MPs participate in major parliamentary workshop on tackling cybersecurity

Members of Parliament, Hon. Balmindar Singh and Hon. Ratu Sela Nanovo are to participate in a parliamentary workshop in Brisbane, Queensland to discuss cybercrime and cybersecurity.

The Asia-Pacific regional workshop on 25-28 July – organised by the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in partnership with the Queensland Parliament – forms part of a major international parliamentary project on cybercrime.

The project – funded by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office – will also see the production of an innovative and freely available e-handbook.

This will bring together examples of good practice and case studies in order to build a comprehensive resource to aid parliamentarians in their implementation and oversight of cybersecurity laws.

Further regional workshops will take place in Africa and the Caribbean, before a major international conference on national security is held in London next spring.

Hon. Balmindar Singh said: “Parliamentarians have a responsibility to ensure that national security is hardwired into all aspects of the legislative process, therefore I am delighted to be participating in this important and exciting conference.”

“We have an integral role in legislation, budget approval and scrutiny, and so we are uniquely positioned to influence the shape and content of national cybersecurity and cybercrime strategies.”

Hon. Ratu Sela Nanovo said: “With 3.3 billion people online – almost half the global population – the issue of cybersecurity and cybercrime is now firmly on the global agenda, and I look forward to promoting the good work that has already been done in Fiji whilst learning about what other countries are doing.”

“I look forward to putting the skills and examples of best practice that I hope to gain during the workshop to practical and effective use to ensure that Fiji has a fully-functioning cybersecurity strategy.”