Cybastion and Cisco have launched a cybersecurity centre in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to strengthen cyber defence capabilities and expand digital skills training across West and Central Africa.
The Cisco Cybersecurity Center at Cybastion will combine cybersecurity operations, technology demonstrations and professional training. Managed and operated by Cybastion, the facility follows a partnership involving Cisco, Cybastion and the Ivorian Government’s Ministry of Women, Family and Children.
Cisco cybersecurity centre strengthens regional capabilities
The centre will support Côte d’Ivoire’s national cybersecurity readiness while serving as a regional hub for cybersecurity training and workforce development. Its facilities include a Security Operations Center (SOC) for monitoring digital systems and identifying potential threats, alongside a Security Incident Response Team responsible for investigating and responding to cyber incidents.
Djibril Ouattara, Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation: “This center strengthens both our resilience against cyberthreats and our ability to develop specialized skills. It also advances our ambition to position Côte d’Ivoire as a cybersecurity center of expertise serving West and Central Africa,” he said.
Cisco and Cybastion expand digital skills training in Africa
Through its Cisco Networking Academy, Cisco has trained more than 3.3 million learners across Africa in digital skills over 25 years. The company’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme also operates in seven African countries.
Building on these efforts, the Africa DigiEmpower programme brings together Cisco, Cybastion and the Ivorian Government to train 200,000 young people and women across 10 regions by 2030. The programme focuses on cybersecurity, networking and artificial intelligence (AI), building on training activities conducted at U.S. Embassy American Spaces across Côte d’Ivoire over the past two summers.
The initiative is delivered by the THEYA Foundation, Cybastion’s philanthropic organisation, in Côte d’Ivoire and other African countries.
Africa DigiEmpower targets women and young people
Nassénéba Touré, Minister of Women, Family and Children: “Training women and young people in cybersecurity means strengthening their empowerment and their contribution to our country’s digital transformation.”
Fran Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer at Cisco: “World-class infrastructure will lay the foundation for Africa’s digital future, but realizing its full potential will require people with the skills to operate it, secure it, and innovate on it. With one of the world’s youngest populations, Africa has an extraordinary source of talent, energy, and ingenuity to shape what comes next. This center will help equip the next generation with the digital and cybersecurity skills needed to support a more connected, more secure Africa.”
Cybastion expands cybersecurity operations across Africa
The centre forms part of Cybastion’s wider work in digital transformation across Africa. The company delivers projects covering secure digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, e-government solutions, reliable energy and workforce development, with a focus on supporting resilient digital economies.
Dr. Thierry Wandji, President and CEO of Cybastion: “As African countries rapidly digitize their operations and move toward an AI-powered digital economy, they need cyber defense capability close to them, staffed by teams who understand their operating environment. With support from the Ivorian government and incorporating Cisco technology, Cybastion is bringing cyber defense and incident response capabilities to Côte d’Ivoire and the region, alongside a structured pathway into careers in the profession.”
U.S.-Côte d’Ivoire partnership supports digital development
The United States also highlighted the role of American businesses in supporting Côte d’Ivoire’s digital infrastructure and cybersecurity development.
Junaid Munir, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires: “The U.S. private sector is booming, and the opening of Abidjan’s new cybersecurity center demonstrates the dynamism of American companies in Côte d’Ivoire. American cybersecurity companies are leading the way in delivering the advanced technologies and expertise that support secure, modern digital economies. We welcome the Ivoirian government’s growing partnerships with American businesses, which create jobs in both countries. The United States is committed to remaining Côte d’Ivoire’s commercial partner of choice.”
www.cisco.com
www.cybastiontech.com
Are you interested in having your interview published on our website, click here.
——————————————————-
Click Here For The Original Source.
