African Union: African Union adopted Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection including provisions on data protection authority governance

On 27 June 2014, the African Union (AU) adopted the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. The Convention mandates the establishment of national data protection authorities to govern and enforce data protection regulations across its member states. These authorities are tasked with overseeing compliance with data protection laws, handling complaints, conducting audits, and imposing sanctions when necessary. The Convention emphasises the independence and impartiality of these authorities, ensuring that they operate free from external influence.