Security officers trained in cybersecurity, counterinsurgency
The national CERT currently includes staff from the military, police, and intelligence services.
LILONGWE, Malawi— At least 70 public security officers have been drilled in cybersecurity, counterinsurgency as well as conflict analysis and transformation to enhance national security, the Malawi Defense Force said Friday, writes Moses Nyirenda.
The security officers are from the Malawi Defense Force, Malawi Police Services, Immigration Department and Citizenship Services, National Intelligence Services and some officials from Ministry of Defense.
Speaking Friday in Lilongwe after the closing of the two-week National Security Executive Programme organized by the defense force and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority to train the officers under the National Defense College, Brig. Gen. Dan Kuwali said the college's focus is to equip security officers with knowledge to address issues threatening national security.
"The mandate of national defense college is to equip security professionals with relevant knowledge to envisage threats to national security in order to come up with effective strategies to respond to those challenges," Kuwali said.
Kuwali, who is also defense college commandant, said the courses would help officers address security threats.
He said the defense force is striving to equip the country's security officers with knowledge and information to help maintain national security.
"We are trying to connect the dots for if this happens how do we address in order to achieve what we want," he said.
He also said the defense force is committed to lobby for empowering civilian youth with farming businesses, saying such programs would deter them from crimes threatening security.
Christopher Banda, head of the Computer Emergency Response Team at the regulatory authority, said the agency is eager to continue supporting the defense force in conducting trainings, especially in cybersecurity.
With cyber threats on the rise, Banda said expertise shared between institutions is crucial.
The national CERT currently includes staff from the military, police, and intelligence services.