Qatar Emerges As Regional Leader in Cybersecurity Through Strategic Initiatives

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is establishing itself as a regional leader in cybersecurity by implementing national strategic initiatives, fostering international partnerships, and adopting a proactive stance on digital security, a market expert has said.

Speaking to The Peninsula, Amer Bazerbachi, Associate Partner - Advisory at KPMG noted that several key efforts the country implements to position itself as a cybersecurity leader in the Middle East.

He said it is essential to have strong coordination with the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), which leads and supports critical national cybersecurity initiatives. Bazerbachi pointed out that investment in cybersecurity research and innovation centers is critical, contributing to regional knowledge-sharing and capability development.

On the other hand, the country is also actively participating in global cybersecurity events and forums—including the recently held Cyber First Qatar to promote dialogue, collaboration, and the exchange of solutions.

“Qatar’s engagement in platforms like the INTERPOL’s Stadia project, the UN’s Open-Ended Working Group on ICT Security, or the GCC’s Executive Committee for Cybersecurity further enhances its regional and international Cyber diplomacy role,” Bazerbachi said.

During the Cyber First Qatar event last week, the official took part in panels stressing that “Cybersecurity should be seen as an enabler of Qatar’s strategic frameworks, rather than just a technical control or an optional safeguard.”

Bazerbachi highlighted that the National Cyber Security Strategy 2024-2030 embeds cybersecurity within the broader national development framework, ensuring the country’s digital transformation is secure, sustainable, and aligned with its economic and human development objectives. This approach reflects Qatar’s commitment to advancing its digital ambitions while maintaining trust and resilience. 

“The discussions reinforced how these proactive efforts are positioning the country as a regional leader in secure digital transformation, offering a model that can inspire similar initiatives globally,” he said.

The NCSS is well aligned with the core pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly in the areas of economic and human development.

“From an economic perspective, the strategy supports Qatar’s goal of building a diversified and competitive economy by fostering a secure digital environment that encourages investment and innovation,” he said.

The strategy prioritises the protection of key infrastructure including financial and energy systems critical to economic stability while promoting cybersecurity R&D to support Qatar’s ambition as a regional tech leader.

In terms of human development, the NCSS highlights the importance of developing a skilled and capable cybersecurity workforce.

Through targeted education and training programs, awareness campaigns, and national initiatives, the strategy aligns closely with QNV’s Human Development pillar, which aims to empower citizens to contribute effectively to a knowledge-based economy. Bazerbachi said “These efforts help build local talent pipelines and reinforce digital trust within society, Bazerbachi said adding that the NCSS is not merely a safeguard but also a key enabler of Qatar’s long-term socio-economic ambitions.

Qatar’s digital infrastructure has seen substantial advancement in recent years, propelled by the accelerated digitalisation of government services, smart city initiatives, and key economic sectors.

  This transformation has directly shaped the updated strategy’s focus areas, such as strengthening resilience for critical national infrastructure (CNI), particularly in energy, finance, and healthcare, addressing emerging technologies, such as AI, cloud computing, IoT, and 5G, which are becoming foundational to public and private sector operations, expanding the scope of governance and regulatory alignment, including compliance with international standards and local mandates, and enhancing incident response and threat intelligence capabilities to counter sophisticated cyber-attacks.

“This approach enables Qatar to remain agile and secure in an increasingly connected world, he said.

By advancing these initiatives, Qatar is asserting itself as a key cybersecurity player in the region, supporting both regional stability and the evolution of global cybersecurity norms. Qatar’s leadership in cybersecurity has been acknowledged by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), having earned the top position in the Global Cybersecurity Index.