The global capacity building community increasingly recognise cybersecurity as an enabler and critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The World Bank’s Digital Dividends recognised that the use of ICT needs to run on a safe, secure, and private Internet to realise all of its benefits. To achieve a safe, secure, and private Internet, it is of paramount importance to develop the capacity to mitigate cyber risks and build capabilities to combat cybercrime.
ICT and Internet-based services are engrained in the SDGs. And a country’s cybersecurity capacity maturity is a critical enabler for the achievement of the SDGs, for:
SDG 10: Reducing inequalities
Globally, nations continue to battle the consequences of unequal access to cybersecurity tool. Time has come for nations to prioritize integrity of people’s information regardless of their socio-economic status.
SDG 11:Accelerating Sustainability
As cities around the world become more smarter, it is important for governments to ensure that they implement technologies that are sustainable and promote security and safety of citizens.
SDG 16: Promoting Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Given that technologies become ubiquitous as the source of information, governments must promote digital rights, openness, the right to access the internet, the right to be safe online, and freedom from censorship.