are committed through the instrumentality of computers, computer systems and data e.g. child pornography, sexual harassment, fraud, forgery, crime recorded and posted online and others. However, the enactment of the Electronic Transactions & Cyber Security Act (2016) has provided a platform to harness all the efforts that were being hampered by lack of appropriate legislation. Malawi is also benefiting from regional initiatives and harmonization of strategies to provide a model standard for the region. 1.2.3 Malawi’s Cybersecurity Related Activities Understanding the current cybersecurity-related activities of Malawi is critical to ensuring the effective cooperation between Malawi’s stakeholders and their cybersecurity-related mandates and activities. Therefore, this Strategy considers the various functions and activities of the different stakeholders in Malawi relating to cybersecurity. Noteworthy cybersecurity-related activities undertaken in Malawi over the past year include the recent promulgation of the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act (2016) and the development of this National Cybersecurity Strategy. The recently promulgated Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act (2016) address a number of ICT security issues like cybercrime, data protection, and privacy among others. For instance, the Electronic-Transactions and Cyber Security Act (2016) will enable citizens to undertake various electronic transactions with the full protection of the law, as well as ensure citizens are protected from computer related harms like cybercrimes, viruses and hacks. Part 6 of the Electronic-Transactions and Cyber Security Act (2016) provides details of offences; Clause 87, for instance, addresses events where an individual knowingly introduces or spreads a software code that damages computer, computer system or network. Other issues addressed in the Act include cryptography, Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), the establishment of the Malawi National CERT and the appointment of cyber inspectors. However, efforts to address challenges within the cyberspace in Malawi were fragmented due to the absence of a coordinated strategic approach by all key stakeholders. The NCS will therefore provide a link among all these stakeholders to provide effective solutions to the identified challenges. The NCS as an overarching strategy provides a platform for: the Ministry of Justice to deal with the legal issues related to the cyberspace in conjunction with all law enforcement Page | 9

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