As part of RightsCon 2026, and in collaboration with the German Federal Foreign Office, UNIDIR is organizing a regional simulation to explore how regional incident response successes can be scaled and integrated into cooperative frameworks that protect both UN missions and African Union (AU) institutions.
In the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the security and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), States reached a key understanding: regional and sub-regional organizations have proven their ability to develop and implement confidence-building measures in cyberspace, particularly in the critical area of cyber incident response coordination.
The OEWG’s final report highlighted that regional and sub-regional organizations could continue to play an important role in implementing the framework for responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs. Regional incident response mechanisms have emerged as one of the most successful examples of cyber cooperation, demonstrating practical pathways for cross-border coordination during cyber crises.
With the UN permanent mechanism on ICT security launching and regional organizations seeking greater involvement in global cyber governance, this simulation provides timely capacity-building for stakeholders that will be actively engaged in these processes.
RightsCon 2026 provides the opportunity to engage and learn from countries’ practical experiences in cyber incident response, advancing this objective by:
- Testing how regional mechanisms can support the United Nations
- Fostering multi-stakeholder diplomatic engagement
- Exploring sustainable legal framework models
- Promoting cooperative incident response governance
When and where
Friday, 8 May 2026 | 09:00-10:00 SAST | Mulungushi International Conference Centre (Room A114), 8025 Great East Rd, Lusaka, Zambia.
Check your local time here.
Participants
This is an invitation-only event. Please note that UNIDIR is not able to grant access to the conference without prior registration on the conference website.
Further information
This event forms part of UNIDIR and the German Federal Foreign Office’s ongoing engagement with Africa to advance the practical application of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
For any questions, please contact Moliehi Makumane at: moliehi.makumane@un.org
In partnership with
