By Tendai Chisiri
VICTORIA FALLS — Zimbabwe has reaffirmed its commitment to building a stronger national cyber defence framework as it hosted the 4-day ITU Inter-Regional CyberDrill alongside delegates from Africa and the Arab region.
The exercise brought together government, regulators, operators and CSIRT teams to test response systems, with both the Minister of ICT and Postal Services and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) setting out the roadmap for greater collaboration and preparedness.
Speaking at the official opening, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. T.A. Mavatera, said cyber threats were “no longer a distant risk but a present reality” for government, industry and citizens.
“The digital economy can only thrive if citizens and institutions trust the systems they use every day. Cyber drills are not exercises for their own sake. They test our readiness, expose our gaps, and build the muscle memory we need when real incidents occur,” the Minister said.
She said Zimbabwe must move from reactive responses to proactive, tested systems. Key priorities included skills development, stronger public-private partnerships, and aligning with international best practice through the ITU and regional peers.
Arab-Africa cooperation on cyber security
The presence of Arab region delegates was highlighted as critical to learning and coordination. Officials said cross-regional drills allow countries to share threat intelligence, compare incident response models, and strengthen capacity across different regulatory environments.
Building on that policy direction, POTRAZ Director General Dr. Gift Machengete detailed the regulator’s operational role. He said POTRAZ was driving sector-wide simulations, capacity building for operators, and coordinated incident response channels across licensed players.
“The CyberDrill provided a platform to test Zimbabwe’s Computer Security Incident Response Team capabilities, strengthen coordination with regional peers from Africa and the Arab world, and identify regulatory gaps that must be closed quickly,” Dr. Machengete said.
He added that consumer protection and network integrity remain central to POTRAZ’s mandate as internet penetration and digital financial services continue to grow.
Linking policy and practice
Taken together, the two speeches signal a coordinated push: government setting the strategic direction on cyber resilience, while the regulator focuses on implementation across the ICT sector.
With cyber incidents rising across Africa and the Middle East, officials said the outcomes of the Inter-Regional CyberDrill will inform updates to national guidelines, operator requirements, and public awareness campaigns in the months ahead.
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