Malawi Builds Capacity to Implement Data Protection Act
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) in its capacity as the designated Data Protection Authority (DPA) has called on skilled and professional institutions to ensure data compliance in the country.
Head of Data Protection at MACRA Counsel Daniel Chiwoni stated that legislation alone could not adequately protect people’s privacy, stressing that effective implementation of the Data Protection Act, 2024 requires competent professionals, appropriate systems and a culture that respects privacy.
“Data protection is ultimately about people,” Chiwoni said, while highlighting the growing importance of data to innovation, digital financial services, healthcare, education, research, artificial intelligence and Malawi’s digital economy.
Chiwoni was speaking in Lilongwe on during the opening of a four-day Capacity Building Programme on Data Protection Training of Trainers being held at Sunbird Capital Hotel.
He said the training was therefore important in equipping data protection practitioners with practical skills to implement and enforce the Data Protection Act, including compliance, complaints handling, investigations, audits, evidence assessment and enforcement.
The programme brought together key stakeholders and data protection practitioners to strengthen Malawi’s capacity to implement, regulate and enforce the Data Protection Act, 2024.
The training is supported by the Government of Malawi through the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and MACRA, in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), GIZ, the European Union and the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).
Speaking on behalf of the deputy head of cooperation at the German Embassy in Malawi, Susanne Meltl, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Malawi’s digital transformation and strengthening data governance institutions.
The European Union also reaffirmed its support for trusted digital transformation, noting that effective data protection is essential for safeguarding rights, strengthening institutions and creating an environment conducive to innovation, investment and the growth of digital services.