Collection

Cyber security capacity-building in the Commonwealth 2018 to 2021

This page brings together guidance to help countries implement the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration, signed when the UK was Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London in 2018, member countries agreed a vision for strengthening national and collective cyber security. At that meeting they signed the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration. It is an important expression of the Commonwealth’s desire to maintain a free, open, inclusive and secure cyber space. The 3 pillars of the Cyber Declaration are:

  • a cyberspace that supports economic and social development and rights online
  • build the foundations of an effective national cyber security response
  • promote stability in cyberspace through international co-operation

As Chair of the Commonwealth from 2018 to 2021, the UK has focused on supporting Commonwealth countries to implement the Declaration through our Commonwealth Cyber Programme. This page brings together documents that report the significant achievements from our various projects.

Looking ahead to the next CHOGM in Kigali, the UK government will build on the progress made to implement the Cyber Declaration by supporting Rwanda’s ICT and Innovation agenda for the Commonwealth when they take over as Chair in Office.

Introduction to progress on cyber security incident response in the Commonwealth

Progress on cyber security incident response in the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Policy Network Chatham House research papers

Chatham House organised 4 workshops, based around the 3 pillars of the Cyber Declaration, and published recommendations after each workshop. The fourth and final workshop provided an overview on the progress made in the Commonwealth since the Declaration in 2018 and looks ahead to CHOGM:

Cyber security awareness across the Commonwealth

National cyber security strategy

Guidance

Toolkit for cyber security policymaking

  • Toolkit for inclusive and value-based cybersecurity policymaking. This guide aims to help policymakers engage with stakeholders when developing national cyber security strategies. It also provides a repository of good practice for inclusive policymaking, and an interactive map tracking the adoption of core cybersecurity capacity building instruments in the 54 countries of the Commonwealth

Cyber security and democratic processes

Commonwealth parliamentarians cybersecurity workshop

Case studies

Africa project documents

Updates to this page

Published 9 March 2021
Last updated 12 May 2021 + show all updates
  1. Added a link to the report 'Human rights in the digital age: state of play across Commonwealth Pacific countries'

  2. First published.