More than 200 delegates from Africa and around the world are gathering in Accra for the annual Data Protection Africa Summit, scheduled from December 12 to 15, 2023.
Organized by the Africa Digital Rights Hub (ADRH) in collaboration with partners, the three-day international conference, themed “Building Bridges for Oversight and Accountability,” will open tomorrow.
Key participants include policymakers, regulators, researchers, lawmakers, and industry leaders in the digital space, with a focus on data protection practitioners and privacy experts.
The Summit will delve into critical thematic areas during plenary sessions, such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Transfers across Africa, Data Protection and ID Systems in Africa, and the intersection of Digital Trade, Data Protection, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreements (AfCfTA).
Madam Teki Akuetteh, Executive Director of ADRH, highlighted the Summit's objective to address pertinent issues surrounding data protection and privacy in Africa.
The conference will examine the current ecosystem and propose measures to mitigate the risks of violations. In alignment with the theme, discussions will center around establishing a trust framework for data transfers.
Recognizing the increasing adoption of national biometric digital identity systems in Africa, the Summit will explore user-centric approaches and mechanisms to guarantee data protection rights. ADRH aims to foster awareness and discourse on data protection issues in Ghana through this Summit.
The event underscores the importance of cooperation among governments, public and private institutions, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to build bridges, trust, and a conducive framework for data flows across the continent.
The Data Protection Africa Summit promises to be a catalyst for advancing the understanding and dialogue on crucial data protection challenges in Africa.