To bolster its digital transformation efforts, Ethiopia is forging strategic partnerships, including closer ties with an Asian country on cybersecurity matters.

Tigist Hamid (photo, right), Director General of the Information Network Security Administration (INSA), recently met with Chen Hai (photo, left), China's Ambassador to Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian News Agency, which revealed the meeting on Monday, November 25, the discussions focused on cybersecurity.

The news agency reveals that Tigist Hamid presented the Chinese official with "cybersecurity products and services provided by the administration as well as ongoing efforts to enhance the country's cybersecurity infrastructure." She also highlighted the need for sustained support and collaboration between the Ethiopian and Chinese governments in the field of cybersecurity.

Ethiopia is currently ranked as a Tier 3 country on the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Global Cybersecurity Index, with a score of 76.34 out of 100. This ranking reflects a basic level of commitment to cybersecurity, as measured by public initiatives to evaluate, establish, or implement generally accepted measures across a moderate range of indicators.

China, by comparison, scored 91.64 out of 100 in the 2024 index, placing it in the Tier 2 category. While not among the leading nations in cybersecurity, China’s advanced expertise and its influential tech companies—such as Huawei, ZTE, Tencent, and Xiaomi—could prove valuable for Ethiopia as it seeks to strengthen its digital defenses.

Adoni Conrad Quenum