PSC/PR/COMM. (DCCCL) groups; Confirming that ICTs are dual-use technologies and can be used for both legitimate and malicious purposes; Expressing concern that a number of States are developing ICT capabilities for military purposes and that the use of ICTs in future conflicts between States is becoming more likely; Underlining the importance of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the use of ICTs; and Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council: 1. Expresses deep concern, over the increasing global threats to Cyber Security, which constitute serious threats to national, regional, continental and international peace and security; 2. Re-affirms, that a safe and secure cyber space is a necessary condition for reaping the dividends of the digital transformation of Africa and the world, and for promoting a positive impact of ICTs on human and economic development throughout the Continent; 3. Stresses the urgent need for Member States to undertake regular cyber security risk assessments and, working in close collaboration with the AU Commission, to further enhance their national cyber security capacities, in order to more effectively address cyber security challenges and combat cyber-crimes including the abuse and misuse of the internet; 4. Underscores the need for Member States to redouble their investments in education and public awareness raising campaigns on the growing threat of cyber-crimes, as well as to adopt a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder and public-private partnership approaches in preventing and mitigating the risks posed by cyber-crimes; 5. Also underscores the need for Member States to take necessary steps to own national information, communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure, in order to reduce their vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks, and in this context, encourages Member States to take full advantage of the various capacity building initiatives of the Global Forum on Cybersecurity Experts (GFCE), in which the AU Commission is both, a member and Co-Chair of its Advisory Board; 6. Encourages Member States to establish synergies and enhance national, regional and continental coordination, among others, through harmonizing and updating national cyber security strategies, cyber security emergency responses and policies; 7. Also encourages Member States to harmonize their laws and excise mutual legal assistance in cases of cyber-crimes; 8. Commends the efforts of the Smart Africa Alliance Initiative towards having Africa’s telecommunication traffic remaining in Africa and encourages Member States, which have not yet joined the Smart Africa Alliance Initiative to do so, in order to ensure maximum benefits for Africa; 9. Reaffirms, once again, the need to counter the use of ICT technologies by terrorist groups,