Namibian participants, 20 from the SADC region and 10 international expert trainers, who discussed four core tracks, namely Policy, Law Enforcement, Industry Growth and Education. Workshops on cybercrime are held in various countries around the world and participants identify real-world challenges in partnership with the trainers, to propose technological solutions.

“Government plays a vital and irreplaceable role in ensuring cybersecurity, because cybercrimes and cyber protection, are real issues that affect every citizen. At the same time, we cannot just wait for the solutions to come by without doing anything ourselves. Smaller steps when put together will eventually become big and effective in the end, like the ripples of the ocean that can grow into a tsunami,” remarked Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor, at the closing ceremony of the workshop.