Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Ghislain de Salins (World Bank, FR), Palakiyem Assih (CERT.tg, TG), Sergio Guivala (National Institute of Information and communication Technology (INTIC), MZ), Thank-You Hauwanga (Namibian CSIRT, NA), Lawrence Muchilwa (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, KE), Anat Lewin (World Bank, US)
Establishing and operating CSIRTs in low‑income, fragile environments can be particularly challenging. In many developing countries, CSIRTs face limited funding, uncertain legal landscapes, as well as difficulty in hiring and retaining skilled staff. Yet over the past decade, a growing number of low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries have successfully established national and sectoral CSIRTs, often with support from development partners such as the World Bank and FIRST.
This panel will focus on practical lessons for doing more with less. Speakers from Togo, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and the World Bank will share concrete “tips and tricks” based on real‑life experience: how to define a minimum viable CSIRT; prioritize services in the first 12–24 months; learn how to use open‑source tools and shared platforms (e.g., feeds from the Shadowserver Foundation, OpenCTI); build trust and legitimacy with constituents; and explore sustainable financing models from membership fees, government budgets, or private‑sector support.
Participants will leave with a realistic checklist, examples to replicate (and mistakes to avoid), and ideas for peer‑to‑peer collaboration.
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Ghislain de Salins is the Global Lead for Cybersecurity at the World Bank. He has helped developing countries' governments and cybersecurity teams establish, operate, upgrade and finance CSIRTs across Western Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and East Asia Pacific. He recently published a practitioner note entitled "Digital First Responders", which focuses on how to successfully build CSIRTs in developing countries. He previously worked for the OECD as a cybersecurity policy analyst.
Anat Lewin is a Senior Digital Specialist focused on Cybersecurity and AI in the Digital & AI Vice Presidency at the World Bank. She joined the World Bank in 2000 and leads activities that advise developing country governments on their cybersecurity strategies and investments. This coming year, Anat’s projects include leading a cybersecurity academy program for policymakers in continental Africa and a new effort to make public sector data in developing countries ‘AI-Ready.’ With over 27 years of experience in digital development, she has worked on cybersecurity, digital government, data governance, Open Data, Big Data, and digital identification in 30 countries across regions including Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Anat holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Toronto. Her commitment lies in supporting governments to build resilient digital ecosystems and advance data-driven policy. She speaks five languages, has three passports and loves animals of all kinds, especially dogs.
Palakiyem Assih is the Head of the CERT.tg, the national CERT of Togolese Republic and Technical Director of Cyber Defense Africa S.A.S (CDA).
Sérgio Henrique Guivala is a cybersecurity professional with nearly 20 years of experience in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). He holds a degree in Computer Science from the Institute of Science and Technology of Mozambique (ISCTEM). He currently serves as Head of the Cybersecurity Department at the National Institute of ICT (INTIC) and as the National CSIRT Coordinator (nCSIRT.mz) for Mozambique.
Thank-You Hauwanga is a Cyber Security Specialist at the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team (NAM-CSIRT). She plays a key role in strengthening Namibia’s national cyber resilience through incident response, cyber threat intelligence, risk management, and cybersecurity capacity-building initiatives.
Mr. Lawrence Muchilwa is a highly accomplished professional in the fields of cybersecurity, IT operations, strategy, policy, and stakeholder engagement, with a particular focus on National CSIRTs, critical information infrastructure, cyber threat intelligence, and incident response management. Building on his academic background in Information Systems Technology, and Computer Science, he has over a decade of experience in diverse roles such as senior consultant, subject matter expert, lead trainer, and departmental head. He is currently the African Regional Liaison for the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams and lead the Research and innovation working group at the Kenya Cybersecurity and Forensics Association.
Ghislain de Salins (World Bank, FR), Palakiyem Assih (CERT.tg, TG), Sergio Guivala (National Institute of Information and communication Technology (INTIC), MZ), Thank-You Hauwanga (Namibian CSIRT, NA), Lawrence Muchilwa (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, KE), Anat Lewin (World Bank, US)
Establishing and operating CSIRTs in low‑income, fragile environments can be particularly challenging. In many developing countries, CSIRTs face limited funding, uncertain legal landscapes, as well as difficulty in hiring and retaining skilled staff. Yet over the past decade, a growing number of low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries have successfully established national and sectoral CSIRTs, often with support from development partners such as the World Bank and FIRST.
This panel will focus on practical lessons for doing more with less. Speakers from Togo, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and the World Bank will share concrete “tips and tricks” based on real‑life experience: how to define a minimum viable CSIRT; prioritize services in the first 12–24 months; learn how to use open‑source tools and shared platforms (e.g., feeds from the Shadowserver Foundation, OpenCTI); build trust and legitimacy with constituents; and explore sustainable financing models from membership fees, government budgets, or private‑sector support.
Participants will leave with a realistic checklist, examples to replicate (and mistakes to avoid), and ideas for peer‑to‑peer collaboration.
---
Ghislain de Salins is the Global Lead for Cybersecurity at the World Bank. He has helped developing countries' governments and cybersecurity teams establish, operate, upgrade and finance CSIRTs across Western Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and East Asia Pacific. He recently published a practitioner note entitled "Digital First Responders", which focuses on how to successfully build CSIRTs in developing countries. He previously worked for the OECD as a cybersecurity policy analyst.
Anat Lewin is a Senior Digital Specialist focused on Cybersecurity and AI in the Digital & AI Vice Presidency at the World Bank. She joined the World Bank in 2000 and leads activities that advise developing country governments on their cybersecurity strategies and investments. This coming year, Anat’s projects include leading a cybersecurity academy program for policymakers in continental Africa and a new effort to make public sector data in developing countries ‘AI-Ready.’ With over 27 years of experience in digital development, she has worked on cybersecurity, digital government, data governance, Open Data, Big Data, and digital identification in 30 countries across regions including Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Anat holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Toronto. Her commitment lies in supporting governments to build resilient digital ecosystems and advance data-driven policy. She speaks five languages, has three passports and loves animals of all kinds, especially dogs.
Palakiyem Assih is the Head of the CERT.tg, the national CERT of Togolese Republic and Technical Director of Cyber Defense Africa S.A.S (CDA).
Sérgio Henrique Guivala is a cybersecurity professional with nearly 20 years of experience in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). He holds a degree in Computer Science from the Institute of Science and Technology of Mozambique (ISCTEM). He currently serves as Head of the Cybersecurity Department at the National Institute of ICT (INTIC) and as the National CSIRT Coordinator (nCSIRT.mz) for Mozambique.
Thank-You Hauwanga is a Cyber Security Specialist at the Namibia Cyber Security Incident Response Team (NAM-CSIRT). She plays a key role in strengthening Namibia’s national cyber resilience through incident response, cyber threat intelligence, risk management, and cybersecurity capacity-building initiatives.
Mr. Lawrence Muchilwa is a highly accomplished professional in the fields of cybersecurity, IT operations, strategy, policy, and stakeholder engagement, with a particular focus on National CSIRTs, critical information infrastructure, cyber threat intelligence, and incident response management. Building on his academic background in Information Systems Technology, and Computer Science, he has over a decade of experience in diverse roles such as senior consultant, subject matter expert, lead trainer, and departmental head. He is currently the African Regional Liaison for the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams and lead the Research and innovation working group at the Kenya Cybersecurity and Forensics Association.
