CPDP 2019: privacy and data protection in Africa: a simple trend or a reality?

PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION IN AFRICA: A SIMPLE TREND OR A REALITY?

Organised by African Network of Data Protection Authorities (RAPDP)

Chair: Lahoussine Aniss, DPA of Marocco (MA)
Moderator: Patricia Adusei-Poku, DPC of Ghana (GH)
Speakers: Omar Seghrouchni, CNDP of Morocco (MA); Sophie Kwasny, Council of Europe (INT); Boris Wojtan, GSM Association (UK); Estelle Massé, Access Now (BE)

Many African countries have enacted or are in the process of enacting privacy and data protection laws, in addiction to pan African privacy regulations.
The aim of this panel is to examine the reasons behind these developments, how African privacy laws are really enforced and how they are perceived by different privacy stakeholders: do privacy laws in Africa come in response to a real need from African citizens, or it is only a trend and an imitation to countries in other parts of the world, without adaptation to local contexts.

• Are privacy and data protection a priority to African citizens? / Enacting privacy laws in Africa: a real need or a simple following of a global trend?
• What challenges must be addressed to ensure real and adequate privacy protection in Africa?
• What do we expect form privacy stakeholders in Africa (governments, regulators, the private sector, NGOs, the media)?
• What future for privacy and data protection in Africa?