The decree for the entry and exit of 48 technology products in the country was drafted by Ethiopia's premier cybersecurity institution, the Information Network Security Administration (INSA). It has reached the standing committee of Human Resource & Technology Affairs chaired by Negeri Lencho (PhD), while discussions between the officials were unveiled last week at Parliament.

The evolution of technology and the need to enhance the inspection capacities of the Administration were cited as the reasons for the proposed bill. It is part of the development to align with the goals of digitising Ethiopia put forth by the federal government.

Tigist Hamid, deputy head of INSA laid out the reasons for the limitation on the number of products slated for regulation. She reasoned that while inspection is necessary, specific permits will be granted to those engaged in innovation.

"We can't label all technology as a threat to national security," she said.

Tigist acknowledged difficulties in finding documentation to refer to experiences of other countries due to the confidentiality of intelligence agencies' documents. Officials have finally opted to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in Ethiopia to formulate the draft.

Following the comments of standing committee members, the exact list of items to be categorised as either prohibited or restricted is set for determination. While products dubbed restricted may be entered through the issuance of a proper security clearance permit, those dubbed prohibited will be outright banned from entry or use.

Million Hailemichael represented the Ethiopian Communication Authority (ECA) at the session. He enquired about the benchmark for determining which products fall into the two categories.

"It's unclear what the standards are," he noted.

Issuance of security permits and means of import or export on the restricted items will be carried out after inspection which will occur whether or not it was conducted in the source country, according to Tigist.

Alemayehu Getachew, a public relations official from the Ministry of Tourism, indicated that some tourists might come into the country unaware of the prohibitions. He requested that a particular location for temporary safekeeping should be instilled instead of appropriation.

The Deputy Head of INSA indicated that an online service to enhance the capacity of inspection experts who will work with the Ethiopian Customs Commission has been developed to evaluate items brought by tourists.

"We will work to disseminate the information widely," she said.