RECs Report: Towards a Continental Approach to Data Protection

On July 28, 2022, the African Union (AU) released its long-awaited African Union Data Policy Framework (DPF), which strives to advance the use of data for development and innovation, while safeguarding the interests of African countries. The DPF’s vision is to unlock the potential of data for the benefit of Africans, to “improve people’s lives, safeguard collective interests, protect (digital) rights and drive equitable socio-economic development.” One of the key mechanisms that the DPF seeks to leverage to achieve this vision is the harmonization of member states’ digital data governance systems to create a single digital market for Africa. It identifies a range of focus areas that would greatly benefit from harmonization, including data governance, personal information protection, e-commerce, and cybersecurity.  

Learn more about the Report on the blog.