Mali unveils its first national cybersecurity strategy to counter growing digital threats 🇲🇱 🔐

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The Malian government has adopted its first-ever National Cybersecurity Strategy for 2026–2030, aiming to better coordinate public responses, standardize security practices, and strengthen the resilience of government institutions amid a growing wave of cyber incidents.

Ending fragmented responses 🛑

The strategy was approved by the Council of Ministers following a presentation by the Minister of Communication, Digital Economy, and Administrative Modernization. For the authorities, this roadmap marks a major milestone.

Until now, Mali had no unified mechanism to oversee the security of government information systems. Each public administration operated independently, relying on its own processes and tools. This lack of coordination led to duplicated efforts, inefficiencies, and weaker defenses against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Officials acknowledge that this fragmented approach left the public sector particularly exposed. The new strategy seeks to establish centralized governance capable of setting priorities, coordinating interventions, and harmonizing cybersecurity standards across all state institutions.

It also aligns with Mali’s broader digital transformation ambitions, notably those outlined in the “Mali Kura netaasira ka ben san 2063 ma” program and the National Strategy for Emergence and Sustainable Development 2024–2033.

Three pillars to structure public action 📘

The strategy is built around three core priorities:

• Strengthening cybersecurity governance
• Promoting a culture of digital security
• Enhancing protection against cyber risks and attacks

Through these pillars, the government aims to clarify leadership and responsibilities while encouraging the adoption of best practices across public institutions—and among users of digital public services.

A dedicated action plan covering the 2026–2030 period will translate these goals into concrete initiatives. However, authorities have not yet disclosed the exact budget required for implementation. Experts involved in drafting the strategy emphasize that its success will depend largely on the availability of skilled personnel, technical resources, and the ability of institutions to consistently enforce new security protocols over time.

Responding to persistent vulnerabilities ⚠️

The adoption of the strategy comes amid a rise in reported cyber incidents affecting public institutions. In recent months, authorities have identified server breaches, unauthorized access attempts, and increased exposure of poorly secured government applications.

For policymakers, these incidents underscore the urgency of establishing a structured framework to protect critical digital infrastructure. The government believes the strategy will gradually restore trust in public digital services by reinforcing protection mechanisms, improving incident monitoring, and aligning cybersecurity practices nationwide.

By placing information security at the core of administrative modernization, Mali hopes to move into a new phase where cybersecurity becomes a foundational pillar of its digital state.

👉🏾  Do you think this strategy will be enough to sustainably protect Mali’s public services from cyber threats?