The Arab ICT Organization organized, in collaboration with its partner “SAMA PARTNERS,” the 1st MEA Cybersecurity Conference 2023 on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at the Hotel Royal ASBU in Tunisia – the Republic of Tunisia.
The conference gathered various government ministries, communications regulators, institutions, and organizations operating within the energy and industry sectors. It served as a pivotal platform to engage in a comprehensive discussion regarding the prevailing cybersecurity risks and their potential threats to this critical sector. Additionally, the event delved into the exploration of proactive solutions aimed at ensuring uninterrupted business operations. A special emphasis was placed on the innovative solutions driven by artificial intelligence within the energy sector.
In his speech during the opening ceremony, H. E. Eng. Mohamed ben Amor, the Director General of the Arab ICT Organization, underlined AICTO’s endeavors to contribute to Arab and regional efforts for the protection of cyberspace and addressing key cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the Arab region.
In this regard, he pointed out the launch of AICTO’s “Arab Cybersecurity Strategy – 2022” with the vision of “towards a safe, integrated Arab society integrated into the global digital economy, and self-sufficient solutions and supporting digital trust and protecting the Arab cyberspace.”
He also introduced AICTO’s new initiative to develop an Arab/regional reference framework for the protection and governance of data exchange/transmission, and personal data in the Arab region. This initiative aims to propose procedural, legal, and technical controls to protect the flow of data and personal information of Arab citizens.
At the end of his speech, he emphasized that cybersecurity is a national security issue that requires the unification of all efforts and accelerating steps toward establishing a cooperative approach to create an open, free, and secure digital space for everyone, everywhere.