Threats in cyberspace require the attention of governments around the world, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warned on Thursday (24.02.2022). At the same time, it maintained that “strong laws and efficient enforcement mechanisms are more urgent than ever following the increase in cybercrime and online fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
UNCTAD said that “despite progress, least developed countries are still lagging behind in cyber law reforms.” According to the UN body, “This has negative implications for cross-border data flows, trade and digitalisation.. Our daily lives revolve around increasingly digitalized activities and are therefore more susceptible to cyber threats. Food supply chains, transportation, payments and financial transactions, government procedures, and the supply of water and energy, among countless other activities, now operate through digital technologies. In this sense, cybersecurity policies are essential.
According to Global Cyberlaw Tracker from UNCTAD, a map showing how the world is protecting itself with cybersecurity legislation (law of E-commerce in the field of electronic transactions, law of consumer protection, law of Data Protection and law on cyber crime) indicates that many developing countries (79%), including least developed countries (70%), have adopted such legislation. However, less than half of the latter have data protection laws.
Adoption of cyber laws in least developed countries, developing and developed nations in 2021
SHamika N. Sirimanne, Director of Technology and Logistics at UNCTAD, said that for e-commerce to continue growing, “consumers and businesses must be protected when they shop online in the same way as when they buy products in a store.”
Last year, new cybercrime laws were adopted in Fiji, South Sudan and Zambia and data protection laws in Botswana, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Austria, Cambodia and Russia have reported updates to their privacy and data protection laws.
Legal reforms on consumer protection and electronic transactions were also carried out in Argentina, Chile and Slovenia, while Portugal reported new legislation on electronic transactions.
In addition, some countries have draft laws awaiting legislative approval. These include Kenya and Yemen (on cybercrime), Burundi and Lao People's Democratic Republic (on consumer protection) and Eswatini, Gambia and Tanzania (on data protection).
Despite such progress, UNCTAD warned that many countries They need better enforcement capabilities effectively.
By the end of 2021, 71% of countries had adopted data protection laws, up from 55% in 2015. Over the same period, the share of countries with laws on cybersecurity and consumer protection increased by 9%, and e-commerce laws by 6%.
In this context, the way forward is to give a harmonized response to cybersecurity threats. There is a high level of interconnectedness of States in cyberspace, and the stability of one affects the well-being of all those around it. UNCTAD therefore urged governments to simplify laws related to data protection, cybercrime and consumer protection to align them with regional and international minimum standards in order to ensure a cross-border coordination that guarantees a safer space. (UNCTAD's World Map of Cyber Laws) (UNCTAD Communiqué)
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