Emirates Cybersecurity Council and Huawei sign agreement to strengthen cybersecurity
The United Arab Emirates Cyber Security Council has signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei to collaborate on strengthening cyber security strategies and efforts. The agreement was reached at the Gulf Information Security Exhibition and Conference (GISEC) in Dubai.
Under the memorandum, the two parties will work to strengthen cybersecurity collaboration in the public-private partnership model. "We are excited to sign this agreement with Huawei in line with our mission to develop a comprehensive cyber security strategy and build a secure and robust cyber infrastructure in the UAE. This step will also help further our efforts to establish the UAE as a leading global centre for cyber security," said Mohammad Hamad al-Kuwaiti, UAE Head of Cyber Security.
The agreement also aims to create an open and transparent environment between the UAE government, Huawei and other technology providers. "Huawei is committed to supporting the UAE's efforts as the country celebrates its digital transformation process. As cyber threats continuously change, this agreement with the Council will help work towards providing a safe and secure cybersecurity ecosystem," said Aloysius Cheang, Huawei's chief security officer, who expressed his pleasure at the signing of this agreement. "This partnership will also help recognise Huawei's long-term commitment to the sustainable development of the UAE as one of the world's leading digital hubs," said Cheang.
The agreement also includes promoting innovation and research in cyber security on both sides by establishing an independent think tank and a centre of excellence in cyber security. These two proposals will aim to provide the opportunity for talented researchers to participate in the development of cybersecurity in the UAE.
However, this agreement with Huawei is not the only agreement signed by the UAE Cybersecurity Council. Other companies, such as Cyber Protection X Holding (CPX) or Amazon Web Services (AWS) have also made great strides in Dubai on cyber security and related technologies. "Organisations that invest in improving their cyber maturity do better. We are proud to partner with UAE government entities on this journey, limiting their exposure to cyber threats and increasing their exposure to opportunities to innovate and thrive," announced Khaled al-Melhi, CEO of CPX, in a statement to state news agency WAM.
For Amazon Web Services, the goal is to achieve faster adoption of cloud services by the UAE's public sector and regulated industries, including financial services and healthcare.
This agreement comes at a time when cybersecurity, including hardware, software and services, is on the rise across the region. So much so that it is forecast to grow by 7% through 2022, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).
All this when the UAE Cyber Security Council is barely two years old since it was established in November 2020 with a mandate to develop a comprehensive cyber security strategy and create a secure and robust cyber infrastructure in the UAE. Despite its short development, the Council has been ranked fifth in the International Telecommunications Union's Global Cybersecurity Index 2020 for its "advanced awareness of the importance of cybersecurity".