Gisec 2022: UAE Cybersecurity Council strengthens strategy with several agreements

Partnerships cover solutions related to cyber security and related technologies

The signing ceremony between the UAE Cybersecurity Council and Cyber Protection X Holding during Gisec Global 2022 in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

The UAE Cybersecurity Council signed preliminary agreements with a number of companies to strengthen efforts in promoting its technological agenda both locally and internationally.

The partnerships signed with companies including Huawei, UAE-based Cyber Protection X Holding and Amazon Web Services, among others, cover solutions related to cyber security and related technologies, organisers of the Global Information Security Expo and Conference said on Tuesday.

The council signed an agreement with China's Huawei Technologies, one of the world's biggest makers of telecoms equipment, to collaborate in cyber security based on the public-private-partnership model.

The move will promote innovation, drive development in capabilities and nurture a strong cyber security ecosystem, Huawei said in a statement on Tuesday.

“As cyber threats are continuously changing, our agreement with the National Cybersecurity Council will help us work towards providing a cyber security ecosystem that is safe and secure," Aloysius Cheang, chief security officer of Huawei UAE, said.

The council also signed an agreement with UAE-based Cyber Protection X Holding under which both organisations will work to develop the cyber maturity of the nation's government entities.

"Organisations that invest in improving their cyber maturity do better. We are proud to partner with the NCSC and UAE government entities on this journey, limiting their exposure to cyber threats and increasing their exposure to opportunities to innovate and thrive," Khaled Al Melhi, chief executive of CPX, said in a statement to state-news agency Wam.

Meanwhile, an agreement with Deloitte will have the council use the consultancy's experience in the field of cyber security and expertise in the UAE.

The signings are expected to boost the UAE's cyber security infrastructure, a key focus for the future as the UAE accelerates its transition into a digital economy.

Last year, the country jumped 33 places to rank fifth in the International Telecommunications Union's Global Cybersecurity Index 2020, owing to its "advanced awareness about the importance of cyber security".

Outside of core cyber security, the council also signed an agreement with Amazon Web Services to enable the faster adoption of AWS's cloud services by the UAE’s public sector and regulated industries, including health care and financial services.

"This opens [up] opportunities for government entities and other strategic industries to accelerate innovation and digital transformation in line with the UAE’s economic and national agendas," AWS said in a statement.

AWS is the world's biggest cloud infrastructure provider, spanning 26 locations globally and leading the $180 billion market with a 33 per cent market share in the fourth quarter of 2021, data from Statista show.

Under the agreement, a steering committee will be established with representation from the council and AWS to consult, co-operate and share best practices in cloud cyber security, AWS added.

"These are great moments. We are continuing to support our many partners, who come here and support us in our digital transformation," Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, head of cyber security at the UAE government, said at Gisec.

"We are here together to support that in a secure way."

The UAE Cybersecurity Council was established in November 2020 with the mandate of developing a comprehensive cyber security strategy and creating a safe and strong cyber infrastructure in the Emirates.