Page 70 - SAMENA Trends - Jan-Mar 2024

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

GCC States 'Taking Steps to Enhance Cybersecurity'

Amid increasing cyberattacks, countries cal instability further driving vulnerability the region continues to navigate the glob-
in the GCC are taking measurable steps to across key sectors. The detailed report, al overhaul of technology, countries in the
enhance their cybersecurity systems, ac- titled ‘Middle East Cybersecurity: Explor- Middle East are taking measurable steps
cording to a new report. The United Arab ing the Middle East Cybersecurity Market to enhance their cybersecurity posture.
Emirates (UAE) actively repelled more Potential’, was released ahead of GISEC Setting up cyber-specific departments
than 50,000 cyberattacks daily in 2023, Global 2024 – the Middle East and Africa’s and innovation centers, driving awareness
according to the UAE Cybersecurity Coun- largest and most impactful cybersecurity through educational campaigns and train-
cil. In the first three quarters of the same super-connector, which returns to Dubai ing programmes, and promoting entrepre-
year, the country successfully prevented World Trade Centre from April 23 to 25. In neurship through cybersecurity confer-
over 71 million attempted attacks in total. collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, it aims ences are just some of the ways that the
These findings, highlighted in a report from to identify the challenges and opportuni- region is equipping the next generation
analysts Frost & Sullivan (F&S), show the ties facing the region’s expanding industry. and bridging the existing skills gap. In fact,
exponential growth of the region’s cyber- In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, specifically, as per the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index
security landscape – and serve as a so- there has been a dramatic uptick in the 2020 highlighted in the report, Saudi Ara-
bering reminder of the rising threats that adoption of technology across the finance, bia has ranked second, and the UAE fifth,
accompany it. As the GCC cybersecurity healthcare, and manufacturing sectors, among 194 participating countries, indi-
industry continues to grow – with F&S further boosting the need for cybersecurity cating that both countries have taken ex-
estimating it to triple in value by 2030 to and robust regulatory frameworks. Con- tensive measures in terms of regulatory
reach $13.4 billion – countries like the UAE tributing to the existing challenges with in- approaches. As a result, they have become
and Saudi Arabia continue to reduce their creased reliance on technology are issues destinations of choice for academics,
dependence on oil exports and are instead around awareness and a scarcity of skilled businesses, research, and innovation, with
diversifying into other technology sectors. professionals, as well as a lack of clarity the UAE government launching the first
This shift in economic agenda has made among businesses regarding proactively national Cyber Pulse Innovation Centre
businesses increasingly prone to escalat- combating cyberattacks. In response to aimed at upskilling professionals at Abu
ing cyber threats, with regional geopoliti- these industry-wide shortcomings, and as Dhabi Polytechnic.

Iraq, Syria Ink a Memorandum of Understanding on Telecoms

Communications Minister Hiam al-Yasiri services, as well as the implementation of and prepare their executive programmes,"
signed a memorandum of understanding the extension of an international optical he said. The Minister emphasized that
with Syrian Minister of Economy and cable route across the borders of the "this agreement will contribute to the
Trade Mohammed Samer al-Khalil, two countries to exchange telephone development of services provided to
including cooperation in the field of traffic and joint coordination to control citizens in both countries," underscoring
telecommunications, informatics and digital content and repel cyber-attacks." the significance of collaboration between
post. "As part of the work of the Iraqi- "The two sides also agreed to form joint the two nations in the fields of informatics
Syrian committee under the auspices technical committees to follow up on the and communications.
of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al- implementation of areas of cooperation
Sudani, Minister of Communications
Hiam al-Yasiri signed a memorandum
of understanding with Syrian Minister of
Economy and Trade Mohammed Samer Al-
Khalil, which included cooperation in the
fields of communications and information
technology and postal exchange between
the two countries," said a statement by
the Ministry of Communications, obtained
by the Iraqi News Agency (INA). The
statement added that "the memorandum
of understanding confirmed joint
coordination between the Iraqi Ministry of
Communications and the Syrian Ministry
of Economy to encourage international
connectivity, interconnection and postal

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