US, OAS officials discuss cyber security solutions with local authorities
US Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice, Richard Downing
US Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice, Richard Downing

DEPUTY Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice, Richard Downing, accompanied by Cybersecurity Programme Manager from the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, Organization of American States (OAS), Kerry-Ann Barrett, and a team of Department of Justice (DoJ) cyber experts visited Guyana to discuss cyber security solutions with representatives of the Government of Guyana.

According to a press statement from the US Embassy in Guyana, Downing and Barrett, on Monday, met with Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, representatives from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, representatives from the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General’s Chambers, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Guyana Police Force.

Downing and Barrett encouraged Guyana’s accession to the Budapest Convention, or the Convention on Cybercrime, which would offer additional resources to strengthen domestic capacity for law-enforcement responses when combatting cybercrime.

Cybersecurity Programme Manager from the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, Organization of American States (OAS), Kerry-Ann Barrett

This crucial step will help Guyana combat cyber threats as it undergoes a major economic transformation. Additionally, the DoJ cyber team, in conjunction with the OAS, offered technical support towards the development of national cyber security frameworks to combat cybercrimes, especially in the security and energy sectors. The team proposed similar support to CARICOM countries.

In addition to the visit by the DoJ, the U.S. Southern Command and Florida National Guard will send a cyber defence assessment team to Guyana this week, with the goal of sharing best practices with the Guyana Defence Force to protect military networks from cyber attacks.

Those visits by the DoJ and USSOUTHCOM highlight the United States’ concerted efforts to assist Guyana in establishing and developing a strong cyber security defence to support future development.

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