The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has praised the Africa Joint Operations against Cybercrimes (AfJOC) for playing a key role in shaping the continent’s efforts to combat cybercrime.
As the digital landscape in Africa expands, new opportunities online have also led to increased vulnerabilities to cybercrime. In response, the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) and Interpol have collaborated to address these rising threats.
The initiative emphasizes cross-border cooperation to dismantle cybercriminal networks, underscoring the commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure, securing its online environment, and fostering robust international partnerships.
During a debriefing session on the Africa Cyber Surge 3.0 Operation in Harare this Tuesday, Mr. Sello Moerane, the head of the Interpol Regional Bureau in Harare, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in fighting cybercrime across the region.
The session gathered experts from 19 Interpol member countries, including six from the Southern Africa Regional Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) region.
“Since its launch in 2021, AfJOC has played a significant role in shaping Africa’s strategy against cybercrime,” said Moerane. “Our approach has been centered on cooperation and collaboration. To provide context, the inaugural Africa Cyber Surge Operations in 2022 involved 27 African member countries and revealed major financial losses incurred by businesses, companies, and individuals due to various forms of cybercrime.”
He went on to highlight that key successes of the operation included the dismantling of malicious infrastructure linked to botnet activities, mass phishing campaigns, spam distribution, and online extortion. In total, scam and fraud activities were valued at US$800,000.
In 2023, the second edition of the Cyber Surge Operations uncovered financial losses amounting to US$40 million, a result of coordinated efforts among regional stakeholders, law enforcement agencies, and the private sector, including internet service providers.