Saudi Arabia, represented by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) in cooperation with the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE) and the Global Cybersecurity Forum Foundation, and in partnership with the United Nations and its specialized agencies, announced the launch of the Global Initiative for Capacity Building in Cyberspace.
The announcement came during the fifth annual Global Cybersecurity Forum, held in Riyadh under the theme “Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace.”
Initiative to tackle worldwide shortage of cybersecurity professionals
The initiative was launched in response to the strategic challenges facing the global cybersecurity sector, particularly in its most pressing areas, including the worldwide shortage of cybersecurity professionals, estimated at 2.8 million, according to the GCF 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Report issued by the Global Cybersecurity Forum Foundation.
The global initiative is built on five tracks: research and development programs, cybersecurity simulation and exercise programs, training programs, policy development and workshops. These aim to enhance the skills of a wide range of beneficiaries, including policymakers, law-enforcement agencies, diplomats and professionals in the field.
UN Secretary-General Antَnio Guterres, in an address to the participants of the forum, expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for adopting the Global Initiative for Capacity Building in Cyberspace, highlighting the forum’s focus on issues such as child protection and women’s empowerment.
Global Cybersecurity Forum kicks off
Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Riyadh Region Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz announced the launch of the fifth annual Global Cybersecurity Forum under the theme “Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace.”
The forum was organized by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) in cooperation with the Global Cybersecurity Forum Institute and the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE). It will run for two days, with participation from senior decision-makers and experts from governments, the private sector and academia, representing 128 countries.
In his speech, Prince Faisal bin Bandar said that the 2024 edition of the forum had the honor of featuring a keynote address by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He noted that HRH the Crown Prince emphasized in his address the strong link between cyberspace and the growth of economies, the prosperity of societies, the security of individuals and the stability of states.
The Riyadh governor expressed his gratitude to the participants, wishing them success in the forum’s activities. The convening of the forum affirms the Kingdom’s global leadership in this vital and promising sector, building on the achievements of its pioneering cybersecurity experience at the national, regional and international levels, an experience that has become a recognized and successful Saudi model in the field worldwide.
