Cybersecurity and AI Capacity Building

On 12 November 2025 at AVANI Maseru, Internet Society Lesotho Chapter hosted the first of a series of AI and Cybersecurity capacity building workshops. This series of workshops brought together Parliamentarians, Military, Police, and Legal Experts.

The primary objective was to build a foundational understanding of the transformative potential and profound threats posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the cybersecurity domain. The sessions provided a crucial platform for cross-sectoral dialogue, emphasizing the need for collaborative policy, strategic doctrine, and legal frameworks. Key takeaways include the recognition of AI as a dual-use technology, the critical importance of securing national digital infrastructure, and the urgent need to address the ethical and legal implications of autonomous systems. The workshop concluded with a set of actionable recommendations for legislative, operational, and legal communities.

Key Findings and Takeaways:

Cross-Sectoral Awareness Gap: A clear need was identified for a common lexicon and understanding of AI risks and opportunities among policymakers, operators, and legal experts.
The Vulnerability of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI): There was unanimous concern about the vulnerability of power, water, and financial systems to AI-augmented cyberattacks.
The Threat of AI-Enabled Disinformation: Participants recognized deepfakes and bot networks as a primary threat to social cohesion and democratic processes, requiring new countermeasures beyond traditional media regulation.
Legal and Regulatory Lag: The current legal framework is ill-equipped to handle issues of algorithmic bias and other negative effects of AI like hallucination etc. A proactive, rather than reactive, legislative approach is needed.
Imperative for Collaboration: The scenario exercise underscored that siloed responses are ineffective. A whole-of-nation approach, integrating intelligence, operational, and legal perspectives, is critical for resilience.

Cross-Sectoral Awareness Gap

A clear need was identified for a common lexicon and understanding of AI risks and opportunities among policymakers, operators, and legal experts.

The Vulnerability of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI):

There was unanimous concern about the vulnerability of power, water, and financial systems to AI-augmented cyberattacks.

The Threat of AI-Enabled Disinformation:

Participants recognized deepfakes and bot networks as a primary threat to social cohesion and democratic processes, requiring new countermeasures beyond traditional media regulation.

Legal and Regulatory Lag:

The current legal framework is ill-equipped to handle issues of algorithmic bias and other negative effects of AI like hallucination etc. A proactive, rather than reactive, legislative approach is needed.

Imperative for Collaboration:

The scenario exercise underscored that siloed responses are ineffective. A whole-of-nation approach, integrating intelligence, operational, and legal perspectives, is critical for resilience.

Recommendations

For Parliamentarians:

Expedite Legislation:

Prioritize the drafting and passage of a national AI Strategy with a dedicated pillar on security and ethics.

Oversight and Funding:

The scenario exercise underscored that siloed responses are ineffective. A whole-of-nation approach, integrating intelligence, operational, and legal perspectives, is critical for resilience.

Public Awareness:

Champion public awareness campaigns on digital literacy and the threats of disinformation.

For Military and Defence Establishments:

Doctrine Development:

Develop a vision and integrate formal doctrine for the use of AI in defence and cyber operations.

Talent and Training:

Invest in recruiting and training a new generation of "AI-savvy" personnel and conduct regular cross-branch exercises.

Supply Chain Security:

Mandate strict security standards for AI systems and components integrated into defence networks.

For Police and Law Enforcement:

Capacity Building:

Equip cybercrime units with advanced tools and training to investigate AI-facilitated crimes.

Ethical Guidelines:

Develop and publish strict ethical guidelines for the use of predictive policing and facial recognition technologies to maintain public trust.

National Cooperation:

Strengthen formal channels for information sharing on cyber threats with national cybersecurity agencies and the military.

For the Legal Community:

Expedition of the Lesotho Computer Crimes and Cybersecurity Bill.

Professional Development: Introduce mandatory continuing legal education on technology law, AI, and cybersecurity for judges and prosecutors.

International Law Engagement: Actively contribute to international forums developing norms and laws for state behavior in cyberspace and AI.

The workshop successfully achieved its goal of raising awareness and initiating a critical cross-sectoral dialogue on AI and cybersecurity. The engaged participation from all stakeholder groups demonstrated a shared understanding of the high stakes involved. The path forward requires sustained effort, strategic investment, and a commitment to collaboration.

Key Findings and Takeaways:

Cross-Sectoral Awareness Gap: A clear need was identified for a common lexicon and understanding of AI risks and opportunities among policymakers, operators, and legal experts.

The Vulnerability of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI): There was unanimous concern about the vulnerability of power, water, and financial systems to AI-augmented cyberattacks.

The Threat of AI-Enabled Disinformation: Participants recognized deepfakes and bot networks as a primary threat to social cohesion and democratic processes, requiring new countermeasures beyond traditional media regulation.

Legal and Regulatory Lag: The current legal framework is ill-equipped to handle issues of algorithmic bias and other negative effects of AI like hallucination etc. A proactive, rather than reactive, legislative approach is needed.

Imperative for Collaboration: The scenario exercise underscored that siloed responses are ineffective. A whole-of-nation approach, integrating intelligence, operational, and legal perspectives, is critical for resilience.