The Government of Samoa has received funding from the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) under the Cyber Cooperation Program to support Samoa’s efforts in addressing and minimizing threats and vulnerabilities that emerge with the widespread use and adoption of technology.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Australian High Commission Samoa Office, in collaboration with its local and regional partners and key stakeholders, will be commemorating the Cybersecurity Week 2021, from Monday 22nd to Friday 26th of February 2021, at the Taumeasina Island Resort and Apita o Pisaga Hall, Salelologa, on the theme: “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility”.
The Campaign will feature the launching of various cybersecurity resources. These include:
1. The Cybersecurity Handbook – developed by MCIT as a guide for Government and businesses in recognizing threats and vulnerabilities to their systems and provide guidance and support on protective measures to prevent intrusion and adversaries in the first place.
2. The Cybersecurity Informational and Awareness materials offering simple security advice for users of different online applications.
3. The GetSafe Online Website – URL link: https://www.getsafeonline.ws/
4. PaCSON website – URL link: https://pacson.org/
5. Monthly Security Bulletin – URL link: https://mcit.gov.ws/category/cs/
To complement the various Cybersecurity Week activities, the Government in partnership with Tertiary Institutions will be hosting the Young Professional Program 2021, on the theme “Equity, Inclusion and Safety – You can make a Change!”, during the course of the week. The aim of the program is to enhance cybersecurity awareness amongst young people, enabling them to become cybersecurity ambassadors within their communities. The Young Professional Program will cover both Upolu and Savaii.
Parallel to this week’s awareness campaigns, Virtual Tabletop exercises targeting ICT officials from Government and the Private Sector will also take place. These are made possible through in-kind support provided by the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology (APCICT). These five days virtual training sessions will focus on new concepts and techniques in the monitoring and evaluation of security systems and infrastructures, practical hands-on experience in these new areas of understanding and most importantly to ensure the application and transfer of training to their respective working environments to better secure and strengthen cybersecurity on all systems and infrastructures, and more.
The Chief Executive Officer, MCIT, Fualau Talatalaga Mata’u Matafeo highlighted that Cybersecurity Week 2021 is timely given the widespread growth and proliferation of technology and it is of paramount importance that our people especially the children are made aware of these threats. And as the Hon. Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afioga Afamasaga Toeolesulusulu Lepuia’i Rico Tupai’s has continuously spoken about that “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and this calls upon all internet users, to be vigilant and informed about online threats, and how their own actions can be the first line of defense.”
